Photo: Hstoops · CC0Travel Tips
Practical Barcelona travel tips: best time to visit, safety and pickpockets, getting around by metro, El Prat airport, budgeting, tipping, and what to pack.
These Barcelona travel tips are built for real trips, not postcards.
Barcelona is the confident capital of Catalonia, wedged between the Mediterranean and the Collserola hills, famous for Gaudí's architecture, its beaches, a tapas-and-vermouth culture that runs late, and a metro that reaches almost everywhere you'll want to go.
Whether you have a long weekend or a full week, understanding a few local rhythms, the summer heat and crowds, the pickpocket habits of tourist zones, the way the old city and the grid fit together, will save you time, money, and frustration.
The layout makes sense once you see it. Below Plaça de Catalunya lies Ciutat Vella, the medieval old town, a walkable tangle of the Gothic Quarter, El Born, and El Raval.
Above it stretches the Eixample, Ildefons Cerdà's rigid nineteenth-century grid with its distinctive chamfered corners, where Passeig de Gràcia runs like a spine past the Modernista landmarks.
The sea sits to the southeast and the hills inland, so you can always orient yourself, and locals even name metro directions by mar (toward the sea) and muntanya (toward the mountain).
Below you'll find season-by-season timing, honest safety guidance built around Barcelona's very real pickpocket problem, how to move around without a car, airport logistics for El Prat and the budget alternatives, realistic budgeting, tipping norms that are gentler than you may expect, and a packing list tuned to a Mediterranean city with mild but changeable weather.
The currency is the euro, and Barcelona has two official languages: Catalan, the local tongue you'll see on most signage and menus, and Spanish (Castilian). English is widely spoken in tourist areas. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere, though a little cash helps at small bars, market stalls, and older shops.
TMB runs the metro, buses, and tram. Skip single tickets: buy a T-casual (10 journeys within Zone 1) at any station machine, or a Hola Barcelona Travel Card for unlimited rides over 48 to 120 hours, which uniquely also covers the airport metro. Machines take cards and cash and switch to English.
Tipping is modest and optional in Spain, nothing like the US model. Service staff earn a proper wage, so people simply round up or leave roughly 5–10% for good restaurant service, and small change at tapas bars and cafés. No one will chase you for a percentage, and tip screens are rare.
Plaça de Catalunya splits the city: below it the medieval Ciutat Vella (Gothic Quarter, El Born, El Raval) is a walkable maze; above it the Eixample is Cerdà's orderly grid of octagonal blocks with cut corners. The sea lies southeast and the Collserola hills inland, so you can orient at a glance.
Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate with milder swings than northern cities, but the season you pick still shapes the trip.
Summer is peak, hot, humid, and packed, with the beaches in full swing and festivals rolling, but also the biggest crowds, highest prices, and a sticky August when many locals leave and some family-run spots shut.
Late spring and early autumn are the sweet spots for most travellers: warm days, swimmable sea into October, and manageable crowds. Winter is mild but can turn grey and damp, yet it delivers low-season deals, festive lights, and near-empty morning queues at the big Gaudí sights.
Decide whether you want beach heat and street parties or lower prices and easy access, then time accordingly.
The high season. Hot, humid days, warm nights, and the beaches, terraces, and rooftop bars in full swing. Expect the biggest crowds and top prices, plus Sant Joan fireworks in June and Sónar. In August many locals decamp and some neighbourhood shops close, though the tourist core stays busy.
Arguably the best all-around window: mild, sunny days, the city in bloom, and crowds well below summer. Sant Jordi on 23 April fills the streets with books and roses. Great for long walks through the Eixample and the old town, with softer prices and swimmable weather arriving by late May.
Another prime window, with warm sea, gentler heat, and the city's biggest party, La Mercè, in late September, bringing castellers, correfocs, and free concerts. Crowds thin as the month turns and rates ease. October can bring the year's heaviest rain, so pack a light layer for showers.
Mild by European standards but often grey, breezy, and damp, with cool evenings. It's low season for deals and short museum queues, brightened by Christmas lights and the Fira de Santa Llúcia market by the cathedral. Note that Mobile World Congress in late February spikes hotel prices citywide.
