A Warning About Your Dream of Visiting or Moving to Barcelona
Look at that plate of Spanish tapas below.
Can you guess what flavor and food is sitting atop those slices of bread? Is it sweet or savory? Does it consist of fish, or cheese, or vegetables... or white chocolate? Is it soft or hard? Creamy or crumbly?
You really can't tell until you bite into it, can you!
The same goes for cities. You can hear hundreds of hours of talk about how freaking fantastic a certain place is, and you can view ten thousand photos of its sunny streets and towering spires... But until you are standing there in person, smelling its real-life air, you can't really begin to taste it.
This is to say: I'm quite glad that I changed my original travel plan.
Perhaps you didn't know this, but I wasn't supposed to be traveling around the world. No! In fact, the scheme I told everyone for months and months at the beginning of my trip planning was that I was going to move my life to Barcelona, Spain, and live and work in that lovely city for a full year.
It was only later that I realized that if I was going to take a whole nine months off, I might as well see the other side of the world, too, since expenses would balance out in the end given the relative cheapness of continents besides Europe.
So, when my bus finally pulled into Barcelona this Monday at six in the morning, after eight hours on the road from Madrid, and after eight months of traveling through Asia and Africa, I was quivering with anticipation. What would my dream city be like in reality?
Here is the answer: I am having a fantastic week here in Barcelona because my hosts and new friends are fabulous... but the truth is that this city does not look or feel anything like what I imagined, and I now realize that I made the right choice in not moving my life here.
Do you have a dream city? Is your dream city, in fact, Barcelona? I am positive I could have made a great life here, and I'm sure you can, too... but let's take a good hard listen at voices from on the ground here.
When I told my Spanish host in Barcelona (the distant cousin of a schoolmate of my father's... yes, I know this is another miraculous chain of hospitality like in Japan, and Bangkok, and Madrid!) that it is a somewhat common American dream to want to pick up and move one's life to Barcelona, my host looked me in the eye and asked very bluntly: "WHY?"
"I don't know," I stuttered, "I mean, like a lot of people, I guess imagined Barcelona to be positively bursting with color and dancing and partying in the streets... I imagined art everywhere, and warm weather, and beauty left and right!"
But I couldn't help but agree with the words of an Italian woman who I met yesterday as she examined her shattered illusions. "Maybe it's just the weather," she said, "but Barcelona just looks gray to me right now. I just don't feel the energy I thought I would. And it's cold!"
My host chuckled when I told her what my dream Barcelona looked like. "This is just a city like any other," she said. "We go to work each weekday. We party a little... but not so much."
And what about the sights? As a tourist in Barcelona, it is very possible you may go to Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia church (the famous building pictured below), which you have been longing to see for years-- and have trouble seeing it behind the throngs of tourists and construction cranes. It's still stunning, but will you wait the two hours and pay the hefty fee to enter? Perhaps not.
"OMG, HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE BARCELONA?!" typed everyone who heard I wasn't obsessed with the city yet. "I LOOOOOVE BARCELONA!"
"When were you here?" I asked.
"I was fifteen, on a school trip," typed one. "I was nineteen," typed another, "and come to think of it, it was before I had really traveled anywhere else."
"Hmm," I said.
"It's actually making Barcelona lose some of its charm that there are so, so many tourists here, now," admitted my Barcelona host.
"I love Barcelona," said my friend Sinead who moved here from Ireland four years ago, "but I am working so, SO many hours just to pay my rent that I hardly have time or energy to go out. My salary is awful as a foreign English teacher who doesn't speak Catalan, and this is an expensive city! And you really have to watch out for all the pickpockets."
"I'm having some problems," sighed to me a 32-year-old American who sold his car dealership and followed his dream of moving here three weeks ago, "because I thought I would learn Spanish quickly, but all the signs are in Catalan! And also I had this idea that people would be really friendly... but they haven't really been."
Oh, our delicate dreams!
