Barcelona in July

Hi
We went for 5 days last May and had a great time.

I would recommend;

Early on take the official bus tour around Barcelona (I think it's blue!) - great for getting your bearings

Tour of the Nou Camp stadium (& I hate football!)

Loads of restaurants/bars - 4Cats is very good, a bit pricey.

The seafront is a lovely walk.

Word of warning - if you pay by credit card for a meal go to the till with it & watch them process it. Mine was skimmed for £1000 & I like to think I'm fairly clued up! We didn't go anywhere seedy but it still happened, so don't let it out of your sight.

The dali park is very good - they have a show area with lots going on there.

The main street (La Rambla) is great - all forms of life/entertainment are there. Many restaurants have special deals if you eat before a certain time in the evening.

Walk down the main street onto the beach. Turn left & there's a great restaurant, the fresh sardines are stunning!

Go to the church overlooking the city, but not if you get vertigo - it's bloody high!

I've got a terrible memory but we had a great time.

Hope you have a good 'un.

Spud,
I lived in Barcelona for 10 years, so my first piece of advice to you is: don't go in July!! This is because day time temperatures can be 90 degrees F, with almost 90% hummidity. You will have to drink water all the time just to prevent dehydration and, even then, you will feel dizzy from time-to-time.
However, you are going. The city is quite interesting, but you are much better off catching the narrow gauge FGC train from Placa Espanya to Montserrat, which is about a 45-minute ride away. This mountain is spectacular, pleasantly cool and unlike anything you have ever experienced before. There used to be a funicular, but I believe a cable car now takes you up. There is a monastery, a nice walk through the trees and a restaurant. You can actually stay the night up there, too.
If you remain in the city (don't!), Sagrada Familia is worth visiting. Look at the faces of the turtles on whom all the columns rest. Be warned, walking down, which most people do after taking the lift up, will leave your legs like jelly.
The town beach is OK, but you can take a Renfe Cercanias (suburban train) south to Sitges for a pittance. It has great beaches, nice restaurants and will be cooler, just 45 minutes away. I spent many wonderful Sunday lunch outings there during the 1980s and 1990s.
In terms of trouble, if you go as a tourist, you will have a large red arrow sticking out of the top of your head saying: I am a tourist, please rob me! The way to avoid this is by not drawing that much attention to yourself. If you come to a halt, put a building at your back. If you are strolling, keep checking that you are not being followed (bag snatchers, from my own experience, work in groups of 3.) It will be hot, so you won't be wearing many clothes. The best place to keep money is in your breast pocket, especially if it has a button or velcro on it. Money belts are EASY to steal! Beware cash points after closing hours. Many of these require you to swipe your card to gain entry to a secure area, but all have locks on the door. USE THEM! It won't be somebody with tatooes that robs you; they will almost certainly be wearing a suit and shades and carrying a knife! If you are going up or down an escalator, do so at 45 degrees, so you can see who is behind you. If anybody touches you violently, you are being robbed -get out of there fast.
The area around the main city cathedral is bad for tourist robbery, but the police know this and flood the area. The Ramblas, where I was seriously mugged, is also much better than it was. It is best experienced at night, when the street entertainers are stunning. Get a characterture done here: it will cost you more to frame at home than to have drawn in Barca! I still have mine from the last week I lived there -a precious memory!
If you want a shopping centre, one of the biggest is at Glories metro station, where there are a variety of shops, but not necessarily aimed at tourists.
For a cheap gastranomic experience, try a Catalan sandwich. For example, they use sloppy tomatoes and olive oil to make the bread taste good then add some salt and ham (or fuet, cheese, etc). Fantastic. The fast food chains Pans y Company and Bocatta commercialise these, but the best are to be had in traditional bars. You are looking for "Bocadillos" with "pan con tomate".
If you want a good view of the city, take the old Tramvia Blau to the top of Tibidabo. There is also a great funicular ride on Montjuic and another that crosses the bay from Espanya square.
Don't use the horse-drawn traps. If you want to visit a city doing that go to Seville!
The tourist bus goes all around the major sites. You buy a day ticket, then get on and off as and when you like. It is air-conditioned.
In general, you will find the Catalans much more like the French than the Spanish. They will often refuse to speak Spanish, insisting on rattling on in Catalan. However, get a good Catalan and they can be some of the nicest people you will ever meet!

Don't be too concerned about heat in July, I have been in July, June & September and yes it is hot in July but not unbearable (and I am from north of scotland!!). Just take a break, dive into a bar for a frozen glass of Cerveza
:beer: