Barcelona
Lifehacks

Most useful life hacks and tips in Barcelona
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  • There is a great and affordable panoramic restaurant right on Plaza Catalunya on the 10th floor of the El Corte Ingles shopping center.
  • There are 632 free WiFi spots in Barcelona. We've checked it ourselves: the best connection is right beneath the Triumphal Arch.
  • Mobile services.
    A 10 Gb Vodafone SIM-card costs €30.
    A 2 Gb Orange SIM-card costs €15.
  • There is a €100 fine for running a red light even if you are riding a bike.
  • Smoking weed is legal in special coffee shops. There are about 200 of them in Barcelona. Smoking, selling or buying marijuana in the street is prohibited and subject to a fine.
  • Most museums and shops open around 9 or 10 a.m. Sundays are off almost everywhere. Everything is closed during siesta or lunchtime from 2 to 5 p.m.
  • No need for a tip in Barcelona. You can leave a small tip, but it is not obligatory. If you really mean it, €5 or less is enough.
  • The fastest way to the top of Montjuic is by metro: get off at Paral-lel and switch to the cable car without leaving the metro or validating your ticket again. In 5 minutes you will be enjoying the panoramic view!
  • A ticket to a party or live concert often includes a drink.
  • The Sagrada Familia temple and Park Güell have limited visitor capacity. It means that every 15 minutes only 400 people can enter. During the hot season the tickets can be sold out for 2-3 days. Always buy your tickets to these places in advance.
  • Up to 30 million people visit Barcelona every year. Book your hotels, tours, tickets and other services in advance. Demand always exceeds supply in Barcelona! Restaurants can be booked the night before.
  • Alcohol is sold in shops until 11 p.m..
  • Note: drinks that are sold on the beach are non-alcoholic. Even mojito
  • Locals have their own meal schedule. They have lunch from 2 to 4 p.m. and dine from 9 to 11 p.m. Life hack: come to a restaurant around 7 or 8 p.m. and you won't have to wait for a table.
  • Street seating at the bars is open until midnight, then you can drink inside until 3 a.m. The most fun in the nightclubs starts around 1-2 a.m. so don't be surprised if you come around midnight and there is still no one at the dancefloor.
  • If you want to buy a drink in a small shop, note that drinks from the fridge cost more than the ones on the shelves.
  • If the bar looks old and far from glamorous, most likely they serve good food. There are plenty of family places in Barcelona which have been around for decades. They might not have enough money for fancy decor, but their food is delicious.
  • Except for fancy modern cafés, in most places if you order a cappuccino you will most likely get a regular coffee with milk, but be charged an extra euro.
  • If there are people queueing for a restaurant, it's a good sign! If you want to go to a cool place without waiting in the line, book your table in advance. It's free. Another life hack: if you want to pay less in a fancy place, come at lunchtime during the week and get a "menu del dia".
  • "Menu del dia" means menu of the day. It consists of a first and a second plate, a dessert and a drink, normally a soda, a beer, a glass of wine or just water. These centric places serve great menus of the day: El Reloj, La Singular, Bar Lobo. Menu del dia usually costs about €11-13.
If you get bored by ancient and Medieval stuff, check out the futuristic modern districts of Poble Nou, Glories, Diagonal Mar and Forum. Poble Nou is also famous for its graffiti galleries.
Have a great time in Barcelona!
Yours, FunBCN
About FUNBCN
Hey. My name is Alina Kabakova, and I am the founder of the FUNBCN Agency. As a barcelonian, I know that this city can offer you much more than travel guides suggest.
My team and I offer more than 50 vivid impressions in an active, romantic or relax style: from romantic cruises on a yacht and dinner on the rooftop to extreme flights in a balloon and Formula-1 races.
Contact us and we will create the journey of your dreams.
Barcelona is love, and we want to share it with you.
Contact us:
+34 644 754 934
info@funbcn.com
Carrer Industria 104, Barcelona