"Aww, I LOVE Barcelona!" typed a woman on Twitter when she caught wind of my disillusionment. "I felt disappointed at first like you, but after living there for several months, it really grew on me. By the time I left, it had become my favorite place ever!"
This I believe. I COULD live here and meet more wonderful people and eat more delicious food and have an utterly lovely time.
But let's go back to that plate of tapas again. The answer to what is on top of the bread in the first picture is: creamy white cheese coated with sweet berry jam. Did you guess it? Indeed, that particular tapa was pretty tasty... but there were other tapas I ingested that I found even more delicious.
And like tapas, like cities. Everyone and their mother seems obsessed with the idea of Barcelona lately... but once you bite into it, it may not be quite the taste that you imagined!
This is not to say that Barcelona isn't fabulous, because it is. And this is also not to say that you should be fearful of following your foreign dreams, because you shouldn't be.
The moral is simply this: Sometimes it's wise to browse the other delicious options out there, too, before you gorge yourself on one single dream... or cheese and jelly tapa!
The author, Lillie Marshall, is a 6-foot-tall National Board Certified Teacher of English, fitness fan, and mother of two who has been a public school educator since 2003. She launched Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 4.2 million readers have now visited this site. Lillie also runs TeachingTraveling.com and DrawingsOf.com. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media!
I visited Barcelona about 12 years ago and hated it. Gaudi, La Sagrada Familia and the Gothic Qtr was nice but I found it boring and the food was dire. Tapas? What I saw looked like display food that had been on display for a week.
I adore the Spanish cities; Seville, Valencia, Granada....Wow ! All of these were fantastic. Great weather, culture, history and abundance of great food. Even Madrid got my heart. Some of the best Tapas I ate were in Madrid. Honestly, give Barcelona and its hatred of tourists a wide berth. Who would really want to go where they're not welcome and probably get pickpocketed in the process?
Thanks for sharing your experience! Since writing this article, I know there are many different opinions on the city, but the bottom line is it’s never a good idea to put all one’s hopes and dreams into one place or thing —- there is so much else out there in the world!
Being from Barcelona myself I found your article really amusing. So you wanted to have tapas all day long?. Well, tapas are not a traditional Catalan food. Not that they can not be found (you can find many foreign foods in Barcelona) but sure not the best food available. Then comes the guy that goes to the capital of Catalonia and is annoyed because many thing are written...in Catalan!!. Who would have imagined that?. I hope that if he goes to Paris is not disappointed, because everything is...in French!!. Another good one is the girl that finds an European city with 4 of 5 million people expensive. What was she expecting?, the prices of Blaenau Gwent perhaps?. A good idea would have been to look into the local knowledge, for example the well known adage "Barcelona es bona...si la bossa sona!!" or, translated, "Barcelona is good...if your pockets are full!!". A good laugh, really.
Barcelona is a beautiful city full of life. I visited 3 times for the last few years. I stayed in a hotel, apartment and cruise ship. Always have great time, walking for hours, visiting museums, markets, churches, cafes, shopping
People are helpful, not snobbish. I leaved in South Africa, Canada and now in Florida.
I have little business in a tourist area and work 12 hours a day for months wit no days off .
It took me 10 months to lease the place, going every single day to management. There is burrocracy every where in the world. If the salaries are low in Barcelona work extra, open your own business.
If you wondering to move take your bag and go quickly, don't listen to complainers.
You have nothing to loose you can always come back to your country and make a few dollars more.
I admire hard working people in the city coming from China , Pakistan East Europe who keep their places open 24 hours. I wish I know more about open business there I see a lot of opportunity there.
