Money and credit cards are best carried round in a money belt. For other small items simply carry around an ordinary-looking day bag this way no one can tell what is in the bag. Keep valuables out of sight whenever you can.
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Keep an eye (and a hand) on your bagIf you're carrying a backpack, keep your wallet and phone in your front pockets if you can. On the metro or in very crowded touristic areas, wear your bag in front.
More on pickpocketing here. Pickpocketing is unfortunately rampant in Barcelona, but you can take basic precautions by moving your wallet to the front pocket of your pants, and using a cross-body purse/wallet (and keeping that in front of you when you walk). A few simple precautions can go a long way.
On the metro or in very crowded touristic areas, wear your bag in front. Ladies should carry purses with a thicker strap if possible and across the body, not on the shoulder. When in a restaurant, don't sling your purse over the chair (this is an easy target) or haphazardly on the floor.
Buy an anti-theft backpack.A lot of these have no accessible pockets from the front, so pickpockets will have a hard time finding a zipper to unzip. They're also armed with slash-resistant straps and body material in case thieves try to cut them with a sharp object.
Exchanging currency in cash is very costlyIf you're just taking a simple trip abroad, you can avoid unnecessary stress if you use ATMs to withdraw money when you need it in Spain. If you're carrying a lot of cash, security can also be an issue as you could make yourself a target for thieves.
What is considered carry-on baggage? Technically, any piece of luggage that you “carry on” to an airplane is a carry-on bag. Most airlines allow one piece of carry-on luggage or “hand baggage” that can fit in the overhead bin, plus a “personal item” (a smaller purse, computer bag, diaper bag, small backpack, etc.
Bring cash in the foreign currencyuntil you can arrive at a bank or cashpoint to obtain some more money. Barcelona does have a pickpocketing problem, and it is advised to ensure you do not carry too much cash around with you.
Currency: Can I pay in U.S. dollars, or should I use Euros? The currency of Spain is the Euro (€). U.S. dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for Euros upon arrival.
Key Takeaways. European travelers should always have some cash on hand; getting it from an ATM abroad is usually the easiest, most advantageous way. If you need cash from an ATM, it's usually better to use a debit card, because credit cards often charge a high interest rate for a cash advance.
Airline rules allow for one carry on bag and one personal item, unless you're flying on a basic economy fare. But we've all seen people selfishly putting two bags in the overhead bin or carrying on more luggage than could possibly be allowed. You don't want to be like them. But you also might not be a one bagger.
Domestic carry-on policies. A good rule of thumb is that if your carry-on bag fits under the seat in front of you, it's considered a personal item. This includes small backpacks, purses, briefcases, laptop bags, etc. Larger bags, including suitcases, must fit in the overhead bin compartment.
Cash is usually withdrawn from automatic teller machines at bank branches. In addition, in Spain it is easy to find ATMs to withdraw cash in shopping centres and shopping areas, large urban centres and historic centres in small towns.
Expect to need cash for things like coffee and tapas, and anytime you need to make a purchase for anything between €10 and €20. When you're visiting the larger cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Seville, you should be able to live on your credit and debit cards.
Tipping in Spain works differently: The customer actually has the option to not leave any tip at all. However, restaurants expect a 10% tip on each bill—although it's not a formal rule, and that percentage is much lower than tipping practices in other countries.