Barcelona: Where bustling city meets beautiful beaches.  The Catalonian capital is the perfect place for a long break, with so much to explore yet ample opportunity to relax. If you’re thinking of heading off to Barcelona, have a read of these tips to help you make the most out of your trip.

Tuck into some Tapas

While tapas doesn’t originate from Barcelona, there are still plenty of places where you can try these traditionally small Spanish dishes. My favourite when visiting the city was Taller de Tapas, located only a short walk from Catalonia Square in the centre of the city.  This beautiful restaurant serves a mix of traditional Catalonian dishes (like la bomba, a meat filled potato ball) as well as classic dishes like chicken wings.   

Explore the Gothic Quarter

Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter is one of the most beautiful districts in the city, where you could spend a whole day getting lost in winding lanes of shops, bars and restaurants. This quarter is also home to the cathedral and many street performers to keep you entertained.

Visit the Magic Fountain

Looking it up on Tripadvisor, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc didn’t seem all that impressive, but after being told by a friend that it is a must when visiting Barcelona, I decided to go along.  Much to my surprise, the fountain’s light show was the most impressive thing I saw on my trip and is without doubt worth your time. Caution: Make sure you check online before you go, as the light show runs on different days and at different times throughout the year, and ensure to get there an hour in advance for a good spot- we got there 45 minutes early and only just managed to get seated!

Feel like a local at Gràcia Festival

Just North of the city centre, Gràcia (Barcelona’s student district) is home to Gaudi’s Park Güell.  Whilst we were there, we discovered a neighbourhood street festival, which takes place in mid-August, where different streets compete with one another in decorating them! Each street had multiple temporary bars and there were different music acts every night throughout the period- an amazing opportunity to dance the night away while experiencing some local culture!

A WORD OF WARNING

Just last year alone, almost 19 million Brits visited Spain and whilst most visits are trouble-free, to reduce your chances of being pickpocketed you should avoid wearing a rucksack out and about, especially whilst on the metro. I experienced this first-hand as one of our passports was almost stolen from the front pocket of a bag. If you still choose to wear a rucksack, ensure to wear it on your front whilst on the metro (you’ll notice signs telling you to do so as well as locals following this advice).

For more information on how to stay safe on your travels visit https://travelaware.campaign.gov.uk/ .