What to Pack for Your Private Villa in Barcelona
The time is coming up quick! You’ve already planned out your days. You’ve checked the weather reports. You’ve studied some of the local restaurants and cafés that you MUST check out. What else…what else…Oh! You’ve already set your auto-responder on your work emails. You’ve got the bins sorted for rubbish. You have a friend stopping by to check on your place while you’re away. Bills? Check. Pets? Check. You almost have thought of everything before your trip to Spain. Barcelona is going to be an amazing holiday!
The only thing left to do is pack. Wow, this is a hard one. You know what the weather is, so should you only pack something light? What if it rains? What about the essentials you need like toiletries, towels, and soaps. Do you need those?
If this is your first time staying at a private villa in Barcelona, you may not be sure what else you’re going to need to put in your suitcase. You’d hate to pack more than you need, but you’d also hate missing out some key item that you will need while you’re away. Let’s break down the essential packing guide for private villas in this region of Spain.
Clothing
I can’t tell what to wear on holidays, that’s entirely up to you. But use this as a guide only to help plan what outfits to pack, and which are better left in your closet at home.
The weather will be amazing, that much is certain. Even in the winter months, you don’t need heavy articles of clothing, which is great for packing space and weight allowances. The nights can cool down a bit, so bring long-sleeves and a pullover or two for the odd occasion when you need something to keep warmer.
The best advice I can give is to try to blend in. Wearing obvious tourist clothing highlights you as a target and an outsider. If you plan on wearing board shorts, sandals, and tank-tops, maybe save that for by the pool of your private villa. Barcelona residents tend to dress conservatively, and you’re likely to stand out as a mark for thieves or higher prices as a visitor to the city.
It’s most likely that your private villa will have a place to wash clothing, so don’t feel obligated to pack your entire trip’s worth of outfits. Once again, this saves you room in your bags for more important things.
Toiletries
Do you need to pack soaps, toothpastes, shampoos and conditioners for your upcoming stay? Well, that depends. Many private villas come stocked with essentials, the bare minimum for showering and decent body care. If you are fine with that, leave the bulky toiletries at home. Bring a toothbrush and a smaller bag, but your bulky kit doesn’t need to come with you wherever you go.
This also goes for other items like a hairdryer. Again, check with your particular villa, but most places have a hair dryer you can use. Bring your own curler or straightener if you like. Just watch for that pesky current difference so you don’t accidentally blow up your curling tongs on your fabulous holiday away.
Food & Drink
It’s common that your private accommodation will be stocked with essentials like water, bread, butter, and coffee and tea. If you have a private villa, it’s most likely that you plan on eating in a few nights of your holiday. What a great way to save money! You can duck down to the local shops and plan your meals like the locals do. That’s the best way.
The only thing I would advise is to pack some of the things you can’t do without, like your favourite coffee grounds, tea bags, or other brands of foods that you couldn’t get at home. Sometimes, all you need is a familiar hot mug in the evening of your favourite tea to unwind after a long day exploring the city. It doesn’t take up any room, and it’s worth that little touch of home in a foreign place.
Barcelona is well known for their food culture, so its best to indulge in that environment while you can. However, if you have dietary restrictions or speciality foods, be sure to bring those. You can store food in your fridge and freezer easily, so spoilage won’t be an issue.
Electronics
Be sure to think about your electronics needs. You’ll have your phone, a laptop, maybe an e-Reader, a tablet, and other gadgets with you. Think about how you’re going to charge them and run them while you’re away. Bring enough cords to keep everything going while you’re on holiday.
If you’re travelling here from other places in Europe, you’ll find that you don’t need any adaptors. The sockets and mains voltage are the same. It’s a 230 volt current in every plug. If you are coming from elsewhere in the world, be sure to plan accordingly. Because you’re in a private villa, it’s not like room service can bring you an extra adaptor should you need one. You will have ample room to plug your gadgets in.
One bit of advice I like to offer is to bring along a Bluetooth speaker, a portable one that can pack easily into some corner of your suitcase. It’s good to set it on the counter while you make a meal, by your private pool while you swim in the afternoons, or to play a DVD from a laptop. It’s incredibly handy while you’re away.
Miscellaneous
We’ve taken the advice of some previous guests as to what they wished they had while they were away at their private villa. Nothing major, but I did hear some fabulous items that I’ll pass along to you.
“We took a small pack of dishwasher tabs. I wasn’t sure what the dishwasher would have, and we weren’t going on holiday to do dishes. That was a good idea on our part”
“I wish I had brought a torch (flashlight). It got dark earlier at night than I expected and I wanted to explore our property a bit with the torch.”
“We brought some smelly candles and lit them at night. We brought those candles back with us and whenever we light them, they remind us of the time we had in Barcelona. It was a great way to keep the memories alive.”
“I’m a messy cook, so I packed my apron in the suitcase. I knew I’d be cooking a lot, and I didn’t want to ruin the few tops I packed along the trip. It was a lifesaver and didn’t take up hardly any room in my bag.”
“I just brought my mug with me. I know it’s silly, but I love my mug and I wanted to have something familiar with me.”
Your time in Barcelona will be an incredible trip. Make it even better by packing only the essentials for your private villa. You’ll have all the comforts of home in a foreign city, and you’ll feel like coming home when you return to your personal accommodation at the end of a long day. Enjoy your holiday!
