Language and Culture

Barcelona is in the Catalan region of Spain. The language you’ll hear on the street is not Spanish, but Catalan, and you’ll hear about Catalan culture, not Spanish. Catalan is the language used in schools here, and it’s also the first language for signage in museums and on menus in restaurants. Spanish will be second, and English, third. Everyone speaks Spanish as well as Catalan, though, so if you speak Spanish, you will get along just fine, even in the countryside. In a city as dependent on tourism as Barcelona, you will find that many people also speak English, and nearly every restaurant in the city will have translated menus if you ask for them.

Political Situation

Much has been made recently of the Catalan independence movement in the international press. We certainly saw that it is a strong movement in Barcelona. There are Catalan flags out of many windows, many people wear yellow ribbons in support of Catalan political exiles or prisoners, and we saw numerous parades and marches. However, the Catalan independence movement constantly and consistency calls for non-violence. People bring their children to the marches, and the mood is often even festive. We did not feel threatened in any way.  At this time, the political situation does not seem to be a reason to avoid Barcelona.

Currency

Spain is part of the European Union and uses Euros as its currency.

When to Go

Barcelona is without a doubt a shoulder season destination. While the beaches are nice, and it may be too cold for much of the shoulder season to take full advantage of them, the summer also brings literally boatloads of tourists. Barcelona is a popular cruiseship destination, and with seven large docks for cruiseships, there can be more than 20,000 tourists just from the ships alone per day. Barcelona also gets quite hot and humid, and because the winds blow inland from the sea and there are mountains behind it, smog can get trapped over the city. We found April and May to be delightful, with temperatures in the mid-70’s and a light breeze. We’ve been told that October is a great month, too. Some of the lesser sights and attractions might only be open on the weekends during shoulder season, but honestly, there’s so much to do even in the off season in Barcelona that it’s not a problem.

How to Get There

Barcelona has a major airport that is very well connected to the city by train and metro lines. You can also rent a cab or use a service similar to Uber called Cabify. (While Barcelona does have Uber, it is not allowed to service the airport.) If you are flying in the off-season, you may not be able to get a direct flight from the US to Barcelona, but as you get closer to the summer, many airlines add direct flights for the high season. Therefore, you will probably have different airline routes for your arrival and return trips. Barcelona is also well-connected to the rest of Spain by train.

Transportation

Barcelona has a world-class metro system. It’s clean, fast and easy to use. Metro trains come on the average of every four minutes, and each line (known by a number and a color) has its own track, so you can’t get on the wrong train, even in a station with multiple connections. There are a variety of tickets you can buy. The most expensive is a single ticket ride for E2.20. We found the best deal to be the 10 ride ticket, which sells for E10.20. There are also cards for unlimited rides for specific time periods, such as a month, three months or longer, but we found that you need to ride the metro at least 10 times a week for those to be cost effective. There are also highly advertised tourist cards that offer unlimited rides, including to the airport (which is normally a surcharge). These last for 2, 3 or 5 days, but they are not a bargain. The two day option is E15, so clearly the 10 ride ticket is a better deal.

Each basic ticket is good for two hours in Zone 1, which covers nearly everywhere you’d want to go within Barcelona, except for the airport. It also transfers to buses and trams. You just stamp your ticket as you enter the bus or tram, and it will not charge you additionally. The same system also covers the funicular up Montjuic. (but not the very expensive cable car.)

The only warning about the metro is that it can be very crowded, and that it is also a favorite place of pickpockets. Watch your belongings very closely on a crowded train. The only time we had an incident with a pickpocket was on a train (and he didn’t get anything – Al was wearing a money belt under his clothing.)

Grocery Shopping

There are plenty of chain grocery stores around the city that will carry everything you need. However, to get the true Barcelona experience, find your neighborhood Mercat. Every three block by three block area will have one. Inside, you’ll find booths of fresh vegetables, meats, fish, and prepared foods. It’s how the locals shop, and while it might be a little more expensive than some of the chain stores, you’ll be rewarded by freshness and quality.

Other Shopping

With as many tourists that come through Barcelona each year, there are a huge amount of souvenir shops that sell mass-produced items, probably from China. But if you are looking for local products, other than little shops you may stumble across in El Born or maybe the Gothic area, your best bet is local markets and fairs. There are also weekend-only craft booths at the south end of the Ramblas and near the beach by the Catalan History museum. When I asked locals what we should buy to bring home, they sort of shrugged and suggested wine or some of the meats that can be packaged for export. But there are artisans in the area, all making their own special items.  You won’t really find much that is uniquely Catalan, but you will find many things that are unique because they are artisan made. It all takes a bit of digging to discover what it is that you like.

