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It's not hard to make the most out of Barcelona. There's culture, fine-dining, bar-hopping and beach-bumming aplenty to be getting on with. However here are a few practical tips and pieces of advice for first-time travellers to Barcelona.
Safety First - how not to be Pickpocketed!
Read some reports and you'd think every visitor who comes to Barcelona is automatically robbed the moment they pass through customs at El Prat airport. In fact trouble is rare for anyone who keeps their wits about them but undoubtedly pickpockets will pounce on any pasty-faced tourist who fails to exercise caution around Las Ramblas and the Gothic quarter. Money belts are a good solution, as our bags worn in front of you rather than behind (where zips can be undone, and contents removed). Loose pockets are a no-no, and if you put your bag underneath your chair it could go walkies, especially at internet cafes and touristy bars. Finally if you take a handbag out at night don't leave it unattended.
Avoiding the Crowds
If you want to experience a bit more of Barcelona for yourself don't forget to pack your compass and delve into some of the city's more obscure districts. El Born, Raval, Gracia, Montjuic and Eixample are all worth visiting, or escape it all on a daytrip to Sitges.
Viva La Catalunya
Catalans are a fearsomely independent bunch and if it was up to them they'd stick two fingers up to the rest of Spain and form their own breakaway republic. They won't be impressed by your Castillian Spanish, even if you can pronounce correctly, so why not check out our idiot's guide to the Catalan language. Gaudi would be proud.
Outwitting the ATMs
Spanish banks are conning thousands of pounds out of unexpected tourists by tricking you into accepting their unfavourable exchange rate. If asked would you like to be charged in your native currency always select 'no', I would like to be charged in euros, otherwise using something called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) they will sting you for some extra dinero. For more info click the link for this article in The Guardian.
Consulting the Experts
Download and print our free PDF guide and you'll have a tonne of handy tips, information and recommendations to read on the plane over - ready for when you touch down.
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Above: No, it's not a MacDonald's Dave
Below: 'Bicing' by the beach 
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