If only I had more time, I would definitely visit other parts of Spain besides Barcelona. Technically, I only experienced Catalan culture and not the real Spain because Barcelona is like some breakaway region trying to gain independence from the rest of Spain. They even have their own flag and language in this region.

Catalonia, (Spanish Cataluña, Catalan Catalunya), comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) and historic region of Spain, encompassing the northeastern provincias (provinces) of Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, and Lleida. The autonomous community of Catalonia occupies a triangular area in the northeastern corner of Spain. It is bordered by France and Andorra to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the autonomous community of Valencia to the south, and the autonomous community of Aragon to the west.

SPAIN

Getting between cities: Frequenct Renfe trains between Madrid and Barcelona

Barcelona (3 nights)

Stay: San Jordi hostels (6 of them in Barcelona)

Gaudi free walking tour 11am. Meet: Placa Reial (by the water fountain) metro: Liceu (L3)

Las Ramblas (main shopping street) & Barrio Gotic (Located a short walk away from the city center, the Gothic Quarter is one of the city’s most visited areas. The Seu cathedral, the city’s ancient Gothic cathedral, is located in this neighbourhood.) 3pm. Meet: in front of teatre Liceu opera house on the central walkway

Day trip to Montserrat (beautiful scenery on the outskirts of Barcelona!)

Mainly food recommendations because I felt that Barcelona was too expensive..all the tourist attractions such as Park Guell, La Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, Casa Batlo all need to pay to go in. Go chill at Barceloneta beach, enjoy the sand and sunset.

Eat:

Wedged on a corner of Passeig de Born is another free tapas bonus, Bar No Sé. Sunday evenings are the time to visit, when you can enjoy a free buffet of salads, pasta, pinchos and savoury crepes, accompanied by some of El Born’s sweetest cocktails.

If out in Eixample, check out Bar Atrapatapa, at 77 Comte d’Urgell (just a few blocks from Urgell Metro station on line 1). Here you can get a beer of glass of cava plus a tasty tapa from a mouth-watering selection showcased along the bar for less than 2 Euros.

Also near Urgell Metro Station, at 85 Carrer Viladomat, is Ambiente del Sur, an Andalusian bar with an Andalusian attitude to tapas. A free tapa of tortilla, paella or sardines accompanies any order of a beer.

Several blocks off Passeig Joan de Borbò on Carrer Ginebra is one of Barceloneta’s cheapest tapas deals, La Jaica. It specialises in fried baby squid, mussels au gratin and other olive-oil drenched seafood classics. The ambiance is loud, lively and inebriated.

On a dinky cobbled sidestreet of El Born just off Passeig Picasso is La Paradeta (Carrer Comercial), where you weigh whatever seafood you want and tell them how to cook it. The fish market-style feel is accompanied by market prices and market noisyness.

On Carrer Mercé, in Barrio Gòtico, is Bar Celta. It’s specialities are all Galician; octopus and potatoes in oilive oil and paprika (pulpo a la gallega) is the house speciality. Cheap and very cheerful.

La Xampanyeria (Carrer Reina Cristina) is perhaps the cheapest way to get tipsy and fill your stomach in the whole city. It’s a small bodega beside Port Vell serving greasy rolls full of chorizo, morcilla, jamon, butifarra and other local favourites with absurdly economicable bottles of cava, which get spilled all over the floor in the thick of the exuberant crowds.