Viva Barcelona
I would like to hear peoples comments regarding Valencia (the city only) compared to Barcelona regarding expat experiences and in particular the many bad aspects of Barcelona described in previous posts. How do people feel Valencia is comparable or incomparable to Barcelona now and in the future. I am having difficulty deciding between Lisbon and Valencia to live any views?
hi every one
i travelled alot , and last year i visited Barcelona and i loved it ,.since then im thinking to move there ,is any body know how is job situation in Barcelona , im an architect but i dont care if i have to change my job .
tanx
I have visited the city many times during the last 4 years with my family. we love it. Mibs and Elise are realistic and logic. anywhere there are negatives and positives, good and bad but, at the end of the day its YOU who will decide to enjoy and suffer.. by the way, I AM MOVING TO BARCELONA NEXT SUMMER
Ive been in Barcelona for two years. The place is great for a holiday but its also incredibly superficial and the government admin is a mess. Its impossible to get anything done. Im increasingly concerned by the Mayor repeatedly saying "tourists are not welcome" and her attempts to close hotels, rentals, venues and discos.
People in the North of Spain have strong french traits. If you need personal space, this is not the city for you.
The city is becoming more unstable and more unsafe due to extreme poverty and these days no Spanish government. Please think twice before you move here. Underneath the party theres a lot of problems which are starting to boil to the surface. Anger, aggression, abuse and violence. Laws are quickly changing to stop tourists renting property here. Please make sure you have a full understanding of Spanish before you enter into agreements with anyone including banks. Get advice from someone who has gone through this. Its not worth the risk of simply packing up and moving.
I totally agree, i Have lived there for 10 years with my Spanish boyfriend (from Oviedo) and we are looking to leave. Barcelona was also my long time dream before moving there, and like everyone I was starry eyed with my pre-conceived ideas of it, but 10 years later I have to say I find it over-rated, superficial, very unfriendly, badly-run, extremely expensive compared to very low wages (the rents are higher than in many cities in Germany for example and the wages are less than half the comparable wage in germany). The food also is way overrated and expensive - having lived in many places in Spain and travelled extensively throughout the country I'd have to say the food in Barcelona is the worst in all of Spain (and I'm a foodie and have spent the past 10 years searching for good food in Barcelona - not that it isn't to be found but not in the proportion you'd expect from its reputation and you have to pay ridiculous amounts to eat well - which for me does not qualify as a city having "good food"). Even the art scene seems shallow and talent-less - too many frustrated wanna-be artists struggling to get by and not enough people with money to buy any of their (usually crappy) art.
I totally agree with Josephs comment that "Anger, aggression, abuse and violence" are starting to bubble to the surface and I'd add an (un)healthy dose of resentment towards tourists and non-locals in general. My neighbourhood is covered in graffiti of "tourist go home" - the recent neighbourhood street festival serving food on the street was festooned with signs "tourists GO AWAY you are not welcome here" "we don't serve tourists" - even my corner cafe hung up a sign "No Tourists". And this resentment and antipathy bubbles over in all many shops and restaurants in the centre where anyone - specially those not speaking Spanish - will be met with stony-faced antipathy. I really recommend anyone wanting to move to Barcelona to think again. I wish I had never moved here, it was the opposite of what I imagined it to be.
Barcelona is a beautiful city. I lived there for three years. I made many interesting friends not from Barcelona, usually students or one year contract workers there for a year. I made no inroads with any Catalan, despite knowing quite a fe. Unfortunately the Catalans have been brainwashed to despise the tourists, so no matter how much you love it you will never truly feel at home. Also, the prices have rocked up since the opportunity to ask for higher rents from the tourist or foreigner who doesn't know better or just landed, so it makes it more expensive for everyone. It also seems to attract a special type of pretentious rich kid who feels right at home being surrounded by a sprawling and somewhat desperate city. There are pick pockets, prostitutes and drugs everywhere and there is a desperation for jobs and money and hence a cycle of resentment towards the haves. The streets are so dirty and you most certainly should not touch any doorstep as you will be touching urine from all the party revellers who go in the streets. Also, if you need to go in a restaurant expect to buy a drink, they hate it if you'd use the restroom for free, hence the streets are pretty dirty. Lots of American toursits all falling in love with the city, unfortunately it doesn't love you back. Peace
Todos los extranjeros habláis de los mismos lugares: Gracia, Born, Eixample, Raval...
