By Anne McCarthy
Barcelona is a fun and lively city with so much to do, which is why it’s the perfect locale if you’re planning a group trip to Spain! Barcelona is the capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, and it’s especially known for its beautiful architecture, cultural offerings, and delicious food. Highlights of the city include la Sagrada Família, Museu Picasso, buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí, and many more.
Fat Tire Tours Barcelona loves hosting groups, and we’d be overjoyed to play tour guide to you and your fellow travelers on your next visit to “Barca.” Our Barcelona Small Group City Bike Tour is a fantastic way to see the city with your group in Barcelona and hit all the must-see monuments and spots in the city.
This tour is great to book at the start of your group trip to get your bearings around the city as you arrive. You’ll see so much Barcelona magic on this tour, including La Sagrada Família, La Catedral, Plaça del Rei, Plaça Sant Jaume, and more. Our friendly expert tour guide will fill your heads up with knowledge about the city, too.
For the architectural and design fans in your group, they will want to book our Gaudí Bike Tour with Skip-the-Line Sagrada Família Ticket. This tour is the perfect way to learn about the legendary Antoni Gaudí and his life’s work, including his most iconic masterpiece, la Sagrada Família.
Now, let’s move on to more group travel tips for your journey through Barcelona.
Figure out a Communication Plan
When traveling with a group, it’s important to ensure everyone is on the same page and able to communicate well with each other. One of the best ways to do this is by starting a group chat either via text message, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger.
Sure, the dozens of notifications may be irksome to some, but a steady flow and ease of communication are important aspects of a successful group trip. Make sure everyone in the group is tech-savvy enough––or gets a tutorial––to operate whatever messaging system you decide to use on your group trip to Barcelona.
Sort the Itinerary
A well-planned itinerary for your trip to Barcelona is worth its weight in gold! Figure out how you want to structure your days and then get moving on the planning portion of things. Depending on the size of your group, you may want to have an airtight schedule.
If your group is smaller, it’s easier to be more flexible with the day’s plan. And no matter the size of your group, be sure to budget in downtime and free time for spontaneous, unplanned moments (as well as unplanned problems or things that go awry). It’s great to have a well-planned itinerary, and a well-planned itinerary also includes unscheduled time.
Go to Museums on Free Days
An easy travel hack to cut spending is to take advantage of free days at museums! There’s no doubt that travel can be expensive, especially when traveling with a group and decisions are made which may not have been your first choice (i.e., going to a costlier restaurant than you might otherwise go to). Capitalizing on free days and free events while traveling is a perfect way to minimize the impact of travel on your credit card bill.
There are so many beautiful museums in Barcelona, and most have a free day or a free time of day when you don’t have to pay an entrance fee. Museu Picasso, for instance, is free on Thursday evenings from 6pm-9:30pm, and it’s also free the first Sunday of each month. And the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) is free on Saturday afternoons after 3pm, and on the first Sunday of each month. And the Barcelona Maritime Museu is also free on the first Sunday of the month.
Brush Up on Your Spanish
If you’re a traveler coming from the U.S., you likely already know a bit of Spanish, given its prevalence and use in the U.S. But even still, it’s worth brushing up on any Spanish you know before boarding the plane to Spain. Locals always appreciate when visitors at least try to speak in the local language rather than reverting to English right away. Not sure where to start? Check out instructional videos on YouTube or create an account on Duolingo, a free language-learning app.
Get Ready for Late Night Dinners
The Spanish people are notorious for their late-night dinners, so be prepared to eat your meals late if you’re eating out in Spain! This may mean some small adjustments so your body is used to the shift in eating time. You may want to pack some snacks in your travel backpack to eat during the day, so you’re not totally famished come 9pm.
Get the Must-Have Apps for Travel in Barcelona
Thanks to modern technology, a lot of things are easier than they once were. It’s worth downloading a few helpful travel apps before your group trip to Barcelona. These apps will make getting from place to place even more seamless.
Citymapper is a free app that is even better than Google Maps because it offers transit recommendations specific to your locale, and lets you know what’s nearby that may be worth checking out. And with myTaxi, an app that allows you to hail taxis from your phone, you’ll be able to get a cab in no time. You’re better off using myTaxi over Uber or Lyft in Barcelona.
And while you’re at it, why not download the Fat Tire Tours app. It’s great even if you don’t have a reservation; our friendly customer service staff are happy to help answer questions about getting around Barcelona, things to do there, and provide recommendations for you. It’s free and available on iOS & android.
Whether you’re traveling by foot or by taxi, you and your group are sure to have a fun and festive time in the beautiful city of Barcelona.
Anne McCarthy is the Editor in Chief of the Fat Tire Tours Blog. She is a contributing writer to the BBC, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Variety, Wired, and many more. She splits her time between the U.S. and Europe.
