Barcelona is one of the most exciting cities to visit in Europe anytime. This city has lots to offer to its visitors and one of them is excellent food. However, many of the city’s Catalan restaurants can be expensive if you are on a tight budget. Guests travelling with limited resource are advised to plan carefully where to take their meals to better enjoy Barcelona. Here are some of the most practical things to do in looking for ways to eat in Barcelona on the cheap.
Tip #1. Always look for “tourist menus” posted outside most of the restaurants in the city. Watchful tourists can enjoy three- or four-course meals that are much cheaper than ordering ‘a la carte’. Although this may give you limited choices, the savings are usually worth it for more opportunities to explore the city.
Tip #2. Learn to be vegetarian here. Even if you are an omnivore, choosing vegetable options in Barcelona can relieve the pressure in your pockets. There are a number of affordable yet quality food menus that center on vegetables. Ask for a good budget guidebook for suggestions.
Tip #3. Go to a cava (sparkling wine) or wine bar. Usually, food in these tourist hubs is simple but satisfying with an added experience of dining similar to being in wine cellar.
Tip #4. Eat lots of tapas. These delicious small bites can be excellent meals if paired with cava or sherry. You can also opt to snack on them to leave room for a heavy meal later.
Tip #5. Go on picnics as much as you can. There are cheap varieties of food that tourists can buy in Barcelona’s central market or in similar surrounding areas. Be sure to get a room with a refrigerator so you can eat at least one or two meals every day, skipping going to restaurants most of the time.
Tip #6. Pick a good budget guidebook that contains an extensive listing of affordable cafes and restaurants. The local library in the city can provide good source of information you might need. Or you can visit your own local library before going to your trip and photocopy the pages you need without bringing heavy books.
Tip #7. You should try horcata when in Barcelona. Horcata is a nutty-tasting yet cool drink derived from chufa nuts which is normally only served in Spain. Spanish horcata is entirely different from Mexican horcata.
Tip #8. Stay away from “tourist trap’ places should you want to eat cheap here. Look for cafes and restaurants located a block or more away from the city center. These places can provide a lot cheaper food options compared to those in the heart of the city itself.
Tip #9. Avoid tipping. While it is customary to leave some small change on the table, tipping in Barcelona, as well as in most cities in Europe is optional. This is due to the fact that service charge is already included in the price of food you are paying.
Tip #10. Look for appropriate Barcelona guidebook or a phrasebook that detail Catalan phrases as well as Spanish to facilitate easy understanding when going around or looking for affordable restaurants. Although almost any local understands both Spanish and Catalan, many menus and signs are written in Catalan. Some locals may also prefer to use Catalan exclusively here.
Related Attractions
Post a comment