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What To Avoid, Barcelona
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What To Avoid, Barcelona

What To Avoid tips posted by real travelers and Barcelona locals.
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What To Avoid: Deserted small streets late at night
  • Tip Rating:
  • mesoblonda
  • By mesoblonda on March 31, 2004
  • Barcelona Page by mesoblonda
  • Per a police officer my girlfriend spoke to, deserted side streets are a popular haunt for gangs.

    Stick to the main roads and busy areas.

    Try not to get lost, OK?! And carry a map, even if you're trying to avoid looking like a tourist!

    After all this typing, I doubt I've told you something you didn't already know!

    (smile)

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    What To Avoid: Defective Merchandise
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  • gilabrand
  • Updated By gilabrand on January 3, 2006
  • Barcelona Page by gilabrand
  • Something's missing - Barcelona
    Something's missing
    by gilabrand
    There are no bargains when it comes to buying electronics or small appliances in Barcelona. Beware of the small "importers" shops on the sidestreets. They will cheat you right and left. Check the merchandise before you leave the store, to make sure all the parts are inside and the appliance actually works - even if you have to open what looks like a hermetically sealed plastic bag.

    My husband asked for a rechargeable shaver, but when we got back to the hotel, it turned out it wasn't. We returned it the next day and - bad mistake - bought a CD player which was offered for the same price. It was in a fancy closed box with a Sony label. We didn't open it because we wanted to give it as a present. It turned out that the earphones were broken, the player itself was cracked and the batteries were dead.

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    What To Avoid: Climbing the staircase at The Sagrada Familia
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  • danielcv
  • By danielcv on May 28, 2004
  • Barcelona Page by danielcv
  • the dizzy view from the top of the staircase - Barcelona
    the dizzy view from the top of
    the staircase
    by danielcv
    There is nothing dangerous about climbing the stais to the top of the Sagrada Famila's tower - except if you are clastrophobic.

    Ok, if you are over 30 or out of shape, dont go up either. To go to the top of the tower you need to climb over 400 steps in a spiral shaped stair case. There is one detail: you cant give up in the middle of the way.

    The view up there is beautiful and you will definetly take some nice pictures but be aware that climbing the stair case is only for the adventurous.

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    What To Avoid: Bullfights: Don't waste your time and money
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  • Belsaita
  • Updated By Belsaita on April 11, 2007
  • Barcelona Page by Belsaita
  • Barcelona Antitaurina!! - Barcelona
    Barcelona Antitaurina!!
    by Belsaita
    A couple of years ago, the City Council of Barcelona abolished bullfights and any other show with abuse of animals in the city. However, this was a quite void declaration, as the City Council has no real authority over La Monumental, the only bullring that still is in function in Barcelona (the other one, Las Arenas, is being converted to a shopping centre). The authority to control bullfights belongs to the Regional Government, and they are not willing to do anything regarding these (too many potential voters from other areas do still love this "fiesta"). So, there is still a residual activity of bullfights from time to time, mainly aimed to tourist and the few ones that feel nostalgic of past times... Quite depressing.

    So, if anyone really want to attend a bullfight (IMO there are much better ways to spend money and time, but each at its own) definitely Barcelona is NOT the place.

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    What To Avoid: Hotels to steer clear of
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  • Harold_Godwin
  • Updated By Harold_Godwin on July 6, 2004
  • Barcelona Page by Harold_Godwin
  • Legionella - a souvernir you can do without - Barcelona
    Legionella - a souvernir you
    can do without
    by Harold_Godwin
    Legionnaire's disease is caused by the legionella bacterium. Air conditioning systems are a potential breeding ground for the bacterium (others include grubby showers, cooling towers, and humidifiers).

    Barcelona has had several outbreaks - lack of official inspection and poor maintenance of air conditioning plants are the main culprits.

    On 28/9/2000 NRC Handelsblad, a Dutch newspaper, published a list of European hotels where at least 2 cases of legionella had been detected during the previous 5 years. The Information was provided by the Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport [Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport.]

    It is estimated that 12,000 European tourists were infected with legionella in the 5 years up to 2000 (most of the cases in Southern Europe), with some 240 tourist deaths a year.

    The following list was obtained from an updated (27/8/2001) NRC Handelsblad report (see web site below). Accommodation marked in red is in Catalonia. Try to check current status (don't expect the local tourist board to tell you).

    Spanje [Spain]

    San Carlos, Rosas (2001).
    Hotel Ramblamar, Rosas (2001).
    Fariones Apartments and Hotel, Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote (2000).
    Rey Don Jaime, Santa Ponsa, Mallorca (2000).
    Aparthotel Jardin del Sol, Santa Ponsa, Mallorca (2000).
    Motel Picon del Conde, Monasterio de Rodilla (2000).
    Bermudas Apartments, Benidorm (2000).
    Hotel Playa Margarita in Salou (2000).
    Hotel Pionerp, Santa Ponsa, Mallorca (2000).
    La Brujula Hotel, Monasterio de Rodilla, Castille y Leon (2000).
    Estrella Del Mar, Alcudia, Mallorca (2000).
    Hotel Victoria, Rosas (2000).
    Hotel Nautilus, Rosas (1999).
    Hotel Fiesta Park, Benidorm (1998).
    Presidente Hotel, Benidorm (1998).
    Hotel Tropic Parc, Malgrat de Mar (1997).
    Hotel Cambrills Princess, Salou (1997).


