10 Ways Tourists Keep Wasting Money in Barcelona

Discover the 10 biggest money-wasting mistakes tourists make in Barcelona and learn how to avoid them to make the most of your trip!
FREE Barcelona Guides
📔 The PATRICK Guide to Barcelona: bit.ly/pgbfree...
🥘 Barcelona Food Map: bit.ly/thepatr...
🏰 FREE Gothic Quarter Guide: bit.ly/gothicq...
MORE BARCELONA HELP
📝 Patrick Guides: bit.ly/pgbGuides
👑 Book a Tour with me or my Team: [e-mail]
📞 Book a Trip Planning Call with Patrick: bit.ly/3QD0hXe
☕ Support the channel: www.buymeacoff...
📩 Updates on what’s going on: patrickguideba...
🏅 Join the team to get access to perks:
/ @patrickguidebarcelona
👋🏼 Say Hola!
Instagram: / patrickguidebarcelona
Facebook: / patrickguidebarcelona
RESERVE the Sites
🎭 Casa Batlló: bit.ly/3D8Hvnk
🏔️ Casa Milà: bit.ly/3D8Hvnk
TRANSPORTATION & ACCOMMODATION:
🏨 Hotels in Barcelona and Spain: h10hotels.pxf....
🚂 Train around Spain: omio.sjv.io/BX...
✈️ Best deals on Flights: bit.ly/3C56gjT
📚 BEST BOOKS ABOUT BARCELONA
Shadow of the Wind: amzn.to/3RQHFnk
Cathedral of the Sea: amzn.to/3dacsN9
*****Some links might be affiliate links. Purchase of a product or service with the links provided might help me out with a small commission and it helps support the channel at no additional cost to you!

[@petek5523]

Just got back from two weeks in Spain (Madrid and Malaga) and used an eSIM card for the first time. It was so convenient to buy/download/setup and activate. It was $17 CAD for 5gb which was more than enough for what I needed. My service provider wanted to charge me $16 per day 😂😅. Lots of good options out there. Also, menu del dia is a great option for good value lunches 😊

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Glad you got some of those tips in!

[@pioquintoclinic2467]

How did you get the esim? Thanks!

[@francocabernet11]

Holafly eSIM used it many times, offers unlimited internet

[@ForgeMasterXXL]

Vodafone UK gave me 15 day roaming pass for £15 which had 10Gb data, unlimited calls, unlimited texts, and a reasonable amount of MMS images (not sure how many) this was great value, as it’s actually a data increase for me for the 15 days. It works across all of Europe plus other countries that are called ‘Zone B’ with Vodafone UK. A bonus is it worked across all of my devices; iPhone, iPad & iWatch through my OneConnect plan which I hadn’t taken into account but was a nice happy coincidence.

[@paulkim1297]

Did you get the eSIM card in Canada or in Spain?

[@stumster]

Thanks for all the info Patrick, heading there in a couple of weeks, cant wait.

[@Seireunion]

Happy you are still actively working on your channel Patrick, I love seeing Barcelona through you even if I cant go myself. What times roughly do places have the menu del dia at please?

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Thank you! 1:30-4 more or less

[@adambriceland6588]

Keep up the good work Patrick!

[@pokinDave]

Thanks!

[@pokinDave]

Your videos were the best in helping me plan my trip.

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Thank you so much!! Much appreciated! Glad to hear they have helped planning. Enjoy Barcelona

[@dp9670]

Hey Patrick, thanks for all the great advices you give us. I've got a question. Which mic/setup are you using to achieve such a great balance between your voice (in the foreground) and the buzzle of the city (in the background)? Thanks! :)

[@Uncle.Pipo.]

I am heading there at the end of Jan - planning to see 2 Barca games - hoping the issues around the flooding have been resolved by the government. thank you for your help, may see you when we are walking around

[@terilerwick284]

Thanks for all the great advice! We'll be visiting at Christmas 🎅 🎄 Can't wait!