Swimming is comfortable roughly June through September, with the sea warmest in late summer. Barceloneta is the closest and busiest strip; the beaches further northeast, Bogatell, Nova Icària, and Mar Bella, are calmer. Mornings are quieter than crowded weekend afternoons, and guard your bags on the sand.
Barcelona's calendar is stacked: La Mercè in September, Sant Jordi in April, the Sant Joan bonfire night in June, and the wildly decorated Festa Major de Gràcia in August. Music festivals Primavera Sound and Sónar draw big crowds in late spring. Dates shift yearly, so check before booking.
April–May and late September into October generally offer the best balance of pleasant weather, real availability, and lower prices. If your dates are flexible and you don't need full beach heat, these windows stretch a budget furthest and keep queues at the marquee sights manageable.
Weekdays beat weekends at the Sagrada Família and Park Güell, and the first entry slot of the day beats midday. Big congress weeks, especially Mobile World Congress in late February, spike hotel prices, so it's worth scanning the event calendar before locking in dates.
Late November through early January brings festive lights, nativity markets, and a distinctly Catalan touch in the caga tió log and the grand Three Kings parade on 5 January. It's atmospheric despite the cool, damp air, and a strong reason to consider a low-season visit if you lean into the season.
Barcelona is a safe city by big-city standards, with low rates of violent crime against visitors, but it has a genuine, well-earned reputation for pickpocketing and petty theft that you should take seriously.
The neighbourhoods where tourists spend nearly all their time, the Gothic Quarter, El Born, the Eixample, Gràcia, Barceloneta, are fine to walk day and evening with normal awareness.
The real risk is losing your phone, wallet, or bag to a skilled pickpocket or a distraction scam in crowded, target-rich spots: La Rambla, the metro, the Sagrada Família, and the beach.
Keep valuables secure, stay conscious in packed spaces, and you'll very likely have a smooth, uneventful trip.
Serious violent crime against tourists is rare, and the areas you'll actually visit are lively and well-policed. Walking the old town, the Eixample, and the lakefront-style seafront by day and evening is routine, so the mindset to bring is theft-prevention, not fear.
This is the crime visitors overwhelmingly face. Teams work La Rambla, the Sagrada Família, and crowded metro platforms. Keep your phone off restaurant tables, wear bags across the front, use zipped inner pockets, and stay alert whenever there's a sudden crush or jostle around you.
The metro is safe and used by everyone, but crowded carriages and the doors-closing moment are prime pickpocket territory, especially on the green L3 line toward the big sights. Keep valuables in front pockets, hold your bag closed, and be wary of staged pushing as you board.
Bag snatching on the sand at Barceloneta is common, so never leave belongings unattended while you swim, and take turns if you're in a group. On busy café terraces, don't hang a bag on a chair back or leave a phone on the table where a passer-by can lift it.
Watch for classic distraction tricks: someone offering a sprig of rosemary, a fake petition on a clipboard, a 'found' ring, or a spill on your clothes, all designed to occupy your hands while an accomplice works your pockets. A firm 'no' and moving on defuses nearly all of them.
La Rambla and the lower Raval draw crowds, buskers, and, late at night, more pickpockets and hustlers. It's fine to stroll, but keep valuables secured and treat it as a busy tourist thoroughfare rather than a place to linger with your phone out at 2 a.m.
Carry only what you need, split cash and cards, and leave your passport in the hotel safe. Photograph or copy key documents. A little friction, zipped pockets, a phone tether, a slash-resistant crossbody, is exactly what makes you a harder target than the person beside you.
Empty Gothic alleys and the edges of El Raval feel less lively late at night, so favour busier streets and stick to well-trafficked routes. Barcelona's grid usually gives you a livelier parallel street within a block, which is the simplest safety upgrade you can make.
Dial 112 for police, fire, or medical emergencies; it's the pan-European number and operators speak English. The Mossos d'Esquadra and local police handle tourist thefts, and there are dedicated tourist-attention points where you can file a report if you're robbed.
Barcelona is one of the easiest major European cities to explore without a car, thanks to a dense TMB metro, plentiful buses and trams, a compact walkable core, and a mostly flat layout near the sea.
The metro is the backbone, eight numbered, colour-coded lines that reach nearly every neighbourhood and both airport terminals. Buses and trams fill the gaps, and walking covers the old town and much of the Eixample on foot.
