🎉 Get my FREE Tapas 101 Guide: swiy.io/Tapas101 *includes tapas bar recommendations for Barcelona, Madrid, Seville & San Sebastian

@Messenger87

7 ай бұрын

Nice informative video. Guy’s want to invite you to our Filipino restaurant here in Barcelona. Located at calle Valencia 59. DAYAMI is the name of the restaurant. We will be happy to see you and try Filipino dishes! See you all there! ❤

@Comments_From_All_Channels

5 ай бұрын

Turn down the opera music when you guys are talking so I can hear the lady what she's saying

@Oph03

4 ай бұрын

@@Messenger87where is the complete add please.I want to visit ur place.By the way ,Anong site po mg book in advance sa sagrada familia?Salamat

@Oph03

4 ай бұрын

Which site should I book for Sagrada Familia.Thanks

@julieanncheshire9960

2 ай бұрын

@@Oph03 The Sagrada Familia app (the one you use to schedule your visit) has a lot of information--I would start there.

I love how you got others who are familiar with some places to do and or not to do. Well done, I also follow Patrick for a while who helped me with some information for my trip to Spain during the pandemic

We stayed in Barcelona for a month this past April/May (1 week in Barceloneta and 3 weeks in Gracia) and tried to walk in as many different neighborhoods as we could. Our local market was Abaceria and we had both a butcher and fishmonger on our block. We hung our wash outside our windows. We were within blocks of the Sagrada but the neighborhood was quiet with great parks and restaurants. A highlight was going to see the castellers make their human towers. And, yes, we drank a lot of cava!

@maalfons

19 күн бұрын

When you hung your wash on windows is because you are a tourist or very very por. Not nice to see clothes or towels on windows or balconies.

@slowmads

19 күн бұрын

You are incorrect. Everyone in the four large buildings that surrounded the center courtyard hung their clothes outside their windows. There were cloth lines to do so. They weren’t visible from the street.

@joanparareda9387

4 күн бұрын

@@maalfons not true. If you live in a small appartment it's quite common not to have a dryer, no need to be poor

Thank you for all your great videos. Booked our first trip to Spain largely in part to your videos.

James, thanks for another great video! My husband and I will be arriving in Barcelona on 10/21/2023 and then heading to Madrid the following week. I have purchased a food tour from Devour Tours for both Barcelona and Madrid! I’ve watched your videos for years and can’t wait to experience in person! Thanks!

The gothic quarter was fun to walk through and I loved being able to walk on the rooftop of the barcelona cathedral during sunset. Was so fortunate to take a video of my time here. Great place to visit!

I feel in love with Antonio Gaudi on our Barcelona stay. We did a walking tour over a few days on our own and found and visited all his amazing creations. Keep inspiring.

Love your videos James! Coming to Spain & visiting Barcelona for the first time! Very excited after watching this video! Let’s goooooo

I just got into can vilarò! I am so excited and I ordered the same dishes they recommended 😍

Gracia was my favorite neighborhood, good vintage shops and probably my meal in Barcelona.

Great, been waiting to see this collab for a while

Barcelona was the first place I visited in Europe and I immediately fell in love. Thank you so much for what you do, I definitely need to plan another trip soon!

@americaksushantkinazarse5747

2 ай бұрын

Is it safe to visit Barcelona right now ?

@sylvanercccp

22 күн бұрын

@@americaksushantkinazarse5747 Sure, Just be carefull with your things.

Great video!!! Thank goodness I’m a planner and buy tickets for the attractions way in advance and even like skip the line tickets!!! I’ll be there in March! Can’t wait!

Bravo James! Gracias!

So helpful as i start to learn about Spain - May 2024 stop with family prior to niece Tuscany Italy Wed.! Crazy

First of all, thank you James and Yoli for doing such an awesome job on your every video! You are great partners for this vlog! It is always pleasant to watch you guys and your every video is helpful and/or educating. I live in the US and just returned home from my 7-day trip to Spain. I can say, I have become enamoured with Spain. I managed to visit Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla and I used y'all's videos as a guide what to eat, where to go, and how to get around. Blessings!

Nice video man! Come to Seville soon!

astonishing! muchas mi gracias x

Great video James, thanks to you and thanks to Patrick and Tara!

Okay taking notes!

