English
Every city has its customs and its behaviours, which generate common codes and they assimilate us in such a way that only a stranger could break them, and those, in Spain, are called ´guiris´. We will tell you how to avoid being surprised by passers-by acting crazy like a common tourists, so follow these tips.
Check your map before leaving, fixate the daily route and walk loosely around the city. It´s not good that they see you in the street looking into an open map because it denotes you condition as a tourist and you´re exposed to discomfort, such as pickpocketing attempts or other nuisances.
Never, whatever you do, go out with ridiculous hats, especially those Mexican hats which they wear in souvenir shops, t-shirts with ´I love Barcelona´, and especially with wallets or bags which have ´Barcelona´ written all over them.
Remember that shorts are for the beach, especially if they´re flowery ones. The Catalans would never walk with them in the city, and the flip flops after October denote your condition of foreigner, without doubt. Also never go to the beach with shoes with heels or long dresses, leave that for the club.
Something which isn´t advisable is to go around with a money belt, because it immediately exposes you as a ´guiri´. If you use it, make it less obvious, and hang it from your shoulder like it´s usually done in the city. Remember that wherever you go, do what you see, so don´t wear anything visible which labels you a ´guiri´, because the Catalans are bored of the rudeness of certain types of tourists, and it can be embarrassing.
Don´t go to the Ramblas to take thousands of pictures of the living statues, only the ´guiris´ do that. The Ramblas is a very interesting area to get to know and appreciate its history, so find a good café and don´t limit yourself to the ultra-touristy Hard Rock Café, where thousands of tourist buses stop every day to fill it up.
And despite Plaça Catalunya being, undoubtedly, a central point to meet in the city, you can find other cafés to meet other than the already well known Café Zurich.
Barcelona has museums, good restaurants, cinemas, beach and wonderful bicycle circuits. It also has amazing buildings such as those made by Gaudí, but please avoid being hours in queues at the Casa Batlló staring with an open mouth with your camera on display for everyone.
Try to drink with moderation, and don´t do it in the street. It´s not cool to scream in the street at night, leave rubbish lying around and urinating in any corner. You surely wouldn´t like it if tourists behaved in such a way in your city, because people work the next day. Remember that you´re a visitor and not a settler who has gone hunting in a wild territory.
Take your time for everything, don´t go around the city like if you want to see it all in a single day. Barcelona is a city with a Mediterranean rhythm, where every day has its eagerness and nobody wants to bother other people with their urgencies because it´s not a world created for their particular fun.
Renting apartments in Barcelona is always pleasant, especially if it´s at the time when all cultural activities emerge in the city. So come and enjoy the beauties that it offers in autumn.
Translated by: aleixgwilliam