For payment, use a T-casual for ten journeys or a Hola Barcelona pass for unlimited travel, and add the occasional taxi, funicular, or cable car for the hills. Together they cover the whole tourist map efficiently and cheaply.
Eight numbered, colour-coded lines cover the city and reach both airport terminals via L9 Sud. Trains run from about 5 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, until 2 a.m. on Fridays, and all night on Saturdays. It's the fastest way to cross town and skip traffic and heat.
Buy a T-casual for ten Zone 1 journeys, with free transfers within about 75 minutes, or a Hola Barcelona pass for unlimited rides that also covers the airport metro. Load them at station machines. Note the standard T-casual does not include the airport L9 fare.
The bus network is dense and reaches spots the metro doesn't, including hillside viewpoints and crosstown links along the same fare and travel cards. After the metro closes, the NitBus network keeps the city moving overnight. A transit app makes real-time arrivals easy.
The Gothic Quarter, El Born, and El Raval are best explored on foot, a medieval maze of squares, cathedrals, and hidden courtyards that no vehicle can match. Much of the historic core, from the cathedral to the waterfront, connects in comfortable, atmospheric stretches.
Above the old town, Cerdà's grid is intuitive and rewarding on foot, with those chamfered corners opening up sightlines to the Modernista facades. Passeig de Gràcia links Casa Batlló and La Pedrera, and the blocks are flat and easy, if longer than they look.
Two modern tram networks run along the city's edges, handy for the Diagonal corridor and the far reaches of the seafront and business districts. They share the TMB fares and cards, and while most visitors lean on the metro, the tram is a smooth option for certain routes.
The public Bicing scheme is for local residents only, not tourists, so visitors rent from private shops offering classic and electric bikes. The flat waterfront and expanding bike lanes make cycling pleasant, though the old town's crowds and some e-scooter rules call for care.
Barcelona's black-and-yellow taxis are metered, reasonably priced, and easy to hail on the street or find at ranks. They're handy for late nights, luggage, or the hills. Licensed VTC services like Cabify also operate, while ride-hailing options are more limited than in some cities.
Beyond the metro, FGC and Rodalies regional trains reach the hills and out-of-town destinations on connected fares, useful for Tibidabo, the monastery of Montserrat, or day trips to Sitges and Girona. Most visitors won't need them daily, but they open up the region easily.
To reach Montjuïc, ride the funicular (included in metro fares) and then the cable car up to the castle for sweeping views. The harbour cable car crosses the port to the hill, and the Tibidabo funicular climbs to the amusement park, each a small attraction in itself.
The official TMB app plus mapping apps show real-time metro, bus, and tram arrivals and plan connections across the whole network. They make an unfamiliar system far less intimidating and help you choose between walking, riding, or grabbing a taxi on the fly.
For most Barcelona visits, the honest answer is no, and a car can actively make your trip harder. The centre has heavy traffic, scarce and expensive parking, restricted old-town streets, and a low-emission zone that requires registration for many vehicles.
The tourist core and popular neighbourhoods are all well served by the metro, walking, and taxis, so a car mostly becomes an idle expense parked in a pricey garage.
Where a car does make sense is for day trips beyond the city, families hauling lots of gear, or itineraries that push into the wine country or coast. If that's you, consider renting only for the days you actually need it rather than the whole stay.
In the old town and the Eixample, a car is more liability than asset, one-ways, congestion, and parking hunts eat time and money. The metro, walking, and taxis cover this zone better and far more cheaply, and you'll never fight for a space at the sights.
Central garages and metered blue-zone street parking run expensive, and hotels often add a daily parking fee on top of the room. Free spaces are effectively nonexistent near the sights. Factor this in, it can quietly become one of your bigger trip costs.
Barcelona's Zona de Baixes Emissions covers the city within the ring roads and bars the most polluting vehicles during weekday daytime hours; even eligible cars must be registered. Rental cars usually comply, but it's one more reason driving in the centre isn't worth the hassle.
For excursions to the Costa Brava's coves, the Penedès or Priorat wine country, the Pyrenees, or villages off the train lines, a rental unlocks real flexibility. Renting just for those days keeps costs down versus holding a car all week while it sits unused.
Travelling with young kids, car seats, and lots of luggage can make a car more appealing for certain legs. Weigh that against parking headaches; often a taxi for specific trips, or the train for a day out, beats managing a full rental in a dense city.
