European cities like Barcelona can be expensive! Everything from flights to hotels to food and activities add up so much faster than other travel destinations.
But we just got back from Barcelona and didn’t spend too much more than we would have for a fun “staycation” week here in the US. These tricks help you explore the best parts of Barcelona for cheap and you won’t feel like you’re missing out!
Get a City Pass
A City Pass is a great way to get Barcelona activities for cheap. Every major city has some version of this. You buy one pass or card per person and get free or discounted access to lots of attractions and shopping in the city! Many of them also include unlimited access to public transportation for a certain period of time.
You should always add up the costs of the activities that you want to do and estimate your transport costs to see if the card will be worth it to you. Usually if you are just in a city for 24 to 48 hours it’s not worth it unless you PACK in your activities.
There are several different types of city discount cards you can buy that include different activities. Many even include skip-the-line tickets which is a must in Barcelona because lines can be hours long in the sun some times of year.
We got into the Science Museum for free with the Barcelona Card.
The three main cards in Barcelona are the Barcelona Pass, Barcelona Card and Barcelona Museum Pass. Any one is a great way to experience a lot of Barcelona for cheap.
The one that I bought was Barcelona Card because it gave me the most bang for my buck (about 60€ for a 5 day pass WITH unlimited transport!) in free and discounted attractions, activities and shopping. I loved how we used this card so much because we could visit museums we passed on a whim because they were free!
Want to go to a Flamenco show? You get a discount. Want to take the train up to the Montserrat monastery? You get a discount. Want to rent electric scooters or bikes? Get a discount!
If you need Barcelona for cheap, this 60€ pass easily saved me 200-300€ on all the activities we did!
This blog post has a great in-depth breakdown of all the cards (and a useful chart at the end) that I found very helpful in choosing the right card. You will love it.
Use Head Out
For all the activities that are not included in your city pass, use Head Out to get other tickets in Barcelona for cheap.
I LOVE Head Out for 3 reasons.
- They organize great activities and tours that are easy to book, have clear directions on how to use them and are available in nearly any language. I have ALWAYS had a good experience through them.
- They give you a discount code after your first order that you can use on future orders
- BEST OF ALL: they give you money back on every activity you buy in the form of credit towards you next activity. (Hint…make the most of this by booking your most expensive activity first so you have more money back to use on the next activity you book.)
With Head Out you can end up getting FREE activities in Barcelona and other major cities all over the world! It’s a great way to visit Barcelona for cheap and still do great activities!
Go in the off season
Read more about why you should go to Spain in the winter, because it’s way more than just saving money.
But going in the winter (the off season) does get you a great Barcelona vacation for cheap!
You will spend less to get there and less on all your activities and hotels while you are there. There will be less crowds and you’ll love the escape from the cold to PERFECT Mediterranean weather.
Seriously, just read about why it will save you money and you’ll love Spain in the winter.
Go to the Mercados/Mercat
Life as a tourist is much more expensive than life as a local. So, think like a local!
The mercados are the way cooler Spanish version of supermarkets. They are a collection of lots of different little shops, usually run by the owner of that shop. You’ll find fruit and vegetables, fish, bakeries, candies, spices, cheese, meats, olives, oils, and anything else you might want to eat!
This is where the locals shop for their food, and buying your own food there is a great way to eat in Barcelona for cheap.
You will LOVE visiting the mercado. Not only will you get great authentic food for cheap, but walking around the mercado is a fun thing to do on its own. You will get to see the locals going about their everyday lives and the shop owners are great about helping you pick out great stuff to buy.
The most popular mercado in Barcelona is la Boqueria that has an entrance right off Las Ramblas (the popular walking street in Barcelona). It is massive and you will find everything you can think of there, making it a great place for grocery and souvenir shopping.
My favorite was Santa Caterina which is a short walk from the Jaume I metro stop and between the Barcelona Cathedral and the Picasso Museum. It is smaller than la Boqueria but less touristy and built on the ruins of an old monastery (you can still see some of the ruins!). There are also a few restaurants where you can buy a cheap hot meal while shopping.
