If you are going to be spending any length of time in Barcelona there are certain things you should know. Along with arranging accommodation, we would recommend you rent a flat in Barcelona; you should keep in mind the following.
Below I list some of the things that I have myself observed whilst I have been staying in Barcelona vacation rentals over the past few years.
The first thing I want to make you aware of when it comes to using either your debit or credit card in Barcelona, or any Spanish city for that matter is that you must provide some form of photo id. You can either use your passport or driving licence for this. Up until a few years ago you would have been required to sign the receipt, but today chip and pin has become more prevalent.
The next thing you need to be aware of is that although 75% of the population of Barcelona speak Catalan, which is this region of Spain’s main language, most of them also speak Spanish. This is because like other parts of the country a large number of people from South America have chosen to immigrant here.
When you go shopping be aware that most of the large stores including supermarkets won’t allow you to bring backpacks or large bags into them. Often as you walk in the entrance you will see lockers are provided where such items can be stored and these cost a Euro to use.
However if the store happens to be part of a large mall you may find that there is a machine close to the supermarket entrance where you place any large items you have purchased in other shops into a plastic bag which can then be sealed.
The pedestrian crossings in Spain are very different from those you find in other parts of Europe and the world. Normally when the green man appears it is informing you it is safe to cross. But this isn’t the case when using such in Barcelona. When the green man begins to flash it is telling you that you have only around 3 seconds left before traffic starts moving again. If halfway across then you will need to move a little quicker as unfortunately drivers in Barcelona tend not to wait around before they start moving again.
I would highly recommend that you never attempt to cross the road as soon as the man begins flashing; you really are taking your own life in your hands if you do. It may take some time getting use to their traffic light system, but it will be worth it in the long run.
You may find a lot of people will suggest to you that when staying in apartments for rent in Barcelona that you don’t drink the tap water. Well it is perfectly safe to drink the tap water, the only reason that most people don’t is they seem to find that it tastes a little unpleasant. But it is perfectly acceptable to use when cooking.
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