What's on this month, where to eat properly and the city's stories. For visitors and for those of us who live here.
November is when Barcelona goes back to the people who live here. These are this year's festivals, street parties and exhibitions, with dates we've checked.
See what's onPlans, neighbourhood festivals, markets and what's on in the city.
Some weeks the whole of Barcelona takes to the streets. Here's what's celebrated each month, what you'll see and which dates are worth booking well ahead.
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Things to doA market tells you more about a neighbourhood than any monument. Here are the ones we actually shop at, what to buy in each and how to visit without the crush.
Things to doBarcelona makes more sense from above: the sea on one side, the hills on the other and the Eixample grid in between. These are the viewpoints we climb ourselves.
Things to doBarcelona doesn't have to be expensive. Here's which museums open for free and when, where to see the city from above without paying, and how to fill a whole day without opening your wallet.
Things to doThree days go a long way if you group your visits by area and book the big sights early. This is the plan we suggest to our guests, with ideas for adapting it if you're travelling with children or in high summer.
Things to doFrom opera at the Liceu to jazz on Plaça Reial, by way of flamenco on La Rambla and nights at Apolo. Where to hear live music in Barcelona, depending on what you're into.
Things to doFrom Picasso to Miró, from Roman ruins to CosmoCaixa's flooded forest. A selection of Barcelona's museums that are worth a visit, with the highlights of each one.
Real Catalan and Spanish food, away from tourist menus.
The real Barceloneta starts two streets back from the beach. These are the neighbourhood bodegas, tapas counters and rice houses we actually go to.
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RestaurantsFrom the house fizz on Carrer de Montcada to black rice at Santa Caterina market: the El Born places we actually go to when we eat out.
RestaurantsThe city's most visited neighbourhood still has places where you eat like at home, if you know where to look. Here are the ones we go to, a few minutes from Carrer d'Obradors.
RestaurantsThe streets around the basilica are full of picture menus, but two blocks away you eat very well. These are the places we go to when we're in the neighbourhood.
RestaurantsForget the tourist menus. We take you to the neighbourhoods where people from here eat, with old-school restaurants, bodegas and seasonal dishes.
RestaurantsThe restaurants recommended by people who know Barcelona well. A few streets from the monuments, but with a different way of eating and plenty of personality.
RestaurantsHaving a vermouth is one of the most Barcelona rituals there is. Here's where to do it, from old-school bodegas to the vermouth bars that brought the tradition back.
Stories, legends and corners most people walk past.
A metro station closed since 1972, a skull hidden under a bridge and a square that still bears the marks of war. Ten corners of Barcelona that people pass every day without a second look.
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CuriositiesFor almost two thousand years Barcelona lived enclosed by walls. They were pulled down more than a century and a half ago, but stretches are still visible if you know where to look.
CuriositiesBarcelona isn't just sun and beach. It's also a city of cursed theatres, martyred saints and houses people tell strange stories about.
CuriositiesEveryone knows Gaudí, but Barcelona has plenty more buildings worth a visit. A selection of Modernista, eclectic and rationalist works that tend to go unnoticed.
Neighbourhood guides and tips for choosing a flat.
We've been welcoming guests one block from the Sagrada Familia for years. Here's what the area is really like, how to plan your visit and why it works so well as a base for families.
ReadWhere to stayStaying in the Gothic Quarter puts old Barcelona right on your doorstep. Here's what's worth knowing to make the most of it: what to see on foot, where to shop, how to get there and what to expect.
Where to stayOne month, three or six: what to know before renting a furnished mid-term flat in Barcelona, from a local family that has spent years hosting people who come here to work, study or start again.
Where to stayBarceloneta means the sea, narrow streets and real neighbourhood life a few steps from the sand. Here's what to expect if you stay here, the good bits and what's worth knowing before you book.
Where to stayTravelling with children changes the whole trip: the timings, the naps, the meals. As a Barcelona family, here's why an apartment makes it easier and which area suits which age.
Where to stayFour neighbourhoods, four ways to experience the city. Here's an honest look at what each one offers, who it suits and what to know before you book.