    The Dutch authorities took the lead in publishing these lists. It is a pity that other countries are less willing to protect their nationals travelling abroad.

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  • Website: http://www.nrc.nl/redactie/Doc/legionella.shtml
  • Other Contact: http://legionella.pagina.nl/
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    What To Avoid: Use common sense
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  • magictravelers
  • By magictravelers on July 30, 2003
  • Barcelona Page by magictravelers
  • I think it is not worse than any other place. As in any other place such as London, Paris, NY, Chicago: Don´t carry all your money, credit cards, passport, etc. in the same place. Watch out for anyone, and I mean anyone, young, old, well dressed, who runs into you. Have "small money" available in pockets, so if you want to buy a drink, or put money in a moving statue, you don´t have to pull large bills. It is a matter of commkon sense!

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    What To Avoid: Parc Guell - Lots of walking and lots of steps!
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  • dlytle
  • Updated By dlytle on July 10, 2003
  • Barcelona Page by dlytle
  • From bottom to top there's lot of steps - Barcelona
    From bottom to top there's lot
    of steps
    by dlytle
    It is not difficult to visit the lower portions of Parc Guell and enjoy the unique buildings at the entrance, the grand staircase, the lizard fountain, the hall of 100 columns or even the vast terrace with its broken tile decorated benches.

    But if one starts wandering about this large park to see many of the other unique and strange creations of Gaudi you should be forewarned—there are a LOT of steps you might have to negotiate. And many of the steps are made of native stone that is rough and uneven.

    There is also a lot of up hill journeying necessary to see the whole park.

    If you have respiratory or heart or leg problems, I don't think it would be wise to go adventuring past the main atttractions at the entrance to Guell Parc.

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    What To Avoid: Abusive waiters!!
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  • vishman
  • Updated By vishman on October 12, 2006
  • Barcelona Page by vishman
  • Don't eat at Oriental cafe on Las Ramblas!! I almost got into a fight with the asian waiter there. My partner & I had just shared a pizza & a couple of drinks and asked for the bill. Now let me say, the service, and the food, were nothing to write home about! The guy had been sitting there reading the newspaper while we were waiting ages to get served, and the pizza was pretty tasteless.
    When my partner offered up her credit card to pay the bill, he asked "will the tips be cash or credit?". Now I had no intention of paying a tip! I was amazed he was rude enough to ask, especially since there was also a 15% service charge already added to the bill - so I said "cash".
    After paying, he was hovering around waiting for us to place some money in the tips tray. We got up to leave & seeing there was no money in there, he started waiving the tray around & shouting "tips, tips, you pay tips", so I turned & said "mate, you have to work to earn your tips". As I turned away to leave, he grabbed my arm!! Unbelievable!! Well, that was too much for me, and felt I had to defend myself so I pushed him in the chest and told him to "f*@# off"!!
    It was getting rather heated and my partner was telling me to walk away. As we walked across the street, he was yelling out "I kill you, I kill you"!!
    So, anyway, it didn't leave a really good impression of Barcelona!! That said, it is a beautiful city. Just be careful where you walk at night and don't eat at Oriental on Las Ramblas!!!

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    What To Avoid: LIFE GUARD YOUR U.S. PASSPORTS FROM PICKPOCKETERS
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  • listenandlearn
  • By listenandlearn on June 29, 2005
  • Barcelona Page by listenandlearn
  • The translator and Me with my New U.S. Passport - Barcelona
    The translator and Me with my
    New U.S. Passport
    by listenandlearn
    After so much hazzle reporting to a Spanish Authority -finding a translator (who is standing next to me on this photo) how it all happened so quickly. I ended up spending more than my budget, a New U.S. Passport here in Barcelona cost 96.00 U.S. AMERICAN DOLLARS.
    Guard your U.S. Passports, Your Valuables! Your Airline Tickets, Your Train Tickets...pickpocketers are so rampant and so fast hardly felt anything move next to me when my passport was stolen.

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    What To Avoid: It seems that there is a lot...
  • Tip Rating:
  • eurotravels
  • Updated By eurotravels on September 8, 2002
  • Barcelona Page by eurotravels
  • It seems that there is a lot of theft from tourists. We didn't realise that it was such a problem until we got home and saw an article in one of the national papers.
    The worst places are said to be La Rambla and Placa Reial (there were certainly plenty of vagrants and addicts in Placa Reial when we visited).

    We had hoped to go to the top of Tibidabo, but the funicular was closed (January). Still, we had a sweeping view from the floor to ceiling windows at the Mirablau (see restaurant section).

    Probably best not to eat at any of the tapas bars near the Temple de la Sagrada Familia. Our food was served luke warm, but the prices were sizzlingly expensive.

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