Brit in Barcelona shares ‘top five tourist mistakes’ to avoid on your holiday

A British expat residing in Barcelona has shared her insider knowledge on the top five mistakes tourists should avoid when vacationing there.

Anna (@annainbarcelona) has more than 22,000 on TikTok, where she shares Spanish language and travel tips.

In a video that has been viewed more than 816,000 times, Anna recently dished out her wisdom on “things you shouldn’t do if you’re visiting Barcelona“. Her suggestions may come as a surprise to some.

Don’t pack heels

“First of all, don’t pack the heels,” she asserts. “Leave the heels at home girl, you’re not going to use them.” The city has plenty of cobblestone and tiled, often uneven, streets – making heels a bit of a nightmare. A native writes on Solo Female Travellers: “Stilettos and very high heels are uncommon in Barcelona (we like to walk a lot and the signature pavement tiles of the city are uneven).”

Don’t eat on La Rambla

La Rambla is the city’s most famous street, but regardless of how captivating it might look, Anna warns: “Go for a walk down there. But please, don’t eat or drink on La Rambla. You’re going to pay twice as much for something half as good […] And also, you’re probably going to get pickpocketed while you’re there.”

Don’t put your phone in your pocket

Barcelona is one of the most infamous cities for pickpockets in the world, meaning extra care must be taken when you’re out and about. “Don’t put your phone in a pocket,” Anna advised. “Please, just bring a bum bag. Just bring it. I don’t care if it looks ugly, if it’s not fashionable for you, just do it!”

Don’t go to dinner without booking

Anna said the city can get really busy, meaning you will likely end up waiting an age for a table if you don’t book. “You probably will end up waiting hours for a table, and not being able to get in where you want to go,” she said.

Don’t get taxis everywhere

According to Anna, Barcelona’s metro and bus services are “so, so good”. She explained: “Friday nights, the metro runs until 2am. And all through Saturday night it runs until Sunday, so it’s a constant service through to Sunday night.”