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

You’re welcome

[@andyshacks7812]

There are some really useful information and tips in this video. Cheers Patrick! 🙏

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Appreciate it!

[@bengisu8046]

Could you recommend a website that shows all the festivals, congresses, important dates, national holidays etc.? So that we can plan the dates accordingly? :)

[@SantiagoJuan-o3b]

I just returned from Barcelona a course it was wonderful trip. I usually round off the bill and leave a tip.

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ForgeMasterXXL]

Yeah I’m one for rounding up a bill wherever I am, unless the food was terrible of course. And I add on €5 or €10 usually if it’s been an exceptional meal and we have been there all evening socialising.

[@HalimWander]

would love to visit the catalan someday

[@luchiayseira]

pues ojala que no

[@look4grant]

Patrick, appreciate your advice and video enormously (Camden too). Will be spending 2-3 weeks in Barcelona in February, a break from the Canadian winter, very experienced elderly active tourists. Do we need to book visits in advance in February? Planning to find a longer term in Gracia? Best metro tickets for multi weeks to cover less walking than when younger? Thx

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

You should always book in advance, but you won’t have to book as far in advance

[@JBS319]

When booking my trip I thought I was going to avoid MWC. I had booked my hotels in Lisbon and Seville, my flights, my Iryo tickets, but was going to wait until my next credit card cycle to book my hotel in Barcelona. Then MWC was announced for the week I was going to be there and prices shot up and I had to scramble to even find anything. I managed not to completely break the bank (about $200 per night for 4 nights), but when hotels like a Best Western are going for 800 Euros per night, that gets into the level of obscene. Hopefully the silver lining will be everyone being at the conference during the day leaving some of those sights to be less crowded, though I'll still be booking when ticket sales open up for Sagrada Familia and Park Guell.

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

🤞🏼🤞🏼

[@sindhuja6]

HI Patrick..Needed a help, wanted to know present situation in spain, as we are planning to visit spain (Barcelona, Madrid, sevellie, malaga) during this dec 2024 along with two young kids. Hoping u will provide necessary information and safety measure whether to travel now or postpone our plans thank you in advance

[@Barrffyy]

Just rewatched this video, so we can find this restaurant too.

[@randycasimiro]

I will be traveling to Barcelona from Dec 27 to Jan 1. Which type of simcard can you recommend for tourist staying for 1 week? I need mobile data for exploring the city. Are there free public wifi at establishments there?

[@Cwra1smith]

A 10% tip is pretty well appreciated there. I even got some freebies doing that. Ask the locals where the good restaurants are and go there. You are going to spend money anyway so have fun doing it. Good wine is relatively cheap there. I would hit the St Joseph Market over Las Ramblas and try and go in October over a visit in the summer. We hit it September during the Americas Cup and it was a mob scene. Rome was even busier.

[@RiddimKingdom]

Girona and Costa Brava are well worth the trip, as is Sitges

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Yes they are!

[@TinaLee2042]

We’re staying in the Gothic Quarter - can you recommend somewhere to buy a really nice Cava? I’d like to buy it as a gift. Not a big wine drinker myself (other than sweeter wines) so no clue what to choose. Thanks!!

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Maybe try going over to Vila Viniteca and they can guide you a bit

[@TinaLee2042]

@@PatrickGuideBarcelona thanks!

[@rpicorelly]

What transportation card will give me access to Spain as a whole? If any?

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

There isn’t one. They just announced they want to roll one out in a years time, but we’ll see how realistic that is

[@jodimansion9929]

Question ? My trip to Barcelona is 8 days so the hola Barcelona card is 120 hours which may leave me with a few days extra. You mentioned the T-usual card which is a way better deal but I’m seeing info that says you must have a valid national id to obtain it. Does this mean an American citizen not residing in Spain can buy it? My daughter is a student there so she may be able to help. But what’s the correct information

[@RiddimKingdom]

The T-Casual card works for non citizens too if you’re buying the ten trip, twenty trip etc. it’s only the unlimited one that you need a NIE number for

[@Gpep4]

You can buy t-usual with your passport number. I did it few times.