Booked both Sagrada Familia and Park Güell over a month in advance. Both sold out last year both in early May and even in November. Bought the T Casual ticket for 10.35€ last Nov. It includes the train RN2, not Metro, from Barcelona airport terminal 2 and Metro from Passeig de Gracia to Liceu for one ride of ten ride T casual ticket. Got to my hotel on Las Ramblas for 1.13€. Love Barcelona! Great video!

First time in Barcelona for me, I was so exhausted from my flight and jet lag that I spent five minutes trying to get on the metro using my hotel room key card.

I've been to many cities around the world and the TAXIS in Barcelona are the BEST! Yes, the subway can be SUPER CHEAP but the taxis are awesome and one of the cheapest I've ever ridden. But yes, walking Barcelona is so wonderful and easy! Great Video!! Really great video here.

Great collaboration with Patrick!

Thank you for this video. Barcelona is my favorite city in Spain and will keep coming back. Ive never been to Sant Antoni and Poble Sec. Your video has pointed me in the right direction the next time I visit.

I wish I have watched this earlier. I was just there at Barcelona, weekend to yesterday. Argh!!! Now, I need to be back!

Excellent video!

The truth is that you simply shouldn't go to a restaurant located in Ramblas, Paseo de Gracia, or Rambla Cataluña and adjacent streets, but as an over-the-thumb rule, never ever go to a restaurant that has pictures of the dishes hanging outside or a guy/girl standing outside asking you to go in. You'll get overpriced sh*t inside. Another (sad) truth is that we locals avoid Barcelona as if it were the black pest, unless you are stuck living there. Middle-class Barcelonians tend to live outside the city, many in Maresme County, some 20 Km north, and only go to the city for work or dinner at a good restaurant. Speaking of restaurants, here is my selection as a local food hedonist: - Terraza Martínez: best paella-style rice of the city. - Sagardi Argenteria: best Basque food, "txuletón" t-bone included. - Shanghai: best Chinese food (actually a fusion of Basque and Chinese). - Bar Cañete & Paco Meralgo: best tapas in town (even though tapas are not typical from Catalonia, just recently included in the city's gastronomical offer due to the people asking for it).

@DIDACbcn52

7 ай бұрын

Speak for your personal feeling and opinion, it is not the same as that of all Barcelonans. I agree that you should not eat in restaurants on Las Ramblas or those where there are photos of the dishes, they are tourist traps, but on La Rambla de Cataluña (not to be confused with Las Ramblas) or on Paseo de Gracia there are very good restaurants.

@billy6243

7 ай бұрын

There are some amazing restaurants on teh side streets of Paseo De Gracia

@vinyeett_hgm

6 күн бұрын

Fellow Catalan here! My parents lived in bcn when they were younger and settled down further south in the coast, Sitges and Vilanova if anyone is interested. As a student here we go to Barcelona city for special occasions like Sant Jordi or other traditions. A lot of students go on the train everyday to university also but we maintain our local traditions from our “village” since it changes a bit and we have different sayings and preconceptions. Love my culture, proud to be from here :)

New here. Great content!!! Thanks 🙏🏻

Yeah! Patrick!!! Way to go!

Barcelona is my favourite European city! I simply love it ❤ I don't remember having any issues with the metro. I wish I stayed longer, as there's so much to see. I guess that's a reason to plan another trip there 😊

Love the collab! Awesome work!

Hi great video. I've just downloaded your tapas guide and saw La plata in Barcelona as a recommendation which stood out to me as you didnt need to reserve and as I'm visiting with children this would probably be a better fit for us. Do you have any recommendations for good food in the Sants Montjuic area?

I am so glad you got to do something with Patrick he deserves the keys to the city for the work he does to promote our city in such a positive way.. you can hear the passion and love in his voice.

Nobody does this travel videos better than you, thank you and keep the good work

@spainrevealed

7 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Totally agree about visiting the neighbourhood markets. I'd also recommend the Hola Barcelona ticket as it includes the metro to and from the airport, and unlimited public transport. The cost of the airport bus is around 10 euro return, so the cost of Hola Barcelona is worthwhile if you're going to use the metro or buses a few times.