Os tirais años aquà y jamás os situareis en la verdadera Barcelona.
Parece que hayan dos Barcelonas, la verdadera Barcelona, la nuestra, la de los barceloneses que levantamos cada mañana la ciudad, hablamos catalán y tomamos decisiones, y la otra Barcelona artificial, la de los extranjeros endogámicos que se mueven en el mismo lugar siempre, que están pero no están, que cierran clubes de fiesta en el Born a las 5 de la madrugada, que no tienen pajorela idea de qué es Barcelona aunque lleve cinco años viviendo aquÃ, que conoce de palmo a palmo la discoteca Moog pero no sabe qué fue la Setmana Tragica o quien escribió la "Oda a Espanya".
Y estas dos Barcelonas son incompatibles, no ligan, se ven pero no se saludan.
En realidad vosotros ganais: os llevais una experiencia. Nosotros perdemos: vemos nuestra ciudad recortada y ocupada por extraños que ni la entienden ni la aman, o que la aman como se ama a una mujer de una sola noche loca.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
Saludos, Arnau. Soy puertorriqueño, pero llevo casi diez años en Texas. Soy un profesional de informática de 45 años de edad.
La vida acá en Texas es generalmente bastante buena, pero he tratado de conectar culturalmente y no he podido; las diferencias entre las culturas mexicanas y norteamericanas, en comparación con la puertorriqueña, son muy grandes. También los gastos médicos son horrendos acá, y la seguridad, especialmente con el asunto de las armas de fuego, no lo hace tan cómodo, especialmente cuando pienso en mis hijos.
Mi esposa y yo hemos hablado de la probabilidad de mudarnos, y siempre nos ha llamado la atención Barcelona (será porque tengo algo de catalán por parte de madre, no se). He leÃdo muchÃsimo sobre la cultura, las tradiciones, la vida diaria. Quiero empaparme mas de la historia de Cataluña. Tenemos mucho mas en común con ustedes que con México o EEUU. Pero en fin, estoy divagando...
El punto es que aunque sabemos que no hay lugar perfecto, nos sigue llamando la atención. Tengo un amigo que vive en San Cugat Del Vallès. El me habla muy bien de Barcelona, pero siempre es bueno tener múltiples opiniones. Asà pues, ¿qué me dices de la vida diaria allá? ¿Que es lo que mas te gusta? ¿Que odias? ¿Alguna recomendación?
Cualquier respuesta es infinitamente agradecida. ¡Gracias!
We just visited Barcelona on an 18 day coach tour that covered spots like London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam...the usual suspects...I did fall in love with Barcelona from the eyes of a tourist. My husband and I are American, but I am of Costa Rican decent from my parents. I felt at home being able to communicate with the taxi drivers and servers on the beach. I had a great conversation with a server while we were on the beach. He stated that he loved americans and that he and his wife were moving to America really soon. I explained to him that everything seems so relaxed here, and everything is so beautiful and that in America he is going to work himself to death...(because we do!) He explained that Barcelona life is beautiful but over run with tourists and the cost of living is really high for the wages that are made, and just by talking to him, he put things into perspective for me. So, with all of that said, I agree with Arnau. Tourist fall in love with Barcelona like you fall in love with someone for only one night. You have to really get to know a city before making huge decisions like moving and starting a life. Cheers to Arnau and Cheers to Lillie for sharing your thoughts in such an eloquent way!
Thanks for adding your insight!
@Arnau:
Aunque los turistas conocen la versión "artificial" de Barcelona, es verdad que también hay "guiris" que llevan años aquà y, sin embargo, parecen encajar perfectamente en la misma categorÃa.