[@andreamaronn4510]

❤

[@susanbullos]

Hi Patrick’ Susan here your new subscriber” where can we book a good hotel in Barcelona that is within the tourist area and don’t cost much?

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Check out the H10 hotels. They have good locations and prices

[@susanbullos]

Thank You Patrick👍🙂

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

@susanhavana1216 you’re welcome!!

[@robinallen7356]

Thanks for mentioning th T-usual card. It seems like the HolaBCN 2,3,4,5-day card gets pushed at tourists, but I cannot understand what is the advantage of buying a 5-day HolaBCN card for near €40 instead of a T-usual for €21? Is there something that a HolaBCN card offers that a T-usual doesn't have? The only difference I can see is that T-usual needs me to provide a passport/ID number, while HolaBCN can be used without any ID. Is that the only benefit over T-usual? The HolaBCN card just seems to be a tourist tax.

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

As I pointed out in the video, it’s for the entrances and discounts. Entrances into the MACBA and the MNAC (for example) plus the t usual would be more than 40€. So it’s for the cultural offerings. And just to be clear, I’m not speaking about the Hola Card alone. I’m talking about the Barcelona Card which includes the Hola Card plus those discounts

[@robinallen7356]

@@PatrickGuideBarcelona I don't mean the 'Barcelona Card' that comes with discounts. I can understand the added value of that 'Barcelona Card'. I mean the 'Hola Barcelona' card that you can buy on the TBM website. A 5-day 'Hola Barcelona' card costs €40, but gives no discounts. It's just a travel card. So anyone buying that Hola Barcelona card is paying an extra €19 for.... Apparently nothing. It's just a card that gives you 25 less days than a T-usual, but costs €19 more than a T-usual. The only difference I see is that a T-usual needs a passport/ID number while a 'Hola Barcelona' is anonymous. The 'Barcelona Card' with discounts might have some value - if you are going to those discounted places. But that other 'Hola Barcelona' card seems like it's just a tourist scam to get an extra few euros out of those that don't know about the T-usual. What I'm saying is it shouldn't be cheaper to buy a 30-day travel card than it costs to buy the 5-day travel card. I'm just referring to the travel card, not the travel+discounts card showed in the video.

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

@robinallen7356 it hasn’t always been the t-usual was discounted a couple years ago when the government helped with public transportation

[@Gpep4]

​​​@@PatrickGuideBarcelona T-usual is 50% off subsidized and is obviously meant to be used by locals, that's why it is much less advertised than the other options. I guess some people that do heard about the option still avoid sharing their id number - and that's basically the only technical obsticle for tourists when using it. Long story short - T-usual. Also it includes airport rides, unlike other cards. ‏I saw there's a T-16 card that is totaly free, I wonder if I can get it for my son or this one is realy just for locals

[@gregglund4353]

Patrick - we saved enough money in the first few days by using the transport card to pay for the card. Thanks!

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Easiest way to do it!

[@matthewjackson8615]

A 10% tip on a decent dinner is well appreciated, although not expected. The main difference is Americans expect to pay a tip even on a coffee, in Spain a tip is only really relevant after having spent a good amount of time at that bar / restaurant. Unbelievable the amount of people that still eat on La Rambla, but hey its good for the rest of the city as that way theyre not filling up the local bars !

[@PatrickGuideBarcelona]

Haha. Your second point is true. I never thought about that.

[@annagiersz3314]

Omg please fucking tip! Crazy

[@martaeliseo7874]

Don,t tip!!??,we have the lowest salaries working between 9 to 12 h/day in summer!. Fkoff😡🤬

[@martaeliseo7874]

due to "people" like u in BCN dont want that type of cheap tourist anymore

[@panagiotispanos8335]

T- usual, is big lie man is for the residents that they have ID or Spanish document NIE, TIE atc. otherwish you pay 100€ fine. PS if you think 2€ or some coins that you give to the good (waiter) costumers service of 70€ bill I'm disappoint better don't leave anything.