If you do rent, picking up and dropping at El Prat avoids driving into the dense centre entirely. But if the car then sits parked downtown for days, you're effectively paying twice, for the rental and for the garage, so time the rental to the days you'll drive.
Catalonia scrapped tolls on major motorways like the AP-7 in 2021, so much of the regional network is now free, though a few tunnels and roads still charge. Understand which routes toll and how a rental bills them before you drive to avoid surprise fees.
Ciutat Vella's lanes are tight, and many are permit-only or pedestrianised, with cameras enforcing access. Getting a car in and out of the historic core is genuinely awkward. Unless you specifically need a vehicle, you're better off on transit, on foot, and in taxis.
Barcelona–El Prat (BCN) sits about 15 kilometres southwest of the centre and has two terminals, the larger T1 and the older T2, linked by a free shuttle.
Getting downtown is easy and cheap: the Aerobús express runs to Plaça de Catalunya, the metro's L9 Sud connects both terminals to the city, and the Rodalies R2 Nord train runs from T2 to Sants and Passeig de Gràcia.
Taxis and licensed VTC cars wait at clearly marked ranks for door-to-door convenience. Budget carriers sometimes fly instead to Girona or Reus, roughly an hour and a half away, so check which airport your ticket actually uses before planning your transfer.
The Aerobús express runs from both terminals to Plaça de Catalunya in about 35 minutes, every few minutes throughout the day and late into the night. It's more expensive than the train but simple, frequent, and drops you dead-centre with room for luggage. Buy on board or online.
The metro's L9 Sud serves both T1 and T2 and links to the wider network, though reaching the very centre means a transfer at Zona Universitària, Collblanc, or Torrassa. It uses a special airport fare that a standard T-casual doesn't cover, but the Hola Barcelona pass does.
The cheapest option is the Rodalies R2 Nord commuter train from the T2 station to Barcelona-Sants and Passeig de Gràcia in roughly 20 to 25 minutes. From T1, ride the free shuttle bus to T2 first. Great value for light packers heading to those central stops.
The black-and-yellow metered taxis queue at official ranks outside both terminals and run a predictable fare to the centre plus a fixed airport supplement. They're pricier than the train but simple with luggage or a family, and available around the clock at the marked stands.
Licensed VTC services such as Cabify, and Uber via licensed drivers, operate from designated pickup points, follow the signage rather than lingering at the arrivals curb. Costs sit above the train and can surge, but you get a booked, door-to-door ride with a fixed quote.
A free shuttle bus connects the two terminals continuously, which you'll need if your onward transport, like the R2 train, only serves one of them. Allow buffer time for the ride, especially with connections or a tight schedule between arrival and your next move.
You can buy tickets and passes at machines in the airport stations before boarding. Remember the airport metro carries its own fare, so if you'll rely on the metro from the airport, the Hola Barcelona card, which includes that leg, is often the tidiest choice.
For late or delayed arrivals, the Aerobús and the metro's late Friday and all-night Saturday service help, and taxis run 24 hours. Outside those windows, a taxi or VTC is the reliable move. Check your specific line's last departure so you're not stranded at the terminal.
Budget carriers sometimes use Girona (GRO) or Reus (REU), each about 100 kilometres from Barcelona and roughly 90 minutes away by connecting coach to the city centre. Factor that transfer time and cost, a 'Barcelona' fare can land you well outside the city.
The train and Aerobús handle luggage well; the metro's L9 Sud is fine with a carry-on but involves transfers and stairs at some stops. With several large suitcases or a group, weigh the convenience of a taxi, which may cost little more once split among travellers.
Barcelona can flex to almost any budget. It's gentler than Paris or London for food and drink, but central hotels, the marquee Gaudí sights, and dining out still add up fast.
The biggest levers are lodging (shoulder-season and neighbourhood stays cost far less than peak central rooms), transit versus taxis (a travel card saves real money), and how you eat (the midday menú del día is a genuine bargain).
Many of the city's best experiences, the beaches, the parks, the Gothic Quarter, hilltop viewpoints, and the Magic Fountain show, cost little or nothing. Build a mix: splurge on one or two ticketed highlights, then lean on free and cheap experiences to keep the trip in check.
Room rates vary enormously by season, day of week, and the congress calendar; Mobile World Congress in late February and peak summer send central prices soaring. Shoulder seasons and neighbourhoods just outside the core, like Gràcia or Sant Antoni, cut costs for similar convenience.
