Truth about LIVING in BARCELONA
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- We all have things we love and hate about the city we live in, nothing is perfect! Here is my honest truth about the pros and cons of this vibrant city, Barcelona, Spain.
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Chapters:
0:00 experience
0:48 free stuff
1:09 weather
1:53 air quality
2:10 green spaces
2:20 nature
3:00 coffee
4:20 noise
4:45 guide
5:48 Best place to live
6:30 language
7:34 cleanliness
8:05 transport
8:40 art
9:00 when to go
9:10 apartment design
9:35 community
10:05 closures
11:06 flights
11:25 day trips
Love the breakdown of Barcelona! Super useful to hear all your pros and cons. And can definitely relate to the struggle of everything being closed on Sundays it's very similar in Italy! Hope we get to cross paths with you on one of our trips, really resonate with your energy! Btw, we came to your channel through Yes Theory's comment section, they are the creators that probably most inspired us to start our channel and a few weeks ago we got to meet and make a video with Ammar & Matt. We jumped off the highest bungee in Europe with them and just posted the video on our channel! Thought we would share since we always love to connect with other members of the Yes Fam ⚡💙
I'm so glad you reached out! I went running to your page 😁 We definetly have similar vibes - loving the energy! Thanks for stopping by my small channel 😉 It'd be great if we cross paths one day!
Amazing video, your advice is so helpful
I’m glad it helped!! 😁
Cool, thanks for video
Such first world problems! City is noisy/no shopping on Sundays/no dogs on public transport 😢. I’m glad to see that European cities got their priorities right 😊!
That's right Philip! Defo first world problems 😉 Safe to say it's a great place to live 🙌🏼
Very cool video! Learned a lot from your perspective. Considering to live and work there for 1+ years. Gracias por compartir.
Muy bien! Me alegro mucho :) I’m glad it helped!
Lived there for a year; totally agree. Especially about Pouble Nou being underrated. Great video!
Thanks Debbie! I hope wherever you are now, it’s treating you well 🤩
Hi! Just spent some time in Barcelona and some pros are the walkability, the beach and the architecture including Señor Gaudy, and cons are: no water in all the fountains (as opposed to Madrid where the fountains are lovely), the sense that Barcelona is tired...Like so many millions of people have partied so hard that is needs a break from tourists for about? Years to be cleaned and revived physically, and the gigantic buildings on the waterfront. They block the view and are just over the top excessively commercializing the what would be sublime waterfront down by the Colon statue. Xoxo and thx for video post!! 🦋SH
As a Spaniard, I AGREE with the closures point. It makes zero sense to me that everything closes on Sundays and afternoons. It's very old-fashioned, but older generations in Spain don't even consider changing this. However, Madrid has! So luckily, Barcelona will be next 🙏🏼
I like you page! your English is very clear and easy listening to understanding, for me as non native. goodluck!
Awe I’m happy to hear! I used to be an English teacher so I know what it feels like :)
Great video! I think the big con isn’t really disturbing for me cause I live in Switzerland and there’s also everything closed ok Sundays… so I already know it
Perfect! Sounds like you have a winner 😉
How is with smoking? In canada people usually don't smoke. And in Spain?
So much interesting info!
Soooo that means you’ll move here to be with your niece 😜
@@NatashaBergen ha ha, but I definitely want to come for visit
You crack me up! Hello from Australia 🇦🇺💃🇪🇸
Glad I can give you a laugh Tessa 😝 Helloooo!
I'm Spanish and I hate it too that everything is closed on Sundays or throughout the week from 2-5 pm 🤣it may be due to the fact that traditionally Spain's economy has heavily relied on small businesses that can't afford to hire several employees and this way have rotational schedules
Hey Rubén! I never even considered that! Interesting food for thought 😜 and it makes complete sense. Thanks for sharing! 😁
pues yo no,, yo quiero que este todo . cerrado los domingos.. ¡¡¡¡que mania ¡¡ no tienes de 9 de la mañana hasta las 10 de la noche 6 dias a la semana¡¡¡.. vamos a ver, no te das cuenta que vas terminar trabajando todos los dias de la semana,, que no vas a tener vida
@@arturo95658 te respecto tu opinión 😁 es por eso creo que la tradición va a continuar en España 🇪🇸 Espero que tengas un buen fin de semana 🥳
En este país todavía los trabajadores y trabajadoras tienen algún derecho social. Me da risa! Somos tan ecológicos, tan sostenibles, tan modernos, tan guays, pero eso sí, la conciliación y la vida familiar para mí, no para los trabajadores y trabajadoras que nos sirven! Genial!