I'm catalan, we didn't take Merci from the French, we say merci as a short way of saying "moltes mercès" o "mercès" 😊

@michellemorrison9663

6 ай бұрын

Aun asi es derivado del frances😅 . Phonetically and grammatically, many words derived from french and kept evolving, such as merci. Which youre right. Comes from mercès. But even the way of writting it is wicked french. I guess you could say, socially it derives from french. But its evolution is very much Catalan. Dont be surprised or defensive, catalan is a romance language too and it has a heavy french and italian influence as well. Also, very close to Latin (compared to the other romances) El catalan esta bien rico en mezclas y es increiblemente interesante

@willneverforgets3341

6 ай бұрын

Merci, is very catalan indeed! stress on the first sylabille

@Rin-zd9nv

6 ай бұрын

Or Mercedes 😊 just kidding lmao

@joho9815

6 ай бұрын

Good to know.

@jeidelbergin

5 ай бұрын

​@@michellemorrison9663no es derivado del francés sino del latín

Poble Nou, for the amazing cemetery and the many vermut bars on the main rambla. Sarrìa for beautiful apartments and 19th century buildings. If using the suburban trains (Renfe only) buy an Abono Recurrente for a deposit of 10e, then the travel is free on the 6 lines of Rodalies. The ticket is valid for a quarter but if only staying a week it will pay, if you use it. You can get almost to France on this ticket with the last few kilometres being charged, very little and often not at all. Using the ticket, and one or two euros more, you can get to La Tour de Carol where there are connections to Toulouse and a sleeper train to Paris.

We did a tasting at Parés Baltà winery last year, it was one of the best I've ever been to. Great wines.

If you liked Parés Baltà, you should also try Loxarel... get out of bcn and discover the land around, like Penedès, one of the wine areas here in Catalunya... did you try a calçotada yet...?

Love your channel.. accidentally view your videos, I fall for it..

Great videos. Very helpful and informative. Huge fan. One pet peeve: There’s such a thing as over-enunciation!

Love Patrick!

Timing is everything. First time visit was Oct 2023 for last stop on ocean cruise. Us (900 passengers) and five other cruise ships had same idea. I figure just from the cruise ships we added 20K in population to city that day. Plus Spain was on four day Columbus Day holiday so lots of residents in town. Much too crowded. Next time was first stop on another ocean cruise (Apr 2024) the low season as some say. Still crowded. When went our own way and missed much of crowds. We used suggestions from travel writer consultant Rick Steves. Word of warning; America's Cup yacht race is scheduled for Aug-Oct 2024 which will bring crowds.

Parés Baltà winery is amazing!🎉

If you plan it out well - get tickets to first visit the Hopital de Sant Pau (touring several museum buildings in one campus) then walk down to the La Sagrada Familia. Make sure you also pay to take the elevator up one spire and then walk down through another spire.

Fantastic watch and useful information as always 👊🏿

We had some of the best olives in Barcelona. Unlike all the other olives we had, these were less salty and more garlicky. Haven't been able to find them again since. 😮‍💨

I'm from Barcelona and the metro is cheap and a good way to move around but be really careful with the "carteristas" people trying to steal your phone and wallet as soon as you get distracted.. and they mostly go behind tourists

Had 3 full days in Barcelona, and is definitely on my must see again list.

which bodega was this one? Thank you. I want to try the Indigena and maybe buy it to bring it on our cruise. Is it super dry? Does it have any trace of sweetness in it? Thanks again.

The food at especially the last place was not only aesthetically pleasing, you can tell it would taste delicious! Enjoyed learning about the best way to enjoy Barcelona from your friend. Thanks for taking us along, say hello to Yoli and the baby.

Good video. Also places to "emorzar de forquilla i ganivet" in Barcelona in addition to Can Vilaró, are "Bodega d'en Rafel", Manso street 52, very close to Can Vilaró, "Bar Bodega Bartrolí", Vallespir, street 41 in the Sants neighborhood and restaurant Gelida, Diputació street, 133 in the Eixample neighborhood. All very good

@spainrevealed

7 ай бұрын

Thank you!

I visited the Sagrada Familia in 1985, there were just a handful of workmen on the site and i was allowed to wander freely throughout the still uncompleted structure and even managed to climb one of the towers until i almost reached the top and had a vertigo inducing episode. I recall chatting with the construction workers who told me jokingly that at the rate they were working the cathedral would not be finished for another 500 years. There were no visitors at all except me. I was glad i saw this amazing piece of architecture before it became a tourist trap attraction. People forget that this building was built as a place of worship but it appears that the original and intended purpose at present is to make money at any cost.

