Barcelona was one of those trips that really surprised us. We lost a day before we even arrived, spent a chunk of what was left in a passport line, and still fell in love with the city. Here’s what caught us off guard.
We’re from Michigan, so we figured we knew humid. Summer here regularly brings 60% humidity or more.
We weren’t prepared. Our weather app said about 84°F, which doesn’t sound bad, but stepping outside told a different story. In both Barcelona and Asturias, the air felt heavier and stickier than a Michigan summer. The airport on arrival was the culmination of what felt like 136 hours of being uncomfortably hot.
Tip: Don’t trust the temperature alone. Pack breathable clothing for the real-feel, not the forecast number.
I’d heard horror stories about the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), so I was braced for the worst. Passport control was split into three lines: EU passport holders, Americans (plus a few other countries), and everyone else. Only the American line had electronic e-gates, which seemed backward, since those systems are supposed to make life easier for citizens.
The process is two steps. First, you scan your passport at a kiosk, which takes your photo and asks far more questions than I’ve ever answered entering Schengen. Then you scan again at the gate. Chris sailed through. My passport wouldn’t read, so I was flagged into a different line. In hindsight, I should have just tried again on another machine.
Only three people were ahead of me, yet we waited about 45 minutes. The agent kept telling the people complaining that the EU line had been waiting over two hours. When I finally reached the front, the agent scanned my passport, asked nothing, and waved me through.
I feel genuinely bad for any EU passport holders flying through Barcelona. I hope it’s a temporary rollout problem. Be sure to build in time for long lines when you land.
We booked last minute and the only room left was a suite. We stayed in the Gothic Quarter at a small boutique hotel called Casa Pince. The elevator barely fit us, with about six rooms per floor and six floors total.
The suite’s little balcony overlooked the Gothic Quarter, but it was too hot and humid to enjoy. The air conditioning was already cranking when we arrived, and the staff were very accommodating about our canceled flight.
Barcelona has a reputation for pickpockets and over-tourism, especially in the Gothic Quarter. We stayed right in the heart of it and never saw an incident or felt overrun.
We’re not dismissing either issue. Sagrada Família was packed, and the lines at Casa Batlló were long. But there was plenty of room to move. Maybe we got lucky, or maybe it helped that we mostly walked and ate at less touristy places. Use common sense, blend in, and don’t make yourself a target.
We loved Barcelona, even with a day lopped off, and we absolutely want to go back. Next time we’ll give it more time, visit that rooftop, try the breakfast buffet, pack for the real humidity, and keep a close eye on that passport scanner.
Thanks for stopping by! Check out our Go See Do Explore Podcast, available wherever you listen to podcasts. To read about some of our previous trips, visit my Trips Page. If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page and follow me on Instagram! For my list of gadgets to make your travels easier, click here.