If you'll ride a lot, a T-casual's ten journeys or a Hola Barcelona pass beats paying per trip and dwarfs the cost of frequent taxis. Leaning on the metro and buses is the simplest way to control transport spending across a busy sightseeing day.
The city beaches, the parks, wandering the Gothic Quarter, the free Magic Fountain of Montjuïc show, and the Bunkers del Carmel viewpoint all cost nothing, as does admiring Gaudí's facades from the street. These anchor a budget-friendly itinerary without feeling like a compromise.
Many municipal museums are free on the first Sunday of the month and on Sunday afternoons after 3 p.m., and the Picasso Museum offers free entry on Thursday evenings and some Sundays. Check each museum's policy, and timing a visit right can turn a ticketed splurge into a free morning.
The weekday lunchtime menú del día, several courses with a drink at a fixed price, is one of Spain's great values and lets you eat well at otherwise pricey restaurants. Making lunch your bigger meal can meaningfully trim the overall dining budget.
Barcelona's food scene runs from cheap to legendary, tapas, pintxos, a midday vermut, and market stalls deliver big flavour from a few euros up. Step a block off La Rambla to escape tourist-trap pricing, and reserve fine dining as the occasional splurge, not the default.
The Sagrada Família and Park Güell's monumental zone use timed, capped tickets that sell out and cost more, or become impossible, at the door. Booking online in advance secures entry and often the better price, and saves you queuing in the sun.
Unlike the US, Spanish prices already include IVA (VAT), so the menu or shelf figure is what you pay. Non-EU visitors can reclaim VAT on qualifying purchases via tax-free forms at the airport, worth doing on larger buys before you fly home.
Barcelona adds a nightly tourist tax to accommodation, combining a regional levy with a city surcharge that scales with the type of lodging. It's a few euros per person per night, charged on top of the room rate, so build it into your hotel budget.
Venturing beyond the tourist core into neighbourhoods like Gràcia, Sant Antoni, Poble-sec, or Sants stretches money on food and drink while showing you a more local Barcelona, with lively squares and market bars where prices drop and the atmosphere lifts.
Tipping in Spain is modest and discretionary, not the obligatory percentage it is in the US, so relax: no one expects 20%, and service workers are paid a proper wage rather than living on tips. Barcelona follows standard Spanish norms.
At restaurants, locals typically round up the bill or leave roughly 5–10% for good service, more only for something special. At tapas bars and cafés, leaving the small change is plenty. Taxi drivers, hotel staff, and guides are tipped lightly if at all.
The guiding idea is a small thank-you for good service, not a wage top-up, so tip when you're happy and keep it low-key.
Rounding up or leaving about 5–10% for good service is generous by local standards; there's no fixed percentage and no obligation. Service is not a wage substitute here, so scale your tip to how much you enjoyed the meal rather than to any expected formula.
At casual bars and cafés, simply leaving the small coins from your change, or rounding a couple of euros for a bigger round, is the norm. Standing at the bar for a coffee or a caña rarely calls for anything beyond the loose change in the saucer.
Rounding the fare up to the nearest euro or two is standard and appreciated; there's no percentage expectation. A little extra is a nice touch if the driver helps with heavy luggage or takes you on a longer, late-night run across the city.
Leaving a euro or two per night for housekeeping is a kind gesture, though far from obligatory in Spain. Doing it daily, since staff rotate, and leaving the cash somewhere obvious with a note makes clear it's intended as a tip rather than forgotten change.
A euro or so per bag for a porter, and a small coin for a doorman who hails you a taxi or handles luggage, covers it. These are light, optional courtesies rather than the expected line items they'd be in the United States.
For walking, food, or boat tours, a few euros per person is a welcome thank-you for a good guide, more for a private or exceptional experience. The many 'free' walking tours are the exception: they run entirely on tips, so pay what the experience was worth.
Tipping delivery riders isn't expected in Spain, but rounding up or adding a euro or two in the app, especially in bad weather or for a long ride, is a friendly gesture. There's no obligation and no set percentage as there would be back home.
Tipping bartenders isn't customary, so there's no per-drink expectation; leaving your small change or rounding a tab is plenty. In busier cocktail bars a euro on a round is a nice touch, but nobody will look twice if you don't.
