Barcelona for first-timers

If you are moving to visit Barcelona or simply visiting, there are a couple of things you should know to make your trip easier. Here are some tips from ShBarcelona:

1 Buy a TMB card

Whether working or visiting, you are probably going to be moving around a lot. The cheapest way you can travel is buying a TMB card and using public transportation. The TMB cards can be used for buses, subways and a couple of trains.

You have the choice between a single-trip card, a T-Day, a T-10, a T-50 (which lasts 30 days), a T-Month, a T-Trimester, T-Jove and a T-70 (which lasts 30 days).

2 Watch over your belongings

When visiting Barcelona, try not to behave too much like a tourist. Avoid opening the map in the middle of the street or carrying large cameras and expensive gear in plain sight. Whenever possible, keep your valuables close to the front part of your body. If you are a man, don’t keep your wallet on your back pocket, if you are a woman, carry your purse towards the front instead of sideways.

If you’re having a meal at a restaurant, don’t leave your bag or purse hanging from the back of the chair. Place them under the table, next to your feet.

3 Don’t get fooled

There are a couple of schemes going around the most touristic areas of the city. Avoid strangers who try to approach you for no apparent reason, since sometimes they are people who distract you, making you focus on something else while others rob you.

Try not to buy articles from street vendors. Not only are they counterfeit, but some of them are complete scams, like the dancing cartoon characters sold in many street corners.

4 Get to know your supermarkets

If you are here to stay, it’s good to know the options so you can compare prices. If you are here for a visit, buying items beforehand and taking sandwiches and bottles of water with you on your walks can be a smart way to save money on meals.

Some of the most famous supermarkets in Barcelona are Mercadona, Alcampo, Carrefour, Lidl, Condis and Bonpreu.

5 Find out what you can visit for free

There are a lot of things to see in Barcelona that don’t require a paying ticket. You can visit:

Parks: Parc de La Ciutadella, Parc del Centre del Poblenou, Parc Joan Miró among many others;

Museums: a lot of museums allow free entrance on Sundays;

Markets, monuments, buildings and churches;

Street performances: it’s hard to plan for a street performance, as they seem to emerge from unexpected places. Just stop for a moment and enjoy;

Art/Store Galleries: there are several galleries with free entrance where you can see paintings, photographs and sculptures.