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What to do in Barcelona on a budget?

Sometimes we want to go to places we really love but we always think if we can afford, how expensive it is, and then we end up changing our mind and not going. The truth is you can make your dreams come true by visiting the place you love if you plan to do it on a budget.

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities located on the coast of northeastern Spain. Barcelona is one of the world’s leading tourists and culture centers. There are a lot of things to do in Barcelona from sightseeing to entertainment. Barcelona has a lot of unique architecture, city parks, museums, and churches. You can do all this and more on a budget and here are some tips to do it.

The best time to visit Barcelona

If you are on a budget the best time to visit Barcelona is between September-December. This time is good because the tourist season slows down and hotel rates are getting cheaper compared to June-August. You don’t have to worry about the temperature they will still be in the high to low 70s. You can still go to the beach in early fall, but mid-October temperatures can be in the low 50s. If you don’t mind wearing coats/jackets and not being at the beach January-April will be good for you. It’s a very low season due to weather of low 40s to 30s, everything is cheap from flight fare, etc. The temperature is rising up around March-April.

Accommodation

There is a lot of accommodation in Barcelona if you want to score some hotel deals you can search on the website like Hotwire, Priceline, etc. The good thing about hotwire if you know specific dates or estimates you can put an alert the will alert you if there is a price drop so you can book your hotel when you are ready for that price. Priceline also has good deals. They give you the option of express deals and bid your price you might be like and find amazing deals. Another option is Airbnb, this is a good option, on my trip to Barcelona I found out it was cheaper than hotels. I think it depends on the city, some cities are more expensive than hotels. For instance, when searching for accommodation in Rome, Airbnb was more expensive than hotels. In my opinion, Airbnb is good if you are not alone because you might book a house/room in an excluded neighborhood in a foreign country that can be scary.

Things to do in Barcelona

There’s a lot of things to do in this magnificent city of Barcelona. You can enjoy a lot of things such as sightseeing, museums, city parks, restaurants, wine tasting, cooking classes and many more. Since you are on a budget you can take advantage of free stuff. Yes in Barcelona there are some places where you can visit for free. But the best places you can do while you are in Barcelona are; first my favorite place La Sagrada Familia (Church of Sacred Family) this is the major attraction in Barcelona. A large unfinished Roman Catholic Basilica, construction started in 1882. If you like architecture you will enjoy the experience. The entrance fee for the basic tour is 20 euros or US$ 21.67. The basic tour does not include a tour guide. But there are different prices which are higher, for instance, you want a guided tour, going to the towers, going to the Gaudi Museum, etc. Another option you can take a quick peek from outside for free. The church usually enforces the dress code and some ground rules entering Sagrada Familia. You can check them here so you can get well prepared.

If you are a foodie or you just wondering where to eat in Barcelona you can go to Mercat de la Boqueria(Boqueria Market). The famous market in Barcelona you can get a variety of foods, drinks, desserts, fruits, etc at very good prices and you don’t have to break your wallet. You can check more about this famous market here and get some inside scoop and decide for yourself. The amazing part about the Boqueria market is connected to another tourist attraction Las Ramblas. La Ramblas is a famous street in central Barcelona. This is a tree-lined pedestrian street, it stretches for 1.2 km (0.75 mi). It’s also close to another tourist attraction Barri Gòtic ( Gothic Quarter). There is a lot of tourists attraction such as live performances, artists that will draw your portrait or caricature, whatever you want it.

There is also human statue art (street performance)if you don’t pay attention you will think you are posing with the statue of Galileo or Christopher Columbus, but there is Christopher Columbus monument nearby. There are a lot of museums, a restaurant, etc. One thing to notice about this place, since there’s a lot of tourists sometimes prices tend to be higher than in other places. You can go there for the experience and taking pictures but you can dine in some local places or non-tourists places where food is the same or better at cheaper prices. I found out when traveling in different places non-tourist places are the best when you are on a budget. You can get food, souvenir, etc for three times cheaper compared to tourist places. One thing I make for sure is to visit all these places and also hit the locals.

Getting around Barcelona.

Now you are in Barcelona, you’ll have to get around the city. There are several ways to get around the city of Barcelona by car, taxi, metro, and bus. The best I will recommend and it’s cheaper is Metro. You can buy a metro ticket for a single trip or depends on your duration of stay. There are several tickets, first is the T-Casual ticket, this will give you 10 trips on the metro, FGC. The T-Casual ticket costs 11.35 euros (US$12.29). It’s good for all the main city center routes and the airport. With a T-Casual ticket, you will save 12.35 euros (US$13.37) because if you buy a single metro ticket it costs 2.40 euros (US$2.60) per trip.