Pero... ¿sabÃas que entre los "guiris" que viven aquà hay unos cuantos que se quedan en la Barcelona "artificial" porque en la "verdadera" no se sienten bienvenidos? Es que muchos de vosotros nos tratáis a los que no somos turistas como si lo fuéramos.
Yo, por ejemplo, vivo aquÃ, pago mis impuestos, no salgo de fiesta por Born, ni por Vila OlÃmpica. Pero cuando hablo con alguien de aquÃ, no es nada fuera de lo común que me haga sentir que soy "de fuera", con un comentario estereotipado tipo "¿Tienes frÃo? ¡Pero si tú eres de ... ... !".
Otro ejemplo: me dirijo a alguien en castellano, pero me contesta en inglés, ya sea para "practicarlo" (sabiendo que no soy de un paÃs angloparlante) o porque no le "cuadra" que alguien con "cara de guiri" no sea turista.
No soy nadie para deciros lo que tenéis que hacer en vuestro propio paÃs, pero no te debe sorprender que la mayorÃa de los "guiris" vean tu ciudad como un parque temático.
Absolutamente de acuerdo, Arnau. Muchos llegan no hablan ni castellano, aun menos catalán, y quieren que los catalanes(para mi quien vive aqui) que hangan el esfuerzo de entenderles...?
Me encanta Alemania. Tengo verdaderos amigos allá. Pero eso de sentirse "de fuera" me pasa allá. Berlin he pasado bastante tiempo y digo que también esta "overrated". Gente malhumorada, (en cafés, restaurantes, etc). Es una ciudad que no me gusto para nada. Y eso que hablo un poco de alemán. Francia...más de lo mismo, y me encanta.
He venido en los 90, y veo como esa masificación del turismo está destrozando la ciudad. Siempre busque sitios donde habia más catalanes/españoles que gente de otras nacionalidades(incluyendo la mia).
Y que decir de los USA? Sobretodo ahora...
Creo que la solución es simple. Cualquier cidad/pueblo tendra cosas buenas y malas.
Sorry but I its a bit stupid to think you are going to paradise... such a thing does not exist. As like most big cities, it's a busy place to be, with lots of tourists visiting and with works going on, they might be happening at the same time, that is not up to the people and the locals sure we do not like it either. But it has to be done.
Your idea and your dreams are in your head. That does not means the place is totally the opposite as you were dreaming. Sometimes we are so blind we cannot see beyond our own interpretation.
I am from Barcelona living abroad for many many years now, lived in different countries and cities, and every one of them surprises me all the time. I do not have pre constructed ideas and clichés stuck in my head as, in my opinion, I think you have.
Party on the streets, lots of colour everywhere... quite an American interpretation of reality, of places?? mmm
One advise, when moving abroad, try to keep your eyes and all senses open and ready for everything that comes. Give a chance to everything, because it is never gonna be like you expected. That built illusion in your head is not gonna be fulfilled but otherwise you might discover and incredible place with lots of real colour and exciting people to meet.
If you do not like it, then it's alright.. it might not be "your place"..... the planet is too big!
Very true!
Unless you are on holiday it is nice not if you work 8hours a day to pay rent and bills come home tired an do the same next day and no tapas hahahaha supermarkt and cheap cooking it is expensive here. Doesn't mean I do not like it here but be aware what you read on websites.
I have been offered a job in barcelona but I cannot quite make up my mind, because of the low salary. (I am a teacher).
Only you can make this decision! I wrote this article many years ago, so don't let it sway you too much, as things have likely changed in Barcelona, and what was not right for me may be perfect for you. Wishing you luck on this big choice!
So what was your conclusion after 3 months there? Did Catalan really bother you? We (my wife and I) want to go there for a month but still studying our options. Income is not a problem because we are not going to look for work. But the questions is more around things to do while there. Outdoor, easy access to other near by cities, or anything else.