@@eduardomg4066 asi es.. yo no quiero insultar . pero me dan ganas ..ahora muy bonito pero cuando trabajes todos los dias por el mismo dinero.. aver que pasa..si claro como lo cojoncitos estos viven bien .. y no tienen que trabajr los domingos,, ea que resto trabaje, para que yo pueda comprar unas bragas . o comida vegetariana, o pasear por un centro comercial .enseñando la MANZANA CON BOCAO..AINSSSS. UN SALUDO
First 30 seconds and you're so likeable! Nice to find your channel. I love to travel (and stay long, working remote). Barcelona was on my curiosity list, so I searched and found this :).
Awe that's so kind of you! Thank you and welcome! Hopefully we can cross paths one day :)
The portion in the video, where it was all modern buildings, may I ask what part of the city is that?
I’d like to say it was Poblenou - but do you know the time marker to be sure?
@@NatashaBergen 2:11 mark :)
@@NatashaBergen was the one who messaged you in IG also! :) Thank you for replying! :)
Retirement in barcelona or a few kilometers outside, how’s the difference? I only visited barcelona once, but liked it enough to consider retiring there. English speaking limitation like many.
Nice video. How did you get a visa to stay beyond 90 days? Isn't the visa for 90 days max?
First I got a working holiday visa because of a bilateral agreement between Spain and Canada (my country). Then unexpectedly I ended up falling in love with an EU citizen. We went through the process and I’m a resident now. We’ve been together for 5years 💚
For many a tourist visa is 90 days but it really depends on you passport strength and the agreements countries have with one another. There are many visa options out there with different EU countries 😊 Just a little research required.
ah..nice download. Where you "forget" La Ramblas....and like Placa Reial~~~~ :-).........or where they too ordinary, tourist crowded.? Anyway, happy to see for long time-- new places from there, even i´ve been there 7 times. Only memories anymore...so....
Haha I see what you're saying! 😂 I've done many videos with Barcelona and so yes, those two places didn't make it into this video 😝 I hope you enjoyed even if it was a little off the beaten track and it brought back some nice memories 😁
I am italian and I wlll be moving to barca in few months. Catalan is fun to hear cos sounds kind of an italian dialect ..and sometimes Castillian too !! I lived many yrs in London but I have to say you cannot experience that kind of living the city on the street like in many european countries...if you know what am saying..
Hey David! That's exciting! I hope the move goes well and that you'll enjoy life there :) Let me know how it goes!
It's weird that that every foreigner thinks that shops close at noon for the "siesta" but I have to say that the majority don't do that, it's only that from the business perspective a family that runs a business prefers to open later in the afternoon that have the sop open at noon. Indeed I don´t know of anyone that takes "siestas" in weekdays. It's a myth. Have a nice day :)
Hey Alexandre! Thanks for popping in! It’s not just a thought 😊 I lived in Barcelona for nearly two years. It’s my observation based on my work schedule and what my needs are as a consumer. I totally respect businesses who choose when they close during the afternoon 😊 Whether people actually take a “nap” (siesta) you’re right, I’m not sure. 🤣 I just want people who may have similar needs to me (teaching and freelancing) to know what it’s actually like. 👍
Sounds like you live(d) in Barcelona yourself! I hope you’ve enjoyed your time as much as I have 🙌
Natasha, nice video. As a local (a damn hedonist one) I'll tell you the best well-kept secret from Barcelona, the one that tourists never know and that expats only find out after living a while in the city: The best of Barcelona lies actually outside Barcelona.
Barcelonians actually enjoy the city just for going out for dinner, to a fancy bar, or for work, but we don't live there. We live north of the city, in a village in the middle of the woods just 30' away from the city, close to the incredible beaches of Costa Brava or to the mountains in the Pyrenees, 1 hour by car to the ski slope in winter.
Hey Marcos I couldn't agree more! The nature Calatunya has to offer is the reason I'm in love with the area ;)
@@NatashaBergen You're good! ;-) The thing is that many people measure Barcelona by the same standards that they would use for London, Madrid, New York, or Berlin, which is understandable because those cities are incredible by what the city itself has to offer (fashion, culture, jobs, architecture, gastronomy, cosmopolitan life..), whereas in the case of Barcelona, the beauty is that you have a mid-sized cool metropolis, but with an incredible nature just 30' outside the city, woods, mountains, beaches, that in those other cities you can only reach after half a day travel or by aeroplane.