Get a fresh fruit juice and a cone of meat and cheese shavings (only about 1€ each) as you walk around.
You can pick up a fish and veggies to cook later or some sausage, bread and cheese to eat as you explore Barcelona. You will spend less money and get higher quality food this way, than if you were eating out at tourist restaurant.
When you eat out…go a few streets in
Restaurants that are right in the middle of major tourist spots are often the most expensive and lowest quality food in the city. This is because tourists don’t know where to go or what to order, so restaurants know that they can charge a premium! The worst of all is the food right off (or on) Las Ramblas. It’s a great place to be overcharged for food and have to keep an eye out for pick pockets on the busy street.
Instead, you can avoid this by going a few streets in and find great local food for good prices.
Also, look for places that are open during the times that locals eat (between 2-4 for lunch and 9-midnight for dinner), if they are open other times it’s probably a tourist place.
Barcelona isn’t really a street food sort of city but you can always find a cheap sandwich (bocadillo de jamon is a national favorite) on fresh bread or a tortilla (not what you are thinking of, it’s like a potato omelet and vey good).
My favorite place for great food in Barcelona for cheap is Bo de B, right near the Gothic Quarter off the Passieg de Colom. It’s super fresh and less than 5€. It’s a little hole-in-the-wall where they make amazing sandwiches, salads and bowls. And the BEST patatas bravas in Barcelona (popular tapa with fried or roasted potatoes and sauces).
Fresh pesto, fresh tzatziki, piles of veggies and crusty bread. You will love it. We went three times, and only didn’t go more because we only found it the last few days. Heads up, they only take cash!
Make meals at home
This tip is SO important to traveling to Barcelona for cheap (or really anywhere).
Spending a little more to get a hotel with a kitchenette with save you LOTS of money in the long run. Eating out can run you up to 40€ or more for lunch and dinner, each! Getting groceries at the Mercado and eating in even just one meal a day can save you a lot. If you eat in two meals (like breakfast and lunch) you will be able to afford a nicer place for dinner that night.
Eating at your apartment/hotel helps keep your Barcelona vacation cheaper, especially when you are traveling with a family. This is something my family does whenever we travel. We are huge foodies, but even we get tired of eating out every meal every day. It’s nice to be able to come back to “home” and just put together something yourselves.
In Barcelona, it’s especially fun to cook back at your place because of all the new and interesting ingredients you will find there! The shop owners at the Mercado are especially helpful at telling you what to buy and how to cook it. We loved doing this and it was some of our cheapest and best meals we had because all the ingredients were so fresh!
Shoot for at least breakfasts at home and the occasional lunch. It will save you (literally) $100’s per person.
If you want a souvenir... barter for a lower price!
The people selling souvenirs purposefully upcharge their products because they know some tourists will pay more without asking. You can get great deals on souvenirs by simply asking for a lower price.
When we were kids we LOVED doing this. And would try to talk street sellers down pesos on the beach for a little dolphin bracelet or carved donkey.
Here’s some tricks to getting a good deal bartering:
- Know your absolute high limit beforehand and have it cash in hand. That way you can’t overspend and sometimes you’ll get a deal if you show them it’s really all you have.
- Know that the same stuff is (nearly) everywhere. If it doesn’t work out one place, you can try again somewhere else!
- If the back and forth makes you uncomfortable, just ask “what is your lowest price on this/these items?” and they will give you at least a little discount.
- Group all the items you want together, then ask for a deal on it all. They’ll usually give you more of a discount that way.
- If you find a shop owner that you get along with, come back to them for any more stuff you want. They will give you a better deal right off if they remember you!
Just try it! There will always be cranky shop owners but take it all in stride and have fun with it. My sister-in-law got almost half off Barcelona soccer balls for her four boys because she bought a lot of stuff and made friends with the shop owner.
You can go and have a great vacation in Barcelona for cheap! There are cheap flights to Spain all the time via flight finder websites, I only paid $350 for my roundtrip ticket! (Read more about these cheap or free flight finder websites). If you get an Airbnb and follow these tips, you will pay significantly less than a trip to Disneyland.
What are your Barcelona cheap travel tips?