I have been fortunate enough to travel the world. I have been all over Europe, parts of Asia, etc etc. I went to Barcelona with my sister 4 years ago and fell madly in love with the city. The people were so warm, welcoming, and the food such a delight. As a result, I've been wanting to move there since I left. I'm hoping to transition in about 2 years. I understand things will be hard, creating a new circle will be difficult, language barriers etc. But in the end if you walk in and try to make the most of the experience, you are already leaps and bounds ahead of others.
I hope that my experience will be far different than yours, and that you can find a city where you feel a sense of home with.
My dream city is Valencia. There is so much history in this city. I love Bacelona but my heart is in Valencia :) Very interesting article! Keep posting!
I loved Valencia, too!
I'm sad to learn that so many people don't like Barcelona. I suppose preference is individual, but I've been living here for two years now and I absolutely love it. The food is fantastic, the people are wonderful, and as a wandering soul, I think I finally found the place where I can settle down and have as my home-base for the rest of my life. Unlike the dissatisfied expats in your post, I will be happy here for a very very long time. It took me five months to get the hang of Catalan, and of course, a little longer for Spanish, as it is not spoken as commonly. And as for your friend claiming that it's an expensive city? I would seriously disagree. I have a flat El Raval that I pay 500 euros a month for, a dinner out can cost as little as 12 euros per person, and flights to anywhere else in Europe are incredibly cheap. Last Christmas I flew round trip to Berlin for 25 euros. If that's not cheap, I don't know what is.
I hope you can return someday and see the city as it is, not as a failed expectation, just without any expectation, see the real Barcelona. I think you might really like it.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Elise! I shall return one day with fresh eyes, and have no doubt that I will have a very different experience! What threw it all off for me were my unrealistic expectations.
Hi! Im 19 years old female from the Philippines. And I just graduated college and planning to migrate in Barcelona and maybe find a stable job there. So maybe you can give me some advised on this. Im going to live with my relatives there and leave my parents in the Philippines. I'm kinda nervous about it to be far from my parents. And its hard to decide if I continue my plan or not. I will really appreciate the advises you will give me. Thankyou.
Hi JanelMae,
What exciting plans! As I was in Barcelona so long ago and for such a short time, perhaps others in this comment thread could better help you. Best of luck!
I realize this is a bit outdated but wanted to add my position. What you experience could be experienced in most places. I'm from Chicago (yes, downtown) and moved to Stuttgart 5 years ago at age 40 to be with my German husband. Talk about tough community to penetrate!!! In my opinion, it takes time to make friends with Germans, and with Swabians in particular. I have 2 "friends" now but I have many acquaintances. Imagine how many I'll have in 10 years!
When you're not in university or a child, it's tough to make friends in most new cities. And I don't go out to clubs and bars or do meet-ups. If I did, I guess I'd have more friends or acquaintances.
Mich, I have been living in Oporto, Portugal for the past 10 years. I am married to a Portuguese man. I have the same problems you have had. I would never move here again.
Eileen
I have lived in Barcelona and Belgium. I am originally from Lisbon. I believe that in the southern Europe it is still much easier to make faster and stronger relationships than in the north (I don't want to generalize of course) but on the other hand it is true that in Europe you have better chances to have a better quality of life in terms of work/free time in the north than in the south as well as evolve in your career. Nonetheless, I love Barcelona and the quality of life it can offer you is amazing compared to other countries in the north. I am still young (25 yrs old) but that is my honest opinion of what I have experienced so far. Btw I am thinking about moving back there.
PS: It is true that you have to be careful about the pickpockets that is a big problem there and the amount of tourists is in fact very annoying when you are just trying to get to work for example xD
Hi,
I am an 18 year old guy here in the US. I will start college in January (October, November, December are free for me) and need something to do until then during the Fall months. During high school I studied Spanish for 4 years and absolutely enjoyed learning the language. I was thinking of traveling to Spain and enrolling myself at a Spanish school and immersing myself in the culture in order to elevate my Spanish skills.