Would you say Catalan is a must in Barcelona? I would love to learn it and will plan if at all I move to Spain but will it be necessary the moment you set foot or as a way of making friends or can you manage everyday life with English for the time being?
Definitely not necessary 😁 But the Catalans will love you if you learn to speak it!
My only issue with Spain was the lack of friendliness. Living there for several months on two occasions, people do not smile, make eye contact, it is very old world European mentality in that regard. I also understand that because tourists create housing crisis in major cities and displace the citizens they are not very fond of tourists and perhaps that is why. But there is a frigidity to Spain.
That's mostly here in Barcelona. We are really closed compared to other Spain cities
@@TheOriolProductions the thing is that when you go anywhere with a lot of foreign people you gotta make yourself different because otherwise you re one of the crowd, it is sad but in big cities with a lot of individualism it is what it is. And you are talking about a place where it is sunny and people walk outside socializing more if you come to Stockholm you will freak out. Now you go to the interior speaking the basics of the language saying that you are from far away and that you are going to live there and you make friends with the whole town.
i hate espresso. where can i get a good pourover iced coffee like phil'z in sf?
did you move from ireland to canada when you were very young? it's such an interesting hybrid accent. in any case, this is a vastly superior barcelona video to the typical ones i've seen. i haven't been there since 2010.
Thank you! I'm glad you like the video, and hopefully it made you want to come back =). Never lived in Ireland, however I do get that a lot, maybe is because it's one of my favorite countries.
First, Poblenou neighborhood, part of actual Sant Martí District, one of ten districts of the city, It was the historical industrial area in Industrial Revolution times in 19th Century, traditionally habitated by working class people, and It´s not underrated, in fact before pandemic It was in dangerous risk by mass tourism and gentrification the same than Gràcia and Ciutat Vella disctricts or Sagrada Família neighborhood at Eixample district.
Second, Barcelona It´s not a city of gardens, for historical reasons It´s a densely habitated city with a lot of trees along streets, especially along Eixample district streets, and very few parks or gardens, for example the Central Park of Barcelona along Besós River never was built.
Third, more than with Quebec Barcelona and Catalonia are more comparable with actual Scotland inside Britain or Flemish inside Belgium, although the Scotish National Party is really based on previous Basque Nationalist Party in Spain´s Basque Country and not on Catalonian parties, and despite Catalan language is much more important in Catalonia than Scotish and Gaelic languages in Scotland.
And fourth, yes, around Barcelona there are many natural parks, owned by the different Barcelonian and Catalonian Administrations and despite the Metropolitan and Regional Areas are also densely habitated. But the acces are limitated in all, not open to foreign mass tourism.
We miss you in Sweden!!:))
Awe 😁 I miss Sweden too 💛💙
do u find any asean working or live there?
I heard you talk about art do you think for galleries museum fondation and artists Barcelona is a great city ?
If I compare to Berlin paris for Instance ?
Lovely questions Anthony! In my experience, all three would be wonderful for art lovers. I think they each have their own artistic flavour, so I would say it depends what you like 😁
@@NatashaBergen okay thanks for your answer !
So you can suggest for artists to go to Barcelona without doubt?
Like there is contemporary scene and place do develop?
@@Anthony-nd7ld oh yes definitely! There is something for every artist 😁 It’s integrated into the cityscape even 😊
@@NatashaBergen wonderful thank you for your answer
You have such a luxury with the southern Europe winter sun and weather and general warmer climate!
I do imagine that your Canada visit reminds you of the negative side of short days and a weaker sun!
Haha yes you said it! I do take it as a luxury to be in this southern part of Europe 😉 You're right, Canada was a rude awakening back to the cold but I do love the snow - are you a fan of the snow?
@@NatashaBergen I like snow but having been living in Gothenburg I didn't get proper snow, now that I live in Stockholm I have a bigger chance of experiencing snow that stays!
@@SinaFarhat oh that's awesome! I really hope you've adjusted to all the changes in Stockholm, so exciting!! And I hope you see some snow!
@@NatashaBergen it's a easy city to get used too!
I would much rather take cold blue skies days instead of grey days!
@@SinaFarhat I'm happy to hear! :)
Curious to know where in Canada you’re from because I’ve never heard any Canadian’s accent sound kind of Irish like
Hey Brandon! I've lived in many parts of Canada and abroad buuuut there are plenty of Canadians on the East Coast with thick accents similar to the Irish ;)
I almost thought you were Scottish! We're planning on moving to Barcelona later this year, so this is super handy! Thank you!
