How To Visit Barcelona on a Budget

Barcelona is a unique city that has changed a lot throughout its history, reinventing itself and adapting to the new times. Barcelona has been a fishing village transformed into a commercial port; an industrial city that has become a center of culture and sport. Nowadays it is one of the most popular travel destinations worldwide. Tourism is currently the main source of income for the city. Every year, tourists from all over the world come to visit this beautiful city. And, although it may seem difficult, enjoying Barcelona on a budget is possible.

There are a few tips that you must know about how to travel Barcelona on a budget. Some of them are quite simple, like avoiding expensive bars and restaurants near the main monuments. If you want to visit Barcelona on a budget, you will have to find the funniest, cheapest and most original plans to enjoy the city like a lot of locals do, without spending a fortune.

And because we want you to get the most of your trip, today we bring you a definitive guide to travel Barcelona on a budget. We hope it helps you!

Tips to visit Barcelona on a budget

The second-hand scene

Vintage is a worldwide trend, especially in clothing, and in Barcelona there is no garment that is not given a second life. The options are very diverse when it comes to buying that eighties shirt that for some reason is back in fashion. In Barcelona you have Flea Markets that are held daily or during weekends in different parts of the city, such as the Mercat dels Encants, a huge daily market where you will find art, technology, clothing and much more. Palo Alto Market, in the Poble Nou neighborhood, is another flea market that is held on weekends. In addition to the vintage and design market, you can also enjoy a good vermouth and a delicious vegan paella. And you always have the option of visiting the varied vintage fashion stores of the Raval neighborhood or even Humana, a chain of second-hand clothing stores where you will also be collaborating in solidarity projects.

Visit the viewpoints of the city

If you want to enjoy Barcelona on a budget, you can visit the different viewpoints in the city that will offer you stunning views of Barcelona. The skyline of this city is unique in the world thanks to spectacular monuments such as the Sagrada Familia, the Agbar Tower or the W Hotel. The most original viewpoint of the city is the Carmel bunkers, a Spanish Civil War construction that can be visited for free. The Las Arenas Shopping Mall, located in Plaza España, has a rooftop from where you can see a great view of the Raval neighborhood. Very close to there, in the highest part of the MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia) we also have one of the best views of the city totally free. Another option could be a rooftop bar in Barcelona like W Hotel, where you can enjoy the fabulous views of the Mediterranean coast and the Barceloneta district while having a drink.

Go out for vermouth

Sunday morning is one of the best times to go out in Barcelona, especially if you are going to “do the vermouth”. Vermouth is a spicy wine that is trendy in Barcelona, ​​although the phrase “to do the vermouth” really means to go out and have a snack with a drink that can be a beer, wine or a soda. In Barcelona, ​​especially in the old town, there are many bars specializing in vermouth, where this can be accompanied by a snack on a terrace and enjoy the sun, the street vibe and the food. The Vermouth is a perfect plan to go out alone, with the family or friends. Many Vermouth bars even offer musical shows, so for the price of a glass of vermouth you can enjoy a full show.

Visit the urban art galleries of the city

Barcelona is a city of museums, art and culture. We are not talking about only to the classic museums of historical or contemporary art, but to the diverse independent and urban art galleries that exist throughout the city. In neighborhoods like El Raval, Gràcia or Poble Nou you can find works of art that will surprise and inspire you at the same time. Urban art galleries open to the public, coworking for creative professionals that display art exhibitions, cultural bars, chillout areas as well as independent concert halls. Contemporary art, graphic design, graffiti, poetry and all types of urban art open to visitors, who can take advantage of their visit to these neighborhoods to learn more about the cultural scene of the city of Barcelona.

A day on the beach

Barcelona is a city on the beachfront, to the point that you can be walking on the asphalt and the next thing you know is that your feet are buried in the sand. To travel Barcelona on a budget, you can plan a whole day at the beach, even if it’s not the warm season yet. Both in summer and in winter, the Barceloneta beach is the perfect place to have a picnic, play a game of volleyball, performance a fun guitar concert or just lie down to sunbathe and hang out. In La Barceloneta, events such as the Cinema a la Fresca are organized, where films and short films are exhibited in the outdoors, as well as concerts and fireworks spectacles during the Sant Joan festivities. And all of them without forgetting the multiple terraces where for the price of an aperitif, you can enjoy the color, the sound and the smell of the Mediterranean Sea.