There was another thread about this recently where Globalloon suggested pick pocketing…

:bigsmile:

there is a good culture vulkture trail; some of it is free too

:idea:touristing ideas would include:

– this city is very much a homage to Gaudi so check out the buildings, parks etc
-visit Catedral da Sagrada Familia (not free but absolutely amazing)
-get on the city’s tour bus if you are into going to museums etc as the all day pass for the ride will also get you discounts on admissions to museums
-visit the open air Gaudi parks around the city (free and beautiful)
-take a walk around the central square where they dance the catalan protest dance every sunday; also go to see the dance (free!)
– check out the C12th hospitallers building just off the central square (not sure exactly where but it exists cheek by jowl with several more modern ones…(free from the outside)
-walk around La Ciudad Gothica which is truly medieval
-check out the Palau da Musica if you like architecture
-if you want to go shopping go down the old town side streets as these are far more interesting than the dept stores

get a wee city map once in barcelona for more ideas

:bigsmile:Things to bear in mind are:

-catalans basically dont cook so the cafes do an all day trade including supper and prices vary

-catalan shops open at 8 -9 am and close for lunch 1-2pm; reopen again at 4 pm till 10pm in the old quarter; the siesta is taken very seriously as is their lunch (dont ask for ketchup as they associate this with americans and they are not very impressed with them)

-pickpockets work in gangs; to avoid being a mark either hang your valuables inside your shirt, closed jacket or keep in the front pockets of tightish trousers; dont wave expensive stuff around or (!) wear expensive jewellery…

-checkout Las Ramblas for a truly eye opening experience in open markets
-you need passports to use foreign credit cards in most if not all places

– do not be freaked out by the fact that all police are armed; this is just a fact of life; i have never seen them pull a gun yet in many visits

-checkout the beautiful motorbikes parked down the side of every street
(DROOOL)

-taxi drivers drive like lunatics and traffic lights are considered suggestions rather than instructions so be careful crossing roads; in fact all spaniards drive like lunatics if you havent lived in a country without that kind of traffic…(yeee haa)

my font of ideas just ran dry; any questions?:crazy_fre:crazy_fre

culture vulture is something to do in the day while waiting for parties to start…:crazy_fre [going in search of ‘improving’ interactions with history which catalunya abounds with]

you could also check out whether SONAR is on this yearraaa [still trying to go to that myself]

the food market off las ramblas is one of the best and most colourful in western europe that i’ve seen, with lots of stalls serving tapas and larger dishes. loads of unusual seafood in there too

just skanking around the gothic quarter is good for a while, especially if you’re used to living in a architecturally dull city like I am

decent clothes and shoes are well cheap in spain, if you need any new threads

i found a wicked community centre in an abandoned church one time… statues of saints now dressed as punks outside. can’t remember where though. sorry