Barcelona, full of the vitality that makes all Spanish cities so attractive, is often a tourist’s favorite destination in Europe. Most tourists visit the city in August although the local people are often on holidays at this time of the year. This means there are plenty of stores and taverns closed since their owners are away on holiday.
For the die-hard traveler, this hardly poses a problem since there are several more options available. If you are looking for some interesting cuisine, drive down to Plaça Real. This street has a number of outdoor cafes, restaurants and bars. Las Ramblas, which is a few minutes from Plaça Real, is worth visiting especially since sidewalk artists, puppeteers, living statues, dancers etc… are constantly performing some entertaining act. In crowded places like this, pickpockets often prey on unsuspecting tourists so stay alert.
While roaming central Barcelona, stop in at the Els Quatre Gats (The Four Cats), a pub-restaurant frequented by Pablo Picasso. Your visit is not complete till you visit the Barri Gotic, the city’s Gothic quarter and Palau Guell in the Raval district, a town mansion designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Since Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia (an autonomous community in Spain), most of the people speak Catalan. Surprisingly, they cannot converse in English beyond a few simple sentences so I advise investing in a good hand held translator.
Once you’ve booked, preparing for your holiday is vital to ensure you have an enjoyable and stress-free experience. I’d advise that you make a holiday checklist so you can note down everything you need to get. Top of your list should be cheap holiday insurance, and the internet has made it much easier to arrange this for a bargain price. Aside from that, you could also look at arranging car hire for when you’re on holiday as renting a car is often the best way to explore a resort. And of course, don’t forget your cosmetic and medical essentials such as sun tan lotion, paracetamol and handy travel-size shampoo and conditioner!