Barcelona on a budget!

What a magical place this is and the perfect long weekend break!

If you want a cheap break, you can do Barcelona on a budget, DESPITE what you may have heard!

What better place than Barca to spend a short break!

You know somewhere has to be awesome when people write songs about it!

I could harp on about Barca all day if you haven’t already noticed!

This is one of my favourite cities which I would happily return to regularly!

In fact…I do.

Why do I love it so much?

The city offers so much!

You have the Gaudi architectural influence, romantic moments on La Rambla, La “incredible” Sagrada Famila…I’m getting carried away with it all.

So, the REAL question… How can you do Barcelona on a budget?

There’s a few points worth mentioning if you want to do Barca on a budget, because let’s face it, you can easily get caught out as a tourist.

It’s frustrating because I’ve definitely been ripped off before because of the way I look, and it’s not a nice feeling.

I really hate the idea that someone would take advantage of a tourist, because you’re none the wiser, so you need to be mindful of this.

Mastering Barcelona on a budget: Don’t get caught out!

As I’ve said, in Barca you can get caught in some nasty tourist traps!

If you take note of these quick tips, you’ll be steering away from being ripped off and saving more money in the process.

1. Book an apartment rather than a hotel

The hotels are quite pricey, but if you are doing Barcelona on a budget, check on Airbnb or Booking.com, there are some beautiful apartments which cost little.

Make sure you’re positioned near the centre, like by the Placa Catalunya or near to a convenient tube stop.

The tube day passes are reasonably priced and the underground is efficient, you’ll be fine relying on this to get around.

So make sure you do your research before booking accommodation because you can save money before you’ve even arrived!

2. Eat-in the right place

In addition to the accommodation in Barca, some restaurants can be so overpriced for tourists too.

To be honest, you’re better off going off the beaten track and finding somewhere to eat that is more local rather than aimed at tourists.

You know what, my problem with touristy restaurants is not only that they are overpriced, but also the quality of the food is often poor and not authentic.

If you want something a bit more…traditional…

Instead, get a bite to eat from the Mercado just off the Rambla (Mercat de Sant Josep).

It’s great because the merkat or mercado is filled with all sorts of different (AND authentic) tasty Spanish food.

Jamon, queso, olives!

My mouth is watering!

So if you want a true taste of Barcelona, create your own tapas by buying bits and bobs from different stalls!

This is a great opportunity to try out the lingo with a bit of… cuanto cuesta? Cuanto es? Cuanto vale? All meaning: how much?

I can also recommend the delicious fruity smoothies from the fruit stalls.

If you fancy a quick snack while you’re out and about, but don’t want to have a sit-down meal, head to one of the back road Boquerias and grab some tapas or a jamon sandwich.

3. Don’t overpay for your meal

One of my pet peeves is seeing some unexpected fees at the end of my meal when I’m paying the bill.

I guess that’s normal for a budget traveller!

If you want to avoid these extra costs so you’re not lumbered with a large bill.…Take into consideration that you may be met with added on tax after your meal which was not included in the pricing.

Normally it should say on the menu whether there is VAT being added or whether it is included in the price.

Also, a lot of restaurants give you a basket of bread which appears to be complimentary, but is actually added to your final bill.

If you don’t fancy eating the bread, send it away!

And for goodness sake…don’t make the same mistake that I did when I was paying for the bill in a Barca restaurant!

Once I had finished my meal of padron peppers, octopus and other tasty side dishes, the waiter came over and told me how much the meal was.

I paid for the meal, but he didn’t hand me the cheque with the breakdown of costs.

I just took his word for it!

You know what… It wasn’t until later that I thought the meal had been a tad pricey for what it was.

I counted up the price of the dishes in my head and realized he had actually overcharged me.

SUCH a con!

Frankly, I was disappointed with myself…I put it down to having high spirits and enjoying my holiday and ultimately having my guard down.

Don’t make this mistake!

To be honest, it put a bit of a downer on the rest of my day, the feeling of being purposely ripped off.

What is there to do in Barcelona on a budget?

To be honest, most attractions are free in Barca, so you’re laughing if you’re on a budget!

You can wander around the city and take in all the amazing sites at no cost to you.

My ideal trip!

Rodeo your way down La Rambla

The famous Ramblas- meaning “road to the sea”, is a pedestrianized street is filled with stalls and street performers.

It’s practically the most well-known street in Barca!

Keep your eye out for the outdoor/indoor food market which sells all sorts of food, veg, fish and meat (Mercat de Sant Josep).

This market is hidden at the side of the Ramblas.

Being the most popular street, imaginably it’s full of people!

It is worth noting that you should be careful with your belongings here though, because there are known pickpockets around, preying on tourists.

This street leads to the sea, hence the name!

So, if you fancy and walk around the port, you’ll be near the coast when you reach the bottom of the street.

Viva La Playa!

The Barca coast is amazing, especially if you want a dip in the Mediterranean.

If you walk a bit further down the beach in the opposite direction of the Wave hotel, it’s a lot less crowded and calmer (There’s even a nudist part).

So if you’re planning a day at the beach, head near the quieter end where there are less tourists to be battling a for a space on the sand with.

You will come across the port too which is great to wander around.

You can actually get a boat from the end of the Ramblas by the port and the Columbus statue, right down the beach to the quiet end.

It’s a fun ride too!

Take in the Old town

Again, just off the Ramblas, you’ll find narrow traditional streets around the gothic quarter.

Get lost in these windy streets, you’ll probably stumble across the square which is home to the town hall.

Look at the tiniest of details as you wander, like the Gaudi lampposts in the Placa Rieal.

Sagrada Familia cathedral

Get off at the Sagrada Familia tube station if you’re going by underground.

The impressive Sagrada Familia or Sacred Family isn’t quite finished yet!

They’ve been working on it for absolutely years believe it or not.

Based on the Gaudi design, this is truly one of the most beautiful and amazing pieces of architecture there is, in my eyes!

TOP TIP: For the best Insta pic– go across the road to the small park and get a photo there, the view is spectacular!

Gorgeous Gaudi Park or Park Guell

This park is massive!

You can stroll around at your leisure.

Although the majority of the park is free, there is a small paid section, which is where you see all the Gaudi architecture which costs 10euro admission.

However, it’s definitely worth going into the paid section, as you’ll get a taster of some of the fabulous Gaudi designs that are also dotted around the rest of Barcelona.

Also, you can benefit from some amazing views!

Meander up Mount Tibidabo

Head up to Mount Tibidabo which overlooks the entire city.

This is what’s great about Barca, you can spend some time on the shore, having a dip in the Mediterranean…

Or you can go 45 minutes or so outside of the city to the mountains!

There is a theme park at the top of Mount Tibidabo if that’s your thing.

The rides are extra scary if you ask me, with the added height and view of the city whilst you’re on the roller coaster!

You’ll be screaming for your life up there!

To conclude…

On a side note, if you’ve got a few days in Barca and you want a bit of a break from the bustling city, take a train trip to Tarragona, it’s a traditional Cataluna town.

You can totally do Barcelona on a budget, there’s no doubt about that!

But you have to be vigilant and prepared in the process.

Take it from me, you can easily be ripped off, so research a little before you go.

And don’t just eat in the first place you see, because you’ll probably find something better and cheaper places off the beaten path.

More importantly, enjoy this wonderful city, as there aren’t many places like it!

Yours,

Holly