Rate the Bravas SauceOrder patatas bravas at Bar Tomás in Sarrià, famous for the city's best, and rate its secret spicy sauce out of 10. Compare with a second bar if you're brave.Food & DrinkEasy30 min
Photograph Casa Batlló's Melting CurvesStand in front of Gaudí's Casa Batlló on Passeig de Gràcia, the wavy 'house of bones', and take a photo where the melting curves look like they're moving.Photo HuntMedium45 min
Hunt for the Best Tiled Balcony in the Gothic QuarterLook up! Photograph the most colourful tiled balcony or doorway you can find in the old town.Local DetailEasy30 min
Eat Dinner at 10pmDo as the locals do and sit down for dinner no earlier than 10pm. Order at least two small plates to share.CultureMedium1 hr 30 min
Lose Yourself in the Gothic QuarterWander the narrow medieval alleys with no destination and find a tiny hidden plaza to sit in for five minutes.Hidden GemMedium1 hr
Spot a Castellers MuralFind any image or mural of a 'castell' (human tower) and learn what the little kid on top is called.ActiveEasy25 min
Do the Sunday VermutJoin the local ritual: an afternoon glass of vermouth with an olive and a slice of orange. Sip slowly.SocialEasy45 min
Mystery Market FruitAt a stall in La Boqueria off La Rambla, buy one fruit you've never tasted — a rambutan or naranjilla counts. Try it on the spot and decide if it's a keeper.Food & DrinkEasy25 min
Order Standing-Thick Chocolate at Granja La PallaresaIf the weather turns, find Granja La Pallaresa on tiny Carrer Petritxol and order a cup of chocolate so thick your churro stands up in it.Rainy DayEasy40 min
Find Botero's Giant CatTrack down the enormous bronze cat sculpture in the Raval and take a family photo riding shotgun on it.FamilyEasy30 min
Jog the Carretera de les Aigues at SunriseBeat the crowds with an early-morning run along the Carretera de les Aigues, the flat gravel balcony path in the Collserola hills where locals log their miles. Time it for sunrise and the whole city, sea included, unrolls beneath you.ActiveMedium1 hr
Run a Morning Lap Around the Lake in Parc de la CiutadellaLace up for a quiet early lap around Parc de la Ciutadella, where local runners circle the lake and the fountain while pigeons still own the place. The morning light through the plane trees is the kind of thing you forget to photograph because you are too busy enjoying it.ActiveEasy35 min
Race to the Center of the Maze at Parc del Laberint d'HortaChallenge the family to find the center of the 18th-century hedge maze at Parc del Laberint d'Horta, where two metre walls hide a statue of Eros and plenty of dead ends. Go on a Wednesday or Sunday and entry is free, so the only thing at stake is bragging rights.FamilyEasy1 hr 15 min
Walk Through the Flooded Amazon Exhibit at CosmoCaixaTake the kids into CosmoCaixa and walk through the Bosc Inundat, a real slice of flooded Amazon jungle with fish, caimans and a tropical downpour, all under one roof. Hands-on science rooms keep small explorers busy long after the rain stops.FamilyEasy1 hr 30 min
Picnic at the Bunkers del Carmel for a 360° ViewHike the family up to the Bunkers del Carmel, old Civil War gun platforms turned into the city's best free 360-degree lookout over the rooftops and the sea. Come in the morning while it is cool and quiet, pack a snack, and let the kids spot the Sagrada Familia from above.FamilyMedium1 hr