UnCommon Tourist

Ah, Barcelona - she's a city littered with rich architectural masterpieces, mouth-watering tastes and tapas, and flowing rivers of cava that make you believe you can dance flamenco (you cannot, nor should you in the this city!).

But despite its charm, many travellers manage to completely f*ck up their time here.

How you might ask?

Well, here are ten solid ways to do it - along with some damage control tips so you can still salvage your Barcelona dreams, protect your travelling reputation and avoid pissing off the locals!

1. Expect Everyone to Speak English

The Mistake: Rolling into Barcelona assuming that everyone will greet you with a crisp “Hello, how can I help you?”

Spoiler: They won’t. Hierarchy of languages here: Catalan, Spanish, Spanish Latino (multiple flavours!), Ignoring you, English.

How to Fix It: Learn a few basic phrases in Spanish—or better yet, Catalan (the local language). A simple  “Bon dia” (good morning in Catalan) or  “Gràcies” (thank you in Spanish) will earn you way more goodwill than shouting English words louder and pointing at signs and pictures.

2. Only Eat on La Rambla

The Mistake: Sitting down at a restaurant on La Rambla and ordering a €25 paella that tastes like instant rice soaked in seawater. Congratulations, it's a one-way ticket to free entrance at one of our government funded hospitals - yay!

How to Fix It: Venture into the Sant Antoni, El Born, Poblenou, or Poble-sec for authentic, non-tourist-trap eats. Try Bodega La Puntual for central tapas or head to Can Paixano for a glass of cheap (but amazing) cava with your jamón.

3. Assume Sangria is a Good Drink Choice

The Mistake: Ordering sangria because you saw it on a postcard, only to realize you’ve been served a jug of overpriced fruit juice with a whisper of cheap wine and a mouthful of mediocrity.

How to Fix It: Order vermut (vermouth), a local favourite, or go for tinto de verano, which is basically sangria’s cooler, less touristy cousin.

Want to drink like a true Barcelonian? Add a "Vichy Catalan" to your order instead of just "agua con gas".

4. Visit Park Güell Without a Ticket

The Mistake: Showing up at Park Güell without a ticket, assuming you can waltz in and take selfies with Gaudí’s most famous lizards!

How to Fix It: Book your tickets online in advance. Same goes for La Sagrada Família, Casa Mila, and Casa Batlló. Nothing screams “unprepared tourist” like standing in a two-hour queue while others smugly flash their pre-booked passes and swagger on by.

5. Expect a 7 PM Dinner Time

The Mistake: Showing up to a restaurant at 7 PM, starving, and confused why everything is closed or utterly devoid of any personality or atmosphere.

How to Fix It: Embrace the Spanish schedule - lunch is at 2 PM, dinner is at 9 or 10 PM. If you’re dying of hunger, hit a tapas bar for a snack and pretend you planned it that way. There's also a HUGE international food scene here so why not use your time to embrace multiple cultures (and eat more on your own timescale!)

6. Walk Around the Streets of La Sagrada Familia or Barceloneta Like a Clueless Target

The Mistake: Strolling through La Barceloneta beach with your phone dangling out of your pocket like a gift for local pickpockets and letting your wallet rest in the "oh so grab-able" back pocket of your jeans.

How to Fix It: Be aware. Not paranoid, but savvy. Keep your valuables secure, don’t leave your bag on the floor at restaurants, and for the love of Gaudí, don’t set your phone on a table outside. Pickpockets here have PhDs in theft.

7. Think “Siesta” Means Everything Shuts Down

The Mistake: Assuming the entire city naps for three hours in the afternoon, like some kind of Mediterranean hibernation ritual.

How to Fix It: Shops and smaller businesses might close mid-afternoon, but Barcelona is a big city—stuff is still happening. Major attractions, bars, and many restaurants remain open. If something is closed, use that time for a leisurely stroll (or, fine, take your own siesta - we fully support you!).

8. Take a Taxi from the Airport Like a Rookie

The Mistake: Grabbing a taxi at Barcelona-El Prat Airport and paying an unnecessary €40 when you could have taken a train for €5.

How to Fix It: Take the Aerobús from the airport to Plaça de Catalunya for around €6 or use the R2 Nord train. If you’re feeling fancy and definitely want a car, use the Free Now app for a fairer-priced taxi.

9. Assume You Can Just “Wing It” at Nightclubs

The Mistake: Showing up to a club in flip-flops, expecting to breeze past the bouncer, and getting denied while watching well-dressed locals saunter in.

How to Fix It: Dress the part (Barcelona clubs love a smart-casual vibe), and get on the guest list in advance -many places like Opium, Pacha, or Sutton won’t even look at you otherwise. Not that we would know this from personal experience, you can find us chilling in one of the many city music venues...

10. Call It “Bar-TH-E-LOH-NA”

The Mistake: Butchering the pronunciation of Barcelona like you’re narrating a bad travel documentary. Or worse, shortening it to Barca...

How to Fix It: Say it like the locals: “Bar-Ce-lona” (with a soft “se” sound in the middle). They’ll still know what you mean if you mess it up, but at least try. Plus it sounds sexier!

Barca, by the way, is a boat and Barça is the football team only, not the city. The city shorthand name is "Barna".

Final Thoughts

Barcelona is incredible - if you don’t sabotage yourself with rookie mistakes.

So be smart, travel with us, eat well, guard your pockets, and for heaven’s sake, don’t order paella (or anything else for that matter!) on La Rambla.