@@RichMaciverPhoto I’m glad it helped! That’s awesome good luck with it all 😁
@@NatashaBergen r u from newfoundland?
@@NatashaBergen How about people who want to live in Canada, what would you say, or suggest?
Link to the video about how you live this lifestyle and what you do for a living?
Ahh this was such a great video! I visited in 2008 on a school trip,
and me and a friend are going in October for 11 days.
Such a fun and alive city, do you have any recommendations for bars, seafood places and cannabis clubs?
P.S: You have a great sense of humour!
I missed the best time to visit? Never heard you say what it was!?
Personal opinion is May or late September ;)
Interesting that being Canadian, you said winters are cold!!
🙊🙊🙊
Los negocios no cierran por la siesta...son horarios partidos, los dueños cierran para comer algunos van a casa si viven cerca otros no
Si exactamente - algunos si algunos no 🙌🏽 entonces hay todo no? 😁
Canada eh! You convinced me to live in Barcelona for a while
You don’t say! Well it sounds like you’re aboot to start an awesome adventure 😉
Come to Latvia ❤
Really???!!! It's sad because here in bogota you could take the articulated bus with a Great Dane if you wanted to
Whaaaaat?! That is epic! I didn’t know that about Bogota 😍 My love for Colombia and the city just grew more! Are there any other doggy perks?
could be possible find a job speaking english in barcelona?
Yes for sure! There are loads of options depending on your field and skills. It's a major international city always looking for English speakers :)
@@NatashaBergen what about the wages?
@@manuelfg2902 that depends on the field and the company and line of work but in general a monthly salary would start at 1000 euros/month
Are you french Canadian?
If you’re referring to Québécois, no
How are people in general with you if you only speak English in the beginning but could learn Spanish fairly quickly?
I'm from Romania and the languages are fairly similar but I don't speak any Spanish right now. I'm living in Copenhagen for a while but have been thinking about going to warmer shores haha.
Hey!! Very cool! When I first rocked up I couldn’t speak any Spanish or Catalan and I was fine 😄 I had no problems and there’s a huge international community! 😁 BUT now that I speak Spanish and understand Catalan I think it’s a lot richer you know? And it brings a smile to the locals’ face more often 😊
I’m sure you’d learn it in no time! Especially Catalan 😁
Welcome to my city
Thanks Johnny!
I've been considering moving to Barcelona for a while now. But a major setback is COFFEE. Spain and Barcelona have a horrible coffee culture. You can't even get a decent cappuccino at a chain called Cappuccino! Nomad and Three Marks are good though, but exceptions. Another thing is personal space, don't walk and sit so close to me...
Well, you convinced me now that Barcelona is not much better than Canada as far as weather is concerned. I'm from Toronto and have been earnestly seeking a city that allows one to work outside all year round, and was considering Barcelona as, at least, the summer was just immaculate the last time that I was there.
'...when it's cold, it's really cold..' reminds of what I'm trying to get away from.
Thank you very much for all your efforts and insights, what a great resource that you offer here!
Of course! My pleasure and I hope you find it - maybe I can suggest Medellin Colombia? It's my favourite city in the world - no joke :) I lived there for a while and last year I was remote working outside on the balcony.
@@NatashaBergen Thank you very much for that suggestion Natasha, ...but my affections and comfort levels lie mainly in western Europe. Although, I don't doubt how beautiful and pleasant Medellin would be, I personally feel more of an affinity with Europe.
Again Natasha, I love your site and the work that you do, you're a great support and resource for many people, thank you very much!
@@dboulos7 great! Thank you for that! I hope you find what you’re looking for 😁
@@NatashaBergen ❤Thank you!
Why did you not mention sports in Barcelona and FC Barcelona?
Because there's a whole video on it already :)
Ang ganda mo mahal!
4:02 Not enough people talk about this, honestly
The coffee culture?! 😍🤩
@@NatashaBergen How good the coffee is
Where’s your accent from? It’s not Canadian.
🤣 I 100% guarantee I’m Canadian - born and raised 😜
Come Home🇸🇪
💛💙💛 I'd love that!
IBI tax inheretence tax self employment tax 30% boat matriculation tax Spain also taxes you on your worldwide income
How is the English speaking there? Do you need to speak Spanish?
Hey Claudette! You can get by with English for sure :) it’s very international
No dog no friends.