For haircuts, spa treatments, and similar services, tipping is optional and light, rounding up or a few euros for good service is typical rather than any fixed percentage. If you're using these during a longer stay, a small thank-you is appreciated but never required.
Packing for Barcelona means packing for a Mediterranean climate that's mild overall but more changeable than its sunny reputation suggests.
The best strategy in any season is layers, you can peel down under the midday sun and add a layer when the evening cools or a sea breeze picks up.
Summers are hot and humid; winters are mild but can be grey and damp with cool nights; spring and autumn swing between the two, and October in particular can turn rainy.
Beyond the weather, prioritise genuinely comfortable walking shoes for the old town's cobbles, and a secure daypack, because this is a city where pickpockets reward anyone who keeps valuables loose and reachable.
You'll cover the Gothic Quarter's cobbles and long Eixample blocks on foot, so broken-in, supportive shoes are the single most important thing you pack. The old-town paving is hard and uneven, save fashion-first footwear for dinners, not full days of sightseeing.
A packable layering system, a tee, a light sweater, and a jacket, handles Barcelona's daily swings and the drop when a sea breeze arrives or the sun goes down. Layers beat any single heavy item for adapting from a warm afternoon to a cool evening on a terrace.
A compact rain shell or small umbrella covers the showers that pop up in spring and, especially, autumn, when October can bring the year's heaviest rain. It packs small, and you'll be glad of it when a bright morning turns grey without much warning.
Winters are mild but damp and breezy, so bring a warm mid-layer, a coat, and a light scarf rather than heavy arctic gear. Evenings feel cooler than the daytime sun suggests, and interiors of older buildings and churches can be chilly, so layer up.
For hot, humid summers pack lightweight, breathable clothing, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat, plus swimwear and a beach towel for Barceloneta and the calmer beaches beyond it. A light layer still helps for air-conditioned interiors and cooler seaside evenings.
The Sagrada Família and other churches enforce a dress code that covers shoulders and knees, so carry a light scarf or a layer you can throw on. It's easy to be turned away at the door in a tank top and shorts on a hot day, so plan around it.
A small, secure backpack or crossbody with zips you can keep in front is your best defence against Barcelona's pickpockets while carrying water, layers, and souvenirs. Choose something you can hold closed in a crowd rather than a bag that swings open behind you.
Tap water is safe to drink, if a touch hard-tasting, and a refillable bottle keeps you hydrated on long walking days and in summer heat while cutting costs. Public fountains and many parks let you top up as you go around the city.
Spain uses the European two-round-pin plug at 230 volts, so bring the right adapter. A power bank keeps your phone alive through a day of maps, transit apps, contactless payments, and photos, and it's worth having when you're relying on your phone to navigate.
If you plan a fine-dining night, a rooftop bar, or a smart evening out, pack one smart-casual outfit. Barcelona is largely relaxed, but higher-end venues appreciate a step up from beachwear and trainers, and it's nice to have the option on a special night.
Three to four days suits first-timers, covering the Sagrada Família and a couple of other Gaudí sights, the Gothic Quarter, the beach, and a market or two. Five or more days lets you add Montjuïc, more neighbourhoods, and a day trip.
Very walkable. The Gothic Quarter, El Born, El Raval, and much of the Eixample connect easily on foot, and the seafront is flat and pleasant. The metro handles the longer hops between neighbourhoods and out to the hills and airport.
El Prat (BCN) is the main airport, just 15 kilometres out and linked to the centre by Aerobús, metro, and train. Girona and Reus are budget-carrier alternatives about 100 kilometres away, roughly 90 minutes by coach, so factor that transfer in.
Catalan cooking: pa amb tomàquet, tapas and pintxos, seafood rice and fideuà, patatas bravas, botifarra, and crema catalana, washed down with cava or a midday vermut. Winter brings calçots, and La Boqueria market is a classic stop.
Book timed tickets ahead for the Sagrada Família and Park Güell, then add Casa Batlló and La Pedrera on Passeig de Gràcia. The Ruta del Modernisme also takes in Domènech i Montaner's Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau.
Petty theft is the city's real safety issue, common on La Rambla, the metro, at the Sagrada Família, and on the beach, though violent crime against tourists is rare. Keep valuables zipped and to the front and you'll usually be fine.
