Matt Mills was born in England and currently lives in Barcelona. A true lover of language, he speaks Catalan and Spanish. He studied journalism and works in Marketing and content creation for a job board. When he’s not working or traveling, he loves live music. Matt has been an explorer since the very start and has helped grow the Tiplr community by sharing his passion with friends old and new throughout Europe. His adventurous spirit even brought him to our headquarters in New York City, where he spent a few weeks exploring the Big Apple with the Tiplr team.
Why do you travel?
I travel to learn about the people and history of a place. For me the beauty of somewhere isn’t necessarily what it looks like. Although I live in Spain I’m not a big beach person — I like going places that most people don’t think of.
Where was your last trip? Why did you choose that particular place?
My last trip was to Montpellier in the south of France. I chose this as a getaway in a city small enough to really get to know in 4 days. The food was superb and the people didn’t seem in anyway resentful of meeting outsiders — which is a growing problem across Europe. The authentic and naturally French atmosphere grabbed me immediately. In many places the culture is a little forced to cater to the tourists but there was none of that here.
Favorite thing you found “by accident” or randomly while traveling?
Last summer I worked in Ibiza for a few weeks and one day we rented a motorbike and decided to take it round the coast of the island. Having admitted that I’m not much of a beach person, I have to say that the beach we found took my breath away. It could only be reached by a scramble down a very steep cliff and when you got there we found old fishermans’ huts with decking perfect for diving into the crystal clear water and sunning ourselves on. We had snorkels and saw an incredible array of fish. It was the first day I’ve spent on a beach and not seen another person. If all beach days were like that I’d go more often.
What has been your strangest experience while traveling?
When I visited the tiny island of Carriacou in the grenadines, we had to take a 7 seater plane from Grenada. My friend and I got the lucky seats directly behind the pilot. Behind us was a very strange mix of people with strange cargos. The plane engine sounded like it had come from a lawnmower and once we were in the air I had accepted that the end was neigh.
This feeling wasn’t (but also kind of was) helped by the pilot texting for almost the whole duration of the flight — with both hands off the controls and his eyes formula fixed on the screen.
How has travel shaped or changed who you are, and who you’ve become?
I have never been one to stay in the same place for too long. I suppose in this way it has become incorporated into my lifestyle. Having lived in many different cities and situations I get restless easily. The feeling of arriving in a new place is thrilling enough, but the feeling of arriving in a new place to make it your new home is ten times more exciting — especially if there is a prospect of new opportunities or languages.
Do you prefer traveling solo or with friends and/or family? If with others, what makes a great travel companion?
I prefer to travel with one other friend. I love doing things in pairs as you share each experience with that person and form something special. Travelling in big groups becomes complicated and sometimes messy. But at the same time, as much as I enjoy my own company, I do get bored on my own and I’ve had solo experiences where I’ve thought to myself “I wish so-and-so was here”.
Where are you off to next?
Next stop for me is the beautiful city of Sevilla in the south of Spain. I’ve heard endless enchanting reports of the culture and beauty of this city and yet I’ve never been. After my friend and I saw tickets for 10€ each way, we couldn’t say no.
What tips do you have for those wanting to visit Barcelona?
My advice for a visit to Barcelona is do your research and make the effort to find the numerous hidden gems that the tourists usually walk right past. The city is always full of “guiris” (the local word for tourist with slightly negative connotations) who have no idea where they’re going or what they should see. Avoiding the “guiri” areas means you’re also less likely to fall foul of the justified reputation for pickpockets that the Catalan capital has.
Also, greeting someone with a “Bon día” rather than a “Buenos días” will go a long way!