The second ticket option which I think has more benefit is the Barcelona Card. This is the official tourist pass of Barcelona. It can help you to save money because not only you can use it unlimited on the metro and other public transportation but also can be used to enter into Barcelona´s best museums. You can also get many deals and discounts on visits, tours, entertainment, shopping, dining, and nightlife. The Barcelona Card is available in different packages; there is a 72hrs package that costs 46 euros(US$49.81). A 96 hours package that costs 56 euros(US$60.64) and a 120 hours package that costs 61 euros (US$ 66.05). You can buy this package online. You can get more about the Barcelona card and its benefits here.

Now you know what to do when you want to visit Barcelona, first the right time to visit, the time when accommodation and flights will be cheaper. Second is things to do when you are in the city, there are a lot of things to do even if you are on a tight budget. Third, the best way to get around in Barcelona is through public transportation. There are several ways you can save in Barcelona by using public transportation.

Culture, Lifestyle, Travel, Travel Adventures,

When To Decide Between Beach Holidays and City Holidays

by travzdlaFebruary 16, 2020

When do we decide between city or beach vacations?

At some point, everyone feels like they need to go on vacation. The fact is not everyone can plan or go on vacation due to time, money, responsibilities, and life in general.

When people plan on taking a vacation, the main factors that they consider are where they want to go, and what they want to do.

Do they want to relieve some stress, or do they want to experience different environments and do different activities in their daily life? From there one can decide the best place to go according to what they want to do.

The two types of vacation places people most consider to go are city vacation and beach vacation.

These two major vacation places have some differences between them. Most people would choose one over another, we will take a close look at what kinds of activities one can do while vacationing in these two different places. One thing I can say they are both good places for vacation but it all depends on your interest and what you want to do.

City vacationing

City vacation has numerous things to do and places to see. If you want to enjoy the city vacationing, being open-minded will be a good idea and it will really help.

Because One of the main opportunities of city vacationing is that you will have the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the culture of the city or place of which you are visiting.

In cities, you will able to experience local culture, historic and non-historic architecture, art galleries, local restaurants, etc.

In some cities, you can also have an opportunity to get amazing city tours and learn more about the city’s history, culture, interesting facts and some myths or urban legends.

For instance, if you take your vacation in New Orleans there are different tours available such as Ghost tour, Cemetary tours, Food walking tour, Katrina recovery tour and many more. With a little bit of research before you go on your vacation, you can explore a lot of ideas on what to do in your chosen city.

Beach vacationing

While beach vacations can be a great way to relax, and chill they can not be done any time of the year like city vacation.

This means taking beach vacation can depend on season, most of the time can be done in summer, late spring and some late fall. designed.

Usually, beach vacations specifically cater to tourists, The beach has a relaxing, laid back atmosphere. There are many activities to do while you are on a beach vacation, activities such as water skiing, deep-sea fishing, sailing, diving, and much more.

Another great thing about a beach vacation is seafood. If you like seafood you have tons of selection of the freshest seafood money can buy. Most of the time you will be spending around the beaches, most of the activities will be around water, visiting restaurants and if you like nightlife maybe you can hoop in the bar/pub, live band, and some night club.

Some beaches have actives or events that you can attend. For instance, if you go to Myrtle Beach they are tons of events and activities such as Myrtle Beach Jeep Jam, NASCAR race experience, Horry County Fair, Atlantic Beach Bikefest and many more.

I prefer a city vacation because you are more likely to do a lot of activities all you need is time and be well prepared. The city vacation is ideal for anyone who likes to learn and explore different cultures, for people who like to see life from a different perspective.

There is a lot of interaction with the locals. Unlike the beach vacation most people you going to meet will be the tourists and also most beaches are kind of excluded a little bit far from other areas.

There are advantages of city vacations they are affordable because there’s a lot of options on where to stay, where to eat and there is always public transportation which makes it easier to explore the city. In another hand, the beach vacation can be somehow expensive because most of the hotels and other accommodations around the area are expensive.

You can always decide where you want your destination to be. Whether it is a city vacation or beach vacation there are several things you have to consider.

Those things are time, budget and what you want to do or what you want to get out of it. Of course, most of the time vacation’s purpose is to take a break from work and our busy exhausting routines, if that’s what you think, then you would think of a place where you can relax and just enjoy the view and whatever else there is to do.

