With these basics in mind, you’ll also want to know how not to look like a tourist while you’re there. Not only can this help you fit in more naturally and better enjoy your trip, but it will also make you less prone to pickpocketing. So saying, let’s go over some simple guidelines that will help you assimilate to Barcelona culture.

Brush Up on Your Spanish/Catalan

This one almost goes without saying, but if your Spanish/Catalan vocabulary stops at “hola,” you’ll likely want to learn a bit more before going to Barcelona city. While being fluent in the native language certainly isn’t a prerequisite for visiting and enjoying this classic city, it will help you blend in with the crowd and appreciate on a deeper level all that Barcelona has to offer. Whether you simply need to dust off that Spanish dictionary from high school or are just jumping into the challenge, you’ll want to be sure that you aren’t studying the Spanish of Latin American countries, which can still make sure seem like a tourist. Of course, because Barcelona is in Catalonia, you’ll come off better by diving into the Catalan language, which is similar but distinct from Spanish and may take some time getting used to if you’ve never studied it before.

While you’re at it, be sure to do your research on Spanish and Catalan traditions. Like most old European cities, Barcelona boasts an incredibly unique culture that you’ll want to familiarize yourself with if you want to truly come off as a native. Naturally, if you’re planning your trip in advance, you’ll have more time to do this, so be sure to give yourself enough space to truly learn the culture if you wish to blend in better with the natives of Barcelona.

Memorize Your Itinerary

Make yourself even more comfortable by memorizing your itinerary before you go. Here’s a pro tip: only tourists get lost. If you want to shed the tourist label and become like one of Barcelona’s own, make sure you familiarize yourself with the layout of the city before you take your trip. At the very least, you should know where the major attractions are (the ones you plan on seeing, of course) and their relationship with one another. Knowing what things to do in Barcelona and having your itinerary down-pat will help you seamlessly transition from one place to another without having to ask for directions.

Memorizing your itinerary, of course, will also help you cut down on expenses, as you can find the cheapest routes to and from your destinations. With that in mind, you can truly begin to get around and make the most bargain decisions like a native.

You can also use mobile phone applications to use public transport such as Moveit or the TMB app (Metropolitan Transportation of Barcelona)

Find the Hidden Gems

You can also brush off the tourist label by avoiding the tourist areas and focusing more on local hidden gems. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t visit places such as Las Ramblas, but it does mean that you can avoid looking like “just another tourist” by going to some places that are a bit off the beaten path. There are a number of museums throughout Barcelona city that would make a great starting point, as well as rich botanical gardens that many tourists miss out on. Take a trip to the Collserola National Park, one of the country’s best parks that just so happens to be off the radar of the typical Barcelona tourist. Going to places such as these will help you gain new insights into the city while also looking less like a tourist.

Go with Someone Who’s Been Before

Afraid that you’ll look like a tourist if you go alone? Arrange a trip with someone who’s been before! Having someone who knows the territory can go a long way to making sure you can get around without any issues. It’s really as simple as this: you won’t look like a tourist if you’re hanging around with an expert.

There are also other advantages: someone who has been to Barcelona will already have a general idea of the city’s hotspots and will know which areas to avoid. This firsthand knowledge could help you maximize your fun by taking you to all the cool spots and avoiding the general hassle the tourists must undergo. As a plus, you’ll also be able to budget more appropriately.

Copy Barcelona Fashion

One of the best ways to blend in with the crowd is to literally become the crowd. If you go to Barcelona dressed like a foreigner, guess what? You’ll look like a foreigner. For this reason, you’ll want to be sure that you’re on top of the current trends in Barcelona fashion. This will help you look like one of the city’s natives. Later on in this guide, we’ll go over some fashion specifics that will allow you to blend in effortlessly.

By following these easy tips, you can shed the tourist label and take your Barcelona vacation to the next level. Keep reading to find out some specific customs and behaviors that will not only help you appear more native but will also ensure that you have a better time while you’re in this amazing Spanish city.

How to Greet Someone and Act When in Barcelona

Building off this, let’s go over some important Barcelonan greetings and actions that will help you get the most out of your trip. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” If you haven’t yet mastered the art of acting Barcelona, use this guide as your official starting point. Coming up, we’ll go over some basics, such as what to wear, where to hang out, which places to avoid, and more.

Keep reading to find out how you can be the ultimate tourist during your next Barcelona vacation!

What to Wear

Let’s start by taking a look at what you should wear in Barcelona city. For starters, it’s important to keep in mind that, just like every other major city, Barcelona plays host to a variety of fashion trends. For this reason, you won’t witness simply one style of fashion while you’re there. With that being said, however, you can expect to see some general trends that you’d be apt to follow.

For example, Barcelonans tend to wear conservative clothes, both in color and in style. This is even more true among those who are middle age or older. For younger citizens, casual clothes such as T-shirts, blue jeans, sandals, and tennis shoes.

What does this mean? Simply put, while you can wear whatever you want (within reasonable limits), it’s best not to wear clothes that are too tantalizing or revealing. This will help you align with Barcelona sensibilities and make you appear more native to boot.

Where to Hang Out

There are a number of popular hangout spots in Barcelona. Some may surprise you. Let’s take a look at a few of these so that you can get a better idea of where to go while you’re there:

[Read: District by district – Where to party in Barcelona]