@DIDACbcn52

7 ай бұрын

It has really been many years since you visited the Sagrada Familia and it has changed a lot. Your assessment that the current objective of the Sagrada Familia is to make money is not correct. Precisely, the Sagrada Familia has grown so much in recent years thanks to the amount of tickets paid by its visitors. This money is used exclusively for the construction of the building as it is only financed by tickets and private donations. He does not receive a single euro from any institution or from the Spanish State.

@southcoastinventors6583

7 ай бұрын

Intent of any building is not to worship God, since he doesn't need a cage to venerated him. All these cool monuments are manifestation of human endeavor and persistence.

@vanessazannis5523

7 ай бұрын

1985 was a nice time for those of us who were traveling! I was in Paris in 79 and it felt like the Paris of the 1800’s…NYC too. The world’s population doesn’t allow for those experiences anymore. You’re very lucky to have your memories and I cherish mine!

@craigkimble1467

19 күн бұрын

Yes, it was still that way in the early 1991-1998 when we were going, drop a few coins at the door if you like and wander around. 😊

Actually "merci" in catalan is a natural evolution of the language, from "mercès", which used to be the way to thank people back in the day, rather than an inherited french word

Ty!!

10:30 Tripes are fine food, and very common in France, but seldom served in restaurants. They are bought ready-made; you just heat them until the jelly has turned into a sauce. They are generally served with a boiled or steamed potato. My favorite variety is _tripes à la mode de Caen_.

Yay! Nice collab with Patrick (I also watched his videos before my trip). For Sagrada Familia tix I recommend buying from the official site instead of the tourist online marketplaces. Also thanks for the tips about riding the metro (which btw js super convenient)!

Such great tips from Tara! The bodega experience looks wonderful! Can’t wait to return to Barcelona!

The Philippines, as a former colony of Spain, have a cuisine that is Spanish-influenced. One of the dishes we also enjoy is Callos, shown in this video. We spell tripe in Filipino as ‘tuwalya’ (towel) or ‘toalla’ (Spanish). But we enjoy it during special occasions only. We also use tripe in Chinese-influenced dishes such as rice porridge dishes we call ‘goto’ (perhaps Chinese term?), bec the beef tripe is the main ingredient. Its good for an all-day breakfast and for rainy days.

Hi! Love your videos ..how is the weather in September?

@wavyjenny602

2 ай бұрын

The weather is very good in September here. Warm and sunny but not excessively hot like it is in July and August. You can still go to the beach and the sea is warmer too 👍

Thanks

amazing

Ha GREAT video. Just booked your "Tastes & Traditions of Barcelona Day Food Tour" for Dec 5th 10AM. Is that too early to start drinking?!? 😁

Went on Devour's Tapas Taverns & History and Gaudi Tours in March 2023. Easy, informative, fun and well worth the price. Also learned a lot from James & Patrick's videos. Thank you!

Very interesting. Thank you. We plan to be in Barcelona in April 2024 could you please address the crime? Also, no tripe, but could you discuss the ordering of coffees - expresso or latte, what time of the day? Hours that restaurants open? Like in France from 11:30 to 2 PM and 7 PM for the night? also delicious desserts and wine. Cava is it like prosecco?

@kojisan1

5 ай бұрын

Crime: Pickpocketing mostly in the touristy areas. Other than that, you'll be safe. Coffee: You'll find a lot of coffee shops that are open throughout the day. Coffee isn't great here, but it's pretty decent. Restaurant hours: Lunch: 12:30 PM to 3PM Dinner: 8 PM to 10 PM. Touristy places are usually open earlier. Deserts: The most traditional are Crema catalana (creme brulee), mel i mató, bunyols, coca / coca de llardons / coca de vidre. Cava is literally champange, and we traditionally have it for desert. Wines: Too many to recommend. Just ask the waiter, but I'd recommend a local red wine. Also, try our Vermouth.

Having lived in Spain (Madrid, Logroño, and Granada) and visited Barcelona a few times, it was never really one of our favorite cities. Yes, it was beauitful and has the beach, but we never really enjoyed it as much as other places. After this video, we realized we did make some mistakes though, so we'll have to go back and give it another try!

@magdaanna7535

7 ай бұрын

Which city you recommend most?

@pumoripurna224

3 ай бұрын

Valencia@@magdaanna7535

Nice!