What I need is someone to advise me on this. Whether Spain is the right country to go to. How long should the trip be? Which Spain school is ideal? Even whether enrolling in a Spanish school is the best way to further one's Spanish? Accommodations? I have so many questions.
I would be so very grateful if someone was to help me. Thank You!
-Chet
Me, my sister, and my son are planning to move to barcelona this next year. She is planning on getting a nanny/ au pair job. My company I work for in the US is international so I am transferring to there so will already have a job lined up. Any advice for preparation like work permits, visas, etc? We are hoping to stay at least 1 year hopefully longer. Also budgeting for household items like groceries laundry personal care etc. Also what is the Healthcare system like?
This website says many false things. Last summer i went a whole week to barcelona. After that week i completely fell in love with barcelona. I moved my life here in Spain and now i have been one year here, in theory i have to go back to USA, but i am going to stay here as much as i can sll my life. The tapas u show in the first photo aren't spanish... I LOVE BARCELONA , people, food,weather,art,music,the catalan language,football team , all the beautiful little streets that make me fall in love again and again.
Thanks for your input!
I lived in Barcelona for a year in 2012 and i absolutely hated it. I glorified it like you and thought it would be amazing and dreamy but it really wasnt!
I'm so happy to find this blog what a great resource!.
I was in Barcelona this June (2014) and I said this my place to retire, currently living in Sydney since 2011 and prior in California for 24 years and traveled around the world Europe, UK, Ecuador, Colombia, Havana, and Panama then Fiji, Bali, Hong Kong, Japan I will say Barcelona is my place .
Planning to move next May, so I have a couple of questions;
Need a little more info on tourist account?
You thing that with My wife and myself 4K US$ per month we could have a decent live with no car renting eat paella once a week and set menus?
Worry about medical insurance (66YO) I guess is not easy to take a quick flight home (US) and go thru Medicare, or fly to Italy since Australia has a medical agreement the best option looks like to get travel insurance here in Sydney I can get Medical only for one year for two people $1206 for the whole year, is good to have options!
I have been looking and calling real state agents and for me it looks great and cheap I can get a 2b-1 bath in and nice area for 1200 euros.
I will like to know also from someone on fee/rates (monthly) for internet, telefono, agua, electricidad, even bike fees or other fee that might be hidden.
Cheers Walter
With 4k US. dollars month you can live very very well here, 1200 Euros for one flat 2b is expensive, you can find good flats for half this price in Barcelona.or for 400 in villages near Barcelona.
Hello! Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to good sites or places to look for finding work in Barcelona! I recently lived there for a few months and am looking to go back in either teaching a language or in the bar/restaurant industry.. Just need some help as to where I should start looking!
Thanks!
Everything that this article says is true. I first moved to Barcelona, my favourite city in the world, a couple of years ago. I was looking forward to sniffy expatriates coming over and complaining about tourists, how good food was difficult to find, how its impossible to get to know Catalans (why don't they learn English in their own city!?!?!. I was just looking forward to some good old-fashioined knee-jerk judgements based on the Ramblas and Sagrada Familia.
But no. What was I greeted with instead? Nooks and crannies of the city that were completely tourist-free (try the gardens de Joan Maragall on Montjuic). Ugh. Some of the most decent, generous (admittedly initially insular) kindest people you will ever meet.A wide and varied cuisine that, annoyingly, contains many of the best blends of other parts of Europe, being so close. Perhaps most annoyingly, I found that Barcelona is not one place. Its the Barri Gotic, for tourists. its the actual beach area, its the tourist beach area, its the Parc Cuitadella and Born area, L'Eixample (which itself has about 5 different barris). Its the narrow streets of Gracia where tourists rarely get to. Each of them having a different vibe, people and speed of life.
So irritating for it to have so much variance (I didn't even mention the Camp Nou, Poble Espanyol and north-east of the city) that makes making a judgement on it, and writing a blog about it, an easy thing to do when you clearly haven't experienced enough of it to deserve the right to pontificate about its downsides.
