The Eixample grid and Gothic Quarter reward walking, but pickpockets target crowded lanes and metro doors—keep bags in front and phones off café tables.
Many sights require booked entry slots; midday heat in summer pushes locals toward late dinners. A short rest or gallery visit in the afternoon beats pushing through full sun.
Catalan identity shapes food and language; a few polite words in Catalan or Spanish go far. Use our lists to mix Gaudí-level highlights with everyday tapas bars that locals still frequent.