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It’s worth visiting just for the sheer breadth of stuff they carry and the variety of people who shop and work there.

Go early on a Saturday or Sunday. It opens at 9am and by 10:30, the place is obnoxiously packed.

The cafeteria is probably the best kept secret in town. You can eat pretty heartily for $5.

Barcelona is overrun with tourists. The upshot is that many of the shopkeepers parla ingles (speak English)—at least well enough to work out a transaction. And those that don’t are more than willing to engage in a little bit of point, smile and nod.

A Spanish phrasebook, or list of Catalonian phrases would come in handy if you want to connect with the locals. But we managed to fumble along and even get panhandled in two languages (he started in Spanish and switched to English once we gave him the clueless tourist look).

Be aware: the street signs don’t always stick out into the middle of the road. They’re attached to buildings, about eight feet off of the ground. Be sure to look up when walking, particularly around Barri Gotic and El Born.

And yes, much of Barcelona is incredibly walkable. You can take the Bus Turistic which makes stops at most of the tourist spots around town. A two-day pass with unlimited rides cost 22 euro. But if you stay in El Born or Barri Gotic, you’re a 15-minute walk from much of what you’ll want to see and do. Everything else is a short subway ride away.

Oh, and if you’re staying in the city center, may I suggest the Aerobus? It cost us 3,75 Euro each way (compared to 20 or 25 euro for a cab). It makes stops at Placa d’Espanya and Placa Catalunya among other places.

It’s altogether a beautiful city. Go and take it in.

Paella, good eats, on the Mediterranean, and art out the wazoo. Need I say more?