A lively city rich in culture and entertainment, Barcelona provides its visitors with a multitude of things to do. What if you’re on a tight budget, though? Well, expensive activities and fancy restaurants might be out of reach, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the capital of Catalonia fully. In fact, there’s a lot of fun to be had in Barcelona without spending much money – or even any at all.
Related article: Cheapest places to grab a beer in Barcelona
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One of the best free things you can do in Barcelona is simply to walk around! Brilliant, isn’t it? In a city with so much to offer, it can be pretty rewarding – so, take a stroll down La Rambla and enjoy all the street entertainment it presents, such as living statues, cartoonists, dancers and live musicians.
Whenever you feel like escaping the urban bustle for a moment, find harbor amongst the trees of Parc de la Ciutadella. Have a picnic by its beautiful lake, watch the jugglers and tightrope walkers or close your eyes while you lie on the grass and listen to the Spanish guitar that someone is always playing.
If a lake isn’t a large enough body of water for you, visit one of Barcelona’s many beautiful beaches. With a long pedestrian corridor and a bike lane, the seaside area of the city is calming, inspiring and revitalizing. Take in the fresh ocean breeze, step off your shoes and dip your toes in the sand – weather permitting, take a dive! Again, how much does this all cost? Nada.
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Famous for its architecture, Barcelona has a lot of exquisite buildings for you to see. In fact, some say you don’t truly get to know the city until you’ve admired the many works of Gaudí. You don’t need to pay for that, either – just keep on walking through the city streets. La Sagrada Familia, a legendary catholic temple still being finished today, can be freely admired from the outside, just like some of his other modernist works of brilliance such as Casa Batllo and Casa Milà (popularly known as La Pedrera).
A big fan of museums but not such a fan of expensive tickets? You’re in luck! Many of the city’s museums are free on either the first Sunday of every month or on every Sunday afternoon (normally after 3 PM). So, make sure your next visit to Barcelona includes a Sunday or two and take advantage of the opportunity to visit the Picasso Museum, the Maritime Museum, the CCCB, the MUHBA and many others completely free of charge.
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There are many bars and restaurants in Barcelona where you’ll be served delicious and satisfying meals for very low prices – stay away from the most popular establishments in the city centre, of course, as prices tend to be quite high there. Instead, head to places like a Travel Bar (there are many in the city), where the dinner special costs only 1€, or El Can Paixano, which has a very good offer of traditional Spanish dishes at low prices. Want to taste those famous Spanish tapas? Try Bar del Pi, where a good menu will cost you only 3€. For other places to eat without doing too much of a dent in your wallet, check out some of our other articles on this topic.
Related article: Where to eat on a budget in the Gothic neighborhood
That’s it! Follow our tips and you’ll be sure to enjoy the capital of Catalonia even on a tight budget. Will you be visiting us soon? Let us know using the comment box below. Have fun discovering Barcelona!
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