It's only a joke! Don't be angry 😉 🤗
😂😂kind of like quebec hahahsha girl
A city very dirty in some places.
I have lived in Barcelona on and off for a couple of years and here is my two cents. Once you get beyond the gaga-eyes of being in Spain, you will realise that Barcelona actually sucks. The city is dirty and grimy, a never ending concrete jungle that literally smells poo and sewage everywhere. Its so disgusting you will be walking along, and then get a whiff of sewage and you will want to vomit. And the smell is everywhere. On top of that you have the lowest air quality in Europe. You will choke on the thick smog. On top of it, pay in Barcelona is VERY low and employment is very high. The same job that would pay over 100k in France or Germany, expect to earn about 27k for the same job in Spain. Once they take out the taxes, you have engineers and highly trained It specialists with monthly take home pay of 1400 Euros a month IF they're lucky. On top of that you have a 15% unemployment. There is very little industry or innovation in Spain and particularly Barcelona. Its mostly tourist stuff. So the main jobs here are menial tourist related service jobs. Hotel workers, bar tenders, cleaning, food delivery, etc. Nothing to build a career out of. The gig economy is big here. Robbery and theft are big in Barcelona (you won't be bodily harmed, but you'll get your stuff stolen right out of your hand). I myself have had my phone grabbed out of my hand while I was using in Gotico one night and just like that my iPhone was gone. Most people in Barcelona get by through hustling. For that reason, most spaniards can never afford to get their own place and end up living with multiple roommates their entire lives. Speaking of which, the quality of the housing is very low compared to Western European standards. Not well maintained giant apartment blocks with paper thin walls, no heating or air conditioning, and really bad quality electrical wiring. If youre ever walking around Downtown Barcelona, look at the jumbled mess of wires going every which way on the front of the buildings. And ask yourself, does this look like quality workmanship, done with care, or is this a jerry-rigged hack job thats probably a fire hazard. That, combined with the poo smell everywhere and choking smog in the air results in Spain giving off a slightly third-worldish vibe. And in some places like in downtown there are just sooo many people walking every which way, shoulder to shoulder that it quickly becomes uncomfortable. Also its so hot in the summer and fall that for most of the year, as soon as you stop outside you become instantly drenched in sweat, it just stops being fun REAL fast. Also, nearly every block in Barcelona is full of what I call slum-shops. What are slum shops? Each block will have no less than 4-5 "supermarcados" little dirty "convenience" stores. And between them Chinese junk stores, sell all kinds of low quality crap and knick-knacks from China, and between those, little dirty "cerveserias" no-name dirty little bars that sell bland domestic beer and gross microwaved food. Actual supermarkets and grocery stores in Spain also disappoint. They have very limited choices and almost no international choices. If you go to a supermarket in France or Germany or Netherlands, you will be amazed at the difference. In terms of getting anything done in Spain, you will be hampered on nearly EVERY level by needless bureaucracy. Want to open up a bank account? Sorry, gonna need a NIE for that. Want to get a monthly SIM card for your phone? Sorry. gonna need a NIE for that. Rent an apartment? Forget about it. Think you want to open a business in Spain, or be a freelancer? Hah! The Spanish government will make sure to make it not worth your time with the crushing taxes you'll pay. To be a freelancer in Spain, you'll have to pay at LEAST 300 Euros per month in taxes, even if you made no money that month. Also, If you rent a room from someone, you won't be able to get a Padriamento which is also required for several services in Spain and you can't get that unless you are on the official lease. Also, thinking about buying property in Spain? Better think again. The Spanish government does not protect private property. If you go on vacation, someone can break into your house or flat, change the locks and then thats it, they will be the new residents and the government won't lift a finger to help you. On top of that, to add insult to injury, you will have to keep paying their utility bills to keep the lights on (I KIDD YOU NOT!!!). In short, Barcelona is a great place to visit for a week or so but definitely NOT a great place to live. Its very stressful, polluted and stinky and just flocks of tourists everywhere and no real economic opportunities. Also, if you have young children, the quality of education is not very good. Spain does not rank high in global STEM ratings. I will be moving from Spain in a few weeks to Central Europe, luckily my job allows me to live anywhere in the EU. I can't wait to leave and breathe fresh, clean air again.
Im Spanish 100 💯 triple percent my grandparents are from Spain 🇪🇸 my mix is black and white , but even so i rather to stay in Toronto 🇨🇦; even that i domain the Spanish language to the perfection with no accent , I have even speaking English Spanish accent and I rather canada 🇨🇦 for now .