Areas to get lost in

Gothic Quarter - This part of the city is a traveler’s dream because it’s the quintessential beautiful/preserved European town, narrow streets, a bunch of shops/restaurants/landmarks sprinkled throughout.

Barceloneta - This is the beachy part of Barcelona that has a lot of restaurants and a few shops. You can explore both the beach and its ports/harbors. This is the best area for both paella and oysters! Get dropped off at Hotel Arts (or stay there) and pick a direction to walk in.

La Rambla - This is like the Main Street of Barcelona. It’s touristy, yes, and the better restaurants are not on this street (try the mochi though!) but it’s a great place to orient yourself in Barcelona and take in the environment as it’s super lively and has lots of shops.

Unique Ways to Sightsee

Vespa Tour - Though there are walkable neighborhoods in Barcelona, to see it all you do need to drive so why not get acquainted with Barcelona by vespa! I recommend doing this tour as early in the trip as you can so you know what areas/attractions you want to go back to and which areas you don’t mind driving by or stopping for a quick history on. Note: You do need a European drivers license for this, really easy to obtain online just make sure you give yourself a few weeks to get it (rush fees will make it much shorter.)

Paella Cooking Class - This is a really fun way to immerse yourself in the culture and meet fellow travelers and don't worry, there are chefs running the show to make sure you're topped off on cava and you don't burn anything!

Wine Tasting in Penedès - This is technically a day trip, but so worth seeing where and how cava is made in the Spanish countryside. The electric bike tours are the way to go.

In general

Vermouth - Vermouth is a popular drink in Spain and it's not like the vermouth they use in martinis. It's wine that has been infused with caramel and spices but it's not dessert level sweet. You can get it anywhere, try it!

Tapas - I highly recommend doing a tapas tour to get a lay of the land. Tapas are the name of the game, they’re so good and everywhere. It’s hard to pick where to go/know what’s local. The tapas tour I went on had really delicious spots, but the one below is the one I always go to when in Barcelona.

Restaurants

Tast - You may have to whip out a little bit of Spanish here (hence all the locals) but I can go on about this place because they have all the classic tapas and then some, and everything is delicious. You must order the canelones (duck stuffed in a very soft tortilla-esque wrap covered in a creamy sauce.)

La Taberna Gallega de Marcos Barcelona - Really amazing oysters and paella here, all the seafood is so fresh and you can enjoy it with a view of one of Barceloneta’s ports. The staff is super kind and they have live music as well.

Mercado Boqueria - This is a really special place, it’s a very large food market where you can find fresh produce/fish/meat as well as ready to eat snacks/wines/dishes. It’s a great place to try new foods and get a feel for the culture of Barcelona.