Connecting with the Local Community

There are a number of expat groups in Barcelona. (Lee – can you write here?)

Favorite Restaurants

In Barcelona, the first thing about eating is when. Our best tip about eating out is to do like the locals – eat your big meal at about 1:30 or 2pm. Most restaurants have their “Menu del Dia” (menu of the day). For a fixed price, you get a first course (salad, pasta or a tapa type thing) and a second course (usually a meat dish.) It also usually includes bread, a drink (water, wine or beer) and dessert or coffee. There are usually four or five choices for each course. Prices are from about 9E in local neighborhoods to up to 25E for an upscale place in a tourist area. But they are a deal. It’s a great way to eat in expensive places for a budget price. It also makes dinner easier – I usually just made a salad, soup or sandwich at home in the evening.

Because this is often the way we ate out, the restaurants we ate at were usually in the more tourist areas downtown. Quite honestly, in general, we usually found the restaurant food in Barcelona very adequate, but not amazing.

The most famous restaurant in Barcelona is Els Quatre Gats, or The Four Cats.  Styled on a Parisian salon, it’s classic Art Nouveau, inside and out. But it’s also well-known because of its famous patrons, including Gaudi, Casas and Picasso. If you can get a table for the Menu del Dia before 3pm, you can eat a somewhat  affordable and well-made meal in a famous and beautiful place.

The most interesting restaurant meal we had was at Agust. While the food was not necessarily Catalan, it was delicious – and fascinating!  The chefs created art from the food.  They even make a dessert that looks like a potted cactus plant!

One place that was somewhat near our neighborhood that’s worth a mention is The Pharaoh. What’s notable about this place is that it is right along Avenida Gaudi between San Pau Hospital and the Sagrada Familia, so it’s in a fairly tourist-dense area, but it does a very excellent Menu de Dia. For E12.50, they open the entire menu for you to choose a first and a second course from, except for two steak dinners. Drinks and a dessert are included. It’s an incredible deal, and the food’s good, too.

Festivals and Events

There are festivals and events nearly every weekend in Barcelona. Barcelona-Life lists the major ones, but there are scores of things happening all the time. Keep your eyes open for posters and flyers in store windows and banners on streetlights – that seems to be the major way of advertising upcoming events. One charming holiday we enjoyed while we were there was Sant Jordi’s Day – the Valentines Day of Barcelona. Not only were the streets full of charities selling roses and books (the traditional gifts for lovers that day) but the government palace opens its doors to visitors that day only. It’s worth the line to get a look inside.

The end of April usually hosts a flamenco festival, and there are numerous music festivals throughout the year – mostly jazz and electronic music. Summer is jam-packed with each neighborhood holding their own street fairs, but for spring and fall nesters, the other big festival to be aware of is September 24, Feste de la Merce, complete with devils and fireworks.

Weather

The locals told us to wait until April 21, and then the weather would be perfect  – and they were right. It seems as though the weather changed nearly to the day from sweater weather to short sleeves and shorts. In the summer, it gets very hot and humid, so those spring days are the locals’ favorites.  In the fall, it stays warm through September, but with more rain than any other time of year – mostly thunderstorms. By the end of October, it can get nippy in the evenings. For more information, check here.

Discount Tips

The very best tip for a nester is to get a library card. Every nine block neighborhood in Barcelona has a library, and not only will you be able to access their collection (much of it in English, including some American magazines) but nearly every museum in the city offers discounts for library card holders. Some places are even free. Bring your passport and some sort of document to the library that shows where you’re living – a note from your landlord, a letter with the address or a lease. They weren’t very strict with us, so try with what you’ve got. It’s well worth the trouble.

If you are over 60, apply for the Tarjeta Dorata card for train travel. It costs 6E and gives you up to a 40% discount on train tickets. You must go to a ticket office or travel agency to purchase it.

If you go to a tourist information center, there are several combination museum tickets that are worth your money. The Articket gets you into the city’s top six art museums with no lines and a 45% discount if you visit all of them. Cost is E30. If you like archaeology, consider the Arqueo Ticket, which will allow you entry into five archaeology museums for E14.50, a savings of 50%. Also, check your tickets carefully anytime you go to a museum. Many of them allow entry to other sites, and sometimes they allow multiple entry. Special note is the Maritime museum. Its ticket includes entrance to the Eulalia, an old sailing ship docked on the other side of the Ramblas from the museum itself.  It’s easy to miss this if you don’t know it. They even take her out for sails and you can sign up to go along.

When you Pack, Make Sure you Bring…

Money belt to wear under your clothes

Bathing suit

Sunglasses