Desmond
San Jose (California)
Enjoy good food, great wines, beautiful sights and meet locals. Special interest in local restaurants famous for Tapas. Also local farms renowned for Iberian Hams. Like to see Flamenco dancing and of course Gaudy buildings.
After living in Barcelona for 6 months I've gotten to know the city pretty well. Ciudad Condal is the number 1 restaurant for tapas, both locals as tourists go there. For the best Catalonian food you should definitely go to Botafumeiro, situated in Gracia. The two famous Gaudi houses are located on Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona, a beautiful street with lots of hotels. Hotel Majestic is an amazing hotel on this street, with a stunning view from the rooftop bar, overlooking the entire city, including the Sagrada Familia.
Other tips:
I hope you'll have an amazing time in Barcelona!!
Ellen
Mentioned in this answer:
Ellen got it right. I have been beating the Ciudad Condal drum for a long time. Belly up to the bar and enjoy. In Tibidabo go to Mirablau during the day and marvel at the view. I would just grab a coffee or drink but it's memorable. In El Born, grab a pastry at Bubó. It is the best in Barcelona in my opinion. If you want to eat like a local and experience parts of the city you might never end up in on your own, you MUST do the Aborigins local food insiders tour. check out all the reviews on ciao hound and other websites. It's fabulous and although it is a bit pricey, you definitely get your money's worth in food, drink, and experience. Finally, if you get a chance for a road trip, go to the The Dali Theatre Museum, Figueres, Spain in Figueres and then make your way to Cadaques(charming) and Port Litges to see where Dali lived.
Mentioned in this answer:
Hi Desmond,
I think the answer of Ellen is quite complete!
If you want to meet locals while visiting Barcelona, I know that there are many startups (BubbleGlobe, Trip4real, Vayable, etc.) offering you the opportunity to travel like a local, meaning that you will visit the city with a local guides.
Have a nice stay in BCN :)
Sarah