1) My main tip for all would be to avoid Las Ramblas like the plague. 2) Try stepping off the main tourist streets, and go even one or two streets paralell either side. You'd be amazed at what you'll find. Quieter, no tourist premium, no one trying to sell you stuff. Seriously, sometimes a paralel street is all it takes. 3) Try some of the further flung neighbourhoods. Sants, Clot, La Sagrera, Sant Andreu, Horta, are all nice barrios with their own identities and own charms, and many tourists don't go anywhere near them. The Barcelona metro makes it easy and cheap to get anywhere (you'll almost never spend more than 20 minutes on the train). And they can be just as lively as the centre if you get them at the right time of day. 4) Don't try to do too much. Really the best thing about Barcelona, and really any Spanish city, is wandering around, eating, drinking, people watching, and taking in the vibe. There are some cool tourist sites in Barcelona, but don't chase them around at the expense of enjoying yourself. If you find yourself in a barrio you really like, stay there and soak it up! No need to rush off to the next tourist site. 5) Don't let anyone scare you away from going to El Raval. There are some (often richer) locals who are genuinely scared to step foot there and will tell you it's as dangerous as Caracas. It's absolute nonsense, so ignore it. As with anywhere else, watch your stuff, and if you're alone at night, stick to the busier streets. But otherwise, it's an excellent barrio, lots of excellent Middle Eastern and South Asian food, and some of the best late-night bars and clubs in the city.

How can use those family tickets in the metro? One person goes through and passes back the ticket for next? Is this going to be one ride out of eight?

Wowww the food...i definitely going to move to Spain 🇪🇸 sad I wasn't born there 😅😢

Fantastic video. Wish I could have seen it in May before my visit to Barcelona.

This is my kind of travel channel. I subscribe for local and real deal👍

Great video, what I would be interested in is the weekly shopping of Tara. What does her weekly shopping and menu for the family look like.

"Merci" comes from "mercès", another form to say thank you, like in Spanish, "mercedes". Evidently, there is a relationship with French since all of them are romance languages. It is like "ta" in the UK.

Try sometime Vi d'agullas, si en cara u fun

Great to see you and Patrick together, magic! It was funny to see you trying to access the metro. It was just what happened to us a couple of times. We’re just back after a week and walked nearly 80 km. Hot 🦶🏻 but happy. Taking tips and information from you both really enhanced our trip. Saw our apartment rooftop terrace from the drone shot at Sagrada Familia. Loved Abecederia Market at the top of Passeig de Sant Joan.

I love it when favorite Channels team up! Way to go guys! Just returned from Barcelona Sep 1… La Vuelta y Barcelona was Fantastico!!

@spainrevealed

7 ай бұрын

Glad you had a great time.

I LOVE that the two creators I watched before going to Barcelona are doing a video together. I feel like our trip was a nice blend of must sees and chill local vibes. Will confirm after I finish watching

@Firefaerose

7 ай бұрын

Our Splurge restaurant was an incredible spot: Restaurant Prodigi The very first place we ate upon arriving was Casa Amalia and lemme just say that was also incredible but we had just arrived, showered and were a bit exhausted and were adjusting to being there still so we were probably a lot but that was also wonderful and great way to start our trip.

I cant wait to go to barcelona!! (Im from barcelona)

Nice informative video. Guy’s want to invite you to our Filipino restaurant here in Barcelona. Located at calle Valencia 59. DAYAMI is the name of the restaurant. We will be happy to see you and try Filipino dishes! See you all there! ❤

Hello James from Walnut Creek, California. The San Francisco east bay area. Absolutely love your videos.

Hello new subsciber here ,Is there a way you can vlog about where’s public bathrooms incase people need to use it,so that we have an idea.

@wavyjenny602

2 ай бұрын

It’s a really big city so without knowing where you will be using them, I can tell you that the beachfront has plenty of bathrooms every 200-300m. They are next to the bars where the promenade is at the same level as the sand, and underneath the promenade where it is above the beach. In Plaça Catalunya there are public bathrooms next to the tourist office which is underneath the square next to Portal de l’Angel and the El Corte Inglés department store. You can also find bathrooms inside this store at every other level. Generally speaking, the main train stations will also have bathrooms, and public buildings such as council buildings (ajuntament) or libraries (biblioteca). And of course restaurants and bars, although it is courteous to buy something as these are mainly for customers. So you could stop for a coffee or cold drink and use the bathroom in a pinch.