Culture, Lifestyle, Travel, Travel Adventures,

Travel Tips to European Countries: Spain

by travzdlaJanuary 31, 2020

Spain is famous worldwide for its flamenco dancers and bullfights and the architecture style. Cave paintings, renaissance cathedrals, Moorish palaces prove the diversity of the country. Spring, fall and early summer are very pleasant here, though summers are hot. Spain’s capital and largest city are Madrid.

Culture

Spanish is the regional language of Spain. English is spoken there. Over a period of time, Spanish people have become modern in order to gel with the changing times and are no longer conservative. But that hasn’t changed the values, traditions, manners, and customs of the locals. People here have two surnames(last names). The first surname/last name can be used to refer to the person. To greet someone, a handshake will do the job. It’s normal to take a small gift along when visiting someone’s house. Dinner is generally taken very late at the night most restaurants in Spain open late for dinner. People wear casual but not too casual compared to the U.S. most of the time. Men are expected to wear jackets at some restaurants. Swimsuits should be confined to the pools and beaches. Recently a ban has been applied to smoking in public places.

Shopping

Shops open quite early in the morning and stay open late in the evening. In the afternoon, they are closed for lunch or siesta. Porcelain and leather goods are famous and they will be good gifts for friends and family members back home. Bills are to be paid along with the service charges, so tipping is a matter of gratitude.

Electricity

Voltage is 220 volts and the frequency is 50 Hz

Transportation

IBERIA airline is the national airline of Spain. Many other low-cost airlines offer services in the country such as Air Europa, Wamos Air, Vueling Airlines, and Binter Canarias. There are nearly thirty international airports in Spain, out of which Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, and Malaga are famous. Duty-free shops, restaurants, banks, car hire, and tourism information are available at the airports. There is also railway transportation between Spain cities and nearby countries or Europe in general. Cities that you can get metro/rail system are Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Palma, Parla, Santa Cruz, Seville, Valencia, Velez Malaga, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Zaragoza. Underground service also works to transport passengers to their destinations. Buses are available every 15 minutes and trains are available every 20 minutes. Bus fare and schedule and operations depend on the city you are. Taxis are available throughout the day. There is a good network of roads connecting Spain north to south. Toll booths are installed in some parts of the country. Carrying a few Euros will help smooth sailing at the toll booths. If driving one’s private car, it would be better if the travel insurance covers medical costs too. Carrying a medical kit can prove to be of some help.

Duty-Free Items

200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (300 cigarettes, 150 cigarillos, 70 cigars and 400g of tobacco for EU nationals)
1litre of spirits if exceeding 22 percent volume or 2 liters of alcoholic beverage not exceeding 22 percent volume and 2 liters of wine (1.5 liters exceeding 22 percent and 3 liters of up to 22 percent and 5 liters of wine for EU nationals)
250ml eau de toilette and 50g of perfume
500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (1000g of coffee and 4000g of coffee extract for EU nationals)
100g of tea or 40g of tea extract
Gifts up to the value of approximately €37.26. (the U.S $ 41.58).

Places to Visit in Spain.

1: Barcelona.

Barcelona is my favorite city in Spain. There are a lot of things to do and a lot to experience in this magnificent city. You can do a lot of things from sightseeing to cooking classes. My must-see /visit or do while you are in Barca(as I like to call it, and yes I’m a soccer fan) are;

La Sagrada Familia
Park Guell
Las Ramblas
Camp Nou Stadium(again soccer fan)
La Boqueria (Boqueria Market)

There is a lot to do, and for beach lovers, there are tons and tons of beaches in Barcelona.

2:Madrid

Madrid is the largest and capital city of Spain. If you like the sound of Spanish guitar, the swish of flamenco this is your place to be. A lot of food, dancing and partying all day and all night in this beautiful city. My pick for must-do/see or visit while in Madrid are ;

Prado Museum
Plaza Mayor
The Palacio Real
El Rastro flea market
Puerta del Sol

There is a lot to do in this city, you can hop on bus tours which they provide a lot of activities to do from wine tasting to cooking classes.

3: Valencia.

If you like to be outdoor or on the beaches, Valencia is your place. You can visit the beach with golden sand and have a very wonderful view of the Mediterranean. My pick for Valencia are :

Mercado Central
Plaza Ayuntamiento
City of Art and Science
Valencia beaches

There are tons of things to see and do in Valencia. In general, Spain is a very beautiful country there are a lot of places to visit such as Seville, Granada, Ibiza, San Sebastian, Canary Islands, etc.

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