h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If you havn't been to Barcelona, stop whatever you're doing and go now. It is quite simply the second best city in the world. It has all the things other cities boast (history, culture, lots if buildings etc) but it wins hands down in being a dense, vibrant city that is also people sized. Almost every street is a pleasure to walk down. There is something happening at street level everywhere and, although a large city, the pedestrian never feels swamped.
There - the perfect reason to go, and I havn't even mentioned Gaudi

Pedagogue if you're still out there - tell me more. I lived in Madrid for a year but saw nothing else of Spain. We want to go to Barcelona - or at least the area - this year. But I don't like tourist holidays, where you look at Cathedrals and archaeological digs. I prefer to talk to the people and buy things in food shops/chemists/garages, whatever to find out about the place. Will they laugh at my Castilian Spanish - is