Congratulations on this video. It was so informative and everyone was so enthusiastic. I’m feeling a strong desire to return. I live in Lisbon so I can do it!

Ohhhh. Estuviste en mi barrio, Sant Antoni, muy cerca de mi casa!! Todos los establecimientos que aparecen son excelentes, pero la verdad es que en el barrio todas las tiendas y restaurantes son muy buenos y recomendables. Hubiese ido a saludarte!! Felicidades por el video.

This video came just in time. Heading to Barcelona in two weeks. Thanks

My students learning English in Korea will listen this tour guiding clip to practice lisening! You are so clear and fun❤❤❤

Awesome ❤ Thank you

Visited la Sagrada Familia hace Mas de 20 years ago. It is really more impressive in person, but would never do it again, especially not in high tourist season.

Which site do we book it please sagrada familia?

Please be careful, go with someone on the street and keep an eye on all your belongings, there are many thieves and pickpockets in Barcelona following you. It is a beautiful city.

Another tourist guide video and I start eating shoes

Only one big Tip.. get plastic bag from DÍA the cheapest supermarket and use it as your purse nobody will dare to robe you

Hola ! Nice Video. If you don't want to spend lots of time in learning language then it is best way to learn some most useful phrase. and that too for some most repetitive conditions. Like in Medical condition what to say.. In Airport what to say...in Restaurant...etc. Here there is a book which have such most frequently used phrases in Portuguese, German, Spanish, Italian and French. Go for it. “START SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGES: TRAVEL GUIDE FOR CONVERSING IN EUROPEAN LANGUAGES.” this book will definitely help to use European language without learning it.

it really says something when you are rating wine beacause reasons? insteaf of it is good or not

I’m going to Barcelona in April but I’m afraid to take the metro since I got pocketing in Greece, specially from the airport to my airbnb. Are they Uber in Barcelona?

@wavyjenny602

2 ай бұрын

Yes there are Uber taxis, as well as Cabify and normal official taxis which are black and yellow. You will find a taxi rank with hundreds of taxis just outside the airport terminal so you don’t need to book an Uber. You can also get to the city centre by the blue airport bus (aerobús) or train or metro, depending on which terminal you arrive at its very easy. The metro is no worse than any major city such as London, Madrid or Paris, but in high tourist season you should be aware of your surroundings and keep your belongings close to you. You can also get around easily by bus. The TMB app is good for giving you public transport combinations and maps so you can see how to get from the bus stop or metro to your destination.

@maggiemercado4625

2 ай бұрын

@@wavyjenny602 thank you so much for taking the time to respond

We visited Barcelona from Athens last year and wanted to stay there and never come back. We felt it as our home, we fell in love. Barcelona is so beautiful. We are definitely going back to Spain to explore other cities to.

@idemserra

6 ай бұрын

Yes! Go also to Madrid, Segovia, Córdoba... Spain is so much more than Barcelona

When I went many years ago now I also went to the amusement park there and also up the funicular railway up to Tibidabo. The views were awesome. There is sooooo much to see there. Also stayed in El Raval Burro coz that's how I roll. haha.

Que guay que hayas visitado Barcelona. El esmorçar de forquilla es desayunar fuerte, no bocadillos,no croissant o bollería industrial o tostadas, sino platos fuertes como la capipota que te comiste también botifarra amb seques, galyrs amb patatas fritas, y similar, hay fiestas y sitios muy guays en Catalunya,como el aquelarre de Cervera, la patum de Berga. Y muchas más cosas y fuera de BCN. Sobre vinos te recomiendo Blanc Pescador, vi d'agulla,

I got taken by a taxi driver in Barcelona. A ride to airport that should've cost around €35, cost me €50!!! 1- if you are from US or any other well to do country, don't tell the taxi driver. If you're from US and tell them, they will try their best to screw you. Unfortunately, I told him we are from the US when he asked!! He acted as a sweet old Pakistani man...that is how they get you!! 2- Before the ride starts, get the direction queued on your phone's map and show the driver that you have the direction. He will less likely drive you in circles to add to the fair. I did it once I realized he was going in the opposite direction!!! He is the fourth taxi driver I've screamed at internationally and threw the money at him. Don't let them get away with it completely. Yes, you'll have to pay and wait till you get to your destination first.