{"id":2308,"date":"2017-01-16T09:08:55","date_gmt":"2017-01-16T09:08:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bonplan_en.anakena.info\/?p=2308"},"modified":"2020-03-23T16:23:23","modified_gmt":"2020-03-23T15:23:23","slug":"popular-myths-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barcelona-top-travel-tips.com\/popular-myths-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"5 popular myths about Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here at Top Tips, one of our main aims is to help you experience Barcelona in the best possible conditions, avoiding the usual tourist traps. In this article, we want to debunk some of the most widespread myths concerning the Catalan capital to let the real, authentic city shine through.<\/p>\n

Myth nº1: Barcelona is fundamentally Spanish<\/h2>\n

\nFrom the outside, the situation in Catalonia can appear puzzling. The Catalans are sometimes compared to Basque or Corsican independentists, and the Catalan language is often seen as a simple local dialect. The reality is very different.<\/p>\n

Spain is a highly decentralised country, where each region (or autonomous community) has a considerable amount of power. The regional specificities of Catalonia are governed by local laws, proposed by the Generalitat<\/em> (the Catalan government) and voted on by the local assembly.<\/p>\n

In the rest of Spain (with the exception of the Basque country), the differences between autonomous communities are relatively small. Catalonia, however, is different. The Generalitat<\/em> has the power and the legislative means of establishing and imposing Catalan culture across the territory.<\/p>\n

As you explore Barcelona, you’ll see that Catalan is far from being “just” a dialect: it’s used by everybody on a daily basis in any and every situation, and is found everywhere, from administrative documents to signposts. Teaching in schools is given in Catalan, except in international extablishments, where Catalan lessons remain compulsory.<\/p>\n

That said, if you’re coming to Barcelona to live and you only speak Spanish, it shouldn’t be a problem, as bilingualism is enshrined in national law. In “real” terms, this means that all administrative procedures can be accomplished in Spanish OR in Catalan.<\/p>\n

\"Catalan\n<\/p>\n

Myth nº2: Flamenco is typically local<\/h2>\n

\nFlamenco is one of the symbols of Spanish culture, alongside the corrida and paëlla. In reality, though, it’s from Andalucia. The Catalan regional dance is the sardane<\/a>, which is rather more sedate! You won’t be able to see a sardane show, per se, but you may be able to catch the locals dancing it on Sundays in front of the cathedral, or during cultural events such as the festes majors<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Even though it’s not local, if you want to see flamenco in Barcelona, there are plenty of shows on offer. Since the fall of Franco, flamenco is generally “accepted” in Catalonia, and some of the stars of the genre, including Carmen Amaya, are from Barcelona.<\/p>\n