I wish I'd thought of writing this article. But I don't have time. I'm out enjoying Barcelona.
Brian
Well played, sir. :)
Well said Sean/Brian!
There is so much more to Barcelona that Lillie clearly didn't get to experience. I adore Barcelona and can't help but feel baffled when somebody doesn't see the same beauty in it that I do, but of course, we are all different and that's what makes the world go round. Without diversity we'd all be living in the same place and thinking the same thoughts, still, I can't help but jump in to Barcelona's defense.
I've lived here 8 years now, I'm still discovering new things to do all the time. The food here is incredible if you find the right places, and it's usually very good value even for those of us on "awful" Spanish salaries. For €8 you can get a 3 course lunch including wine, water and bread; I doubt €8 would even cover the tip in the US!
Additionally, she talks about the reaction from the locals. It's worth considering for a moment here that humans rarely appreciate the place they grew up in. I'm from Yorkshire in the UK, a place with some of the most beautiful countryside in the world, the home of the stunning city of York and some of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in England. Did I appreciate it when I lived there? Of course not! I thought life was dreary and that all people did there was work and sleep, I couldn't wait to leave and see something new, experience different places, people and cultures. Now I've been away for so long, I see my home town, and country in a totally different way. Although I don't plan to move back, I relish going back and seeing it's quirky beauty and appreciating so much that I'd grown up taking for granted.
I'm also wondering just how much art Lillie was hoping for? It's difficult to walk more than a few yards in Barcelona without finding something spectacular to look at, even if it's graffiti! And regarding the difficulties our American car dealer friend was having with the language, I do agree that learning Spanish here is more difficult than it is in regions where only Spanish is spoken, but it's still absolutely possible if you put the effort in. The locals are desperate to learn English and will bite your arm off for an English/Spanish language exchange. I had so many responses to my ad that I simply didn't have time to respond to them all.
For me, moving to Barcelona was a life changing decision that far exceeded any expectations I had! There were challenges, as with any international move, but I can honestly say I'm the happiest I've ever been!
Now all I'm left wondering is if the Sinead from Ireland she knows, is the same Sinead from Ireland that I know? There can't be that many Sineads from Ireland who moved here in 2006!
Hello Brian. I'm a Filipina married to a Brit in my 50s who have lived in the Philippines, Hong Kong and England and have travelled extensively in Europe, US and Asia. My husband and I are now in Manila and are looking at moving to Barcelona to live.
May I ask:
1. where are the 3 best neighbourhoods to live in Barcelona in your opinion that is close to the sea, accessible to the city, hospital, quiet;
2. In those areas, how much would a 160sqm flat or home cost approximately you think.
Thank you for your feedback. Hope you can email me back.
hi,
I'm Sonia from Barcelona, I really love your website. About your article, yes I believe that you have to spend a long time here to have truly relationship with Catalans people, and also that BCN is an expensive city. But it's an so energetic city and the Spanish people are amazing when you reach to know them ! So continue to visit us !!!
Thank you, Sonia!
While your 'title' raises fear as one is googl'in through 'I want to move to Barcelona', there's nothing substantial you 'said' that would raise that kinda fear! Wished you pointed out facts as to why it's not such a good idea, as opposed to some vague feelings.
I hear your frustration. This article is sharing my personal experience of dreaming for years to move to Barcelona, then realizing upon finally visiting it that it is not a good match for ME. The warning is about building up a place before spending time in it. Likely the city is a great match for you. Best of luck, and enjoy!
I agree, it gives absolutely no meaningful value. The dreams were silly to begin with, there's so much more to Barcelona than the Sagrada Familia, and if you're living there, go out of season if you don't want lines!! dreams! instead of doing some research, they came from shallow stereotypes and childish expectations. The article is useless! and the 1st 'replier' did the same! he complains of empty non-touristic streets! oh! and how the food is eclectic! LMAO