BARCELONA FOR BEGINNERS
On holidays, nothing is as rewarding as immersing yourself into the local culture of your exotic destination – and that is no different in Barcelona. To be able to get the real Barcelona experience, learn to understand and adopt the following cultural pec
A day…
Spanish clocks tick differently than in the rest of Europe: siestas in the middle of the day, meals at unholy hours, and very late evenings characterise a day at the Iberian Peninsula. This rhythm is what to expect while living like a local.
7.30AM
Time to wake up and have a small breakfast – perhaps just a coffee or some juice.
9AM
Offices and supermarkets open their doors and mark the official start of the day.
10AM
The shopping streets awaken as well, and public life commences.
11AM
Almuerzo – the second breakfast, likely a sandwich.
1PM
La hora del vermut – a little break with a vermouth and some olives. Read more on page 52.
2PM
Comida – a Spanish lunch contains in between two and four courses: first plate, second plate, fruit and dessert.
3PM
Siesta – do it the proper way, as explained on page 34.
4PM
Merienda – grab yourself a little snack while shops and offices open their doors again.
7PM
Most offices close for the day. Metros, bars and parks start to fill up.
9.30PM
Cenar – Spanish dinners are simpler than their lunches. Two light courses usually suffice.
12AM
On weekdays, it is time for most people to go to bed. Children might have been asleep for a little over an hour already.
1AM
On the weekend, the night just starts around this time, when most youngsters head out to party, often until 5am or beyond.
SOS Spain
We really hope that, once you are back home, the reading of this part will have proven to be a complete waste of time. Yet, should something go wrong during your stay in Barcelona, you’d better know where to go for help.
Like in the rest of continental Europe, the general emergency number is 112. If you call this line, they can help you in English, as well. For ambulances, police or the fire brigade, this is the number to call.
For moderately urgent health issues, you can head to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Here, too, they usually have doctors and nurses who speak a bit of English. Upon arrival, a nurse will determine how urgent your
Proper etiquette
problem is, which will determine the duration of your waiting time. Beware that you might have to wait for three hours or more during busy times if your case isn’t pressing. The good news: in Spain, urgent healthcare is free for everyone. So, don’t worry about hefty medical bills while in Barcelona. If you enter the emergency room of a public hospital, you will always be helped, free of charge. Other medical treatments and dental care, on the other hand, can be a bit pricey as a foreigner if you don’t have private insurance.
Plenty of police officers roam the streets in Barcelona. You will notice that they come in a couple of different uniforms (including one with short trousers for the beach police to wear in summer).
Tipping? Don’t! Service is always included on your bill in Spain. Therefore, you only tip as a token of appreciation when the experience is so good that you want to give a little extra. In some touristy places, however, waiters will try to give you the impression that you should tip. Don’t let them fool you.
Being loud? Do! The people of Barcelona might not appreciate us telling you this, but it is quite okay to be loud in Spain. On bars’ terraces, big groups often enjoy beers and tapas together while loudly chatting and laughing the night away. Always be respectful, of course,
That is because three different police forces are active in the city: the Guardia Civil (the Spanish national police), the Mossos d’Esquadra (the Catalan national police) and the Guardia Urbana (the city’s police). As a tourist, you will most likely need the Mossos d’Esquadra if anything happens, as they handle pickpockets and small crimes, among other things.
If your passport gets stolen or you need to reach the British authorities for any other reason, you can head to the British consulate (Avinguda Diagonal 477, 13th floor), which is open from 8.30am until 1.30pm on weekdays. Most other European countries and the United States have consulates in the city, as well. when in residential areas in the dead of night, but there’s no need to feel uncomfortable about raising your voice every now and then.
Being late? Do! Spanish people take punctuality with a pinch of salt. If you arrive within 15 minutes from the agreed-on time, you’re still considered to be timely. This doesn’t count for theatres, cinemas, doctors and public transport, however, where you are expected to be punctual. When meeting someone, try not to be early, though. Arriving somewhere early – especially at someone’s home – is considered to be a little rude.