Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations in the world and whilst you’d imagine that planning a trip here is pretty straight-forward, but it is actually easy to make some big mistakes.
Some of them are quite surprising - like hiring an airbnb - and they can contribute unwittingly to the over-tourism problem the city is currently facing. With some careful pre-planning, you can avoid the pitfalls of visiting Barcelona and enjoy your time in one of Europe’s best cities.
Big mistakes to avoid in Barcelona
1 - Staying in an Airbnb owned by a business
This may sound like a strange one, but Airbnb has become a major problem for locals in Barcelona. This has been primarily caused by the huge increase in budget airlines flying directly to Barcelona or nearby Girona, cruise lines and overall tourist numbers who’ve seen beautiful pictures on social media.
To put it into perspective the city has 1.6 million residents, yet 34 million annual visitors. The number of inbound tourists has jumped up so fast that there isn’t enough accomodation to cater for everyone.
This has led to many businesses who buy up inner city housing and list them on Airbnb. This doesn’t sound too bad until you find out that the cost of housing has shot up beyond a level most locals can afford, forcing tenants and renters out of the city to the outskirts, contributing to the feeling that their city has been taken over by tourists.
The main way to help support the residents of Barcelona is to avoid any Airbnb that is run by a business. If you still want to go down the Airbnb route, we would recommend one in which you actually stay with a local in their home. This also helps locals afford to stay in the city itself.
Alternatively there are many great hostels and hotels.
2 - Eating Paella on Las Ramblas
It may seem like a no-brainer - paella on one of the most famous streets in Barcelona. However, the restaurants here target unsuspecting tourists, offering up terrible quality food for high prices - we were even told the paella is often frozen!
If you want authentic, good quality paella, head to one of the many local restaurants around the city, you don’t even have to stray too far from Las Ramblas itself, just wandering a little from the main drag will help.
3 - Heading to Barceloneta Beach
Did you know Barceloneta Beach is man made? It’s essentially a tiny stretch of sand where hundreds of people crush together, and to be honest it’s a pretty ugly spot.
If it wasn’t in the centre of Barcelona, no one would go there. As well as a generally overcrowded and none too appealing beach you’ll also find it’s rife with pickpockets and people selling dodgy mojitos - don’t go there!
There are plenty of beautiful beaches nearby, so give this one a miss.
4 - Not booking your Park Guell ticket in advance…..
Park Guell has been ticketed to stem the crowding of tourists at this popular spot. The park which has some of Gaudi’s most famous art is pretty small and just couldn’t handle the crowds. We remember it from our visits years ago and it never used to be very busy, but alas, that’s Barcelona today!
Due to the restrictions, getting in can be difficult, especially if you rock up on the same day hoping to get a ticket.
The trick is to book in advance, particularly if you’re visiting in high season, to skip the queues. You can do that by buying your tickets with Get Your Guide.
Either that, or try our next tip…
5 - …or missing out on the free entry at sunrise
Yep, Park Guell is ticket free before sunrise, which is a great time to go. There are fewer (yes fewer, not few) tourists, the light is beautiful and you can enjoy it in relative peace.
We loved visiting as the sun came up and wouldn’t recommend any other time unless you really hate early starts. Note that you technically have until 8am to visit without a ticket but we saw people turned away at 7.45am so I wouldn’t risk leaving it that late.
6 - Visiting during peak season
Peak season is a nightmare in Barcelona and the crowds can be unbearable. Getting around isn’t as pleasant, prices go up and it contributes to the over-tourism feeling that residents despise.
Visiting during the winter or shoulder seasons means fewer crowds and lower prices. I’ve visited in winter several times and the weather has always been great, it’s my favourite time of year to go.
7 - Just staying in the city centre (i.e missing out on Montserrat and surrounding areas)
Barcelona is a fantastic city, but one of our favourite spots in the region is a short distance from the city centre. The Catalan countryside is beautiful and even the train journey to Montserrat is beautiful.
From here, you can either take a train, cable car, or hike up to the monastery perched on the side of the cliff. The views are completely spectacular and it’s a wonderful way to see rural Catalonia.
Here’s our guide on visiting Monserrat.
8 - However, don’t climb the monument!
If you’re on social media, particularly Instagram, you’ll probably have seen the beautiful photographs of people sitting on the top of the picturesque monument complete with incredible mountain views. Full disclaimer, we visited fully intending to take that shot, as it’s one of Barcelona’s most photogenic spots!
When we arrived it was fenced off and we found out it was a monument that is considered disrespectful to climb. People still do, just don’t be one of them.
9 - Taking a segway tour
There are a few signs and banners that have gone up in prominent places around the city telling tourists to go home because they are treating the city like a theme park.
A big gripe for locals are things like segway tours which take over the streets and contribute to this theme park idea. It might sound completely harmless to take a segway tour, and it is generally, but in Barcelona it’s just not a good idea.
10 - Not keeping an eye on your bags
Barcelona is far from the only city in Europe that has a pick pocketing problem but those that operate here are definitely pros. Don’t be afraid of visiting, but do keep a eye on your things, particularly in busy touristy parts of the city, on public transport and at the beach.
I wouldn’t take a backpack on the crowded metro on my back for example, I’d hold it in front of me where I can see the zips. I certainly didn’t walk around the city feeling like someone was about to rob me at all times but it does pay to be more aware of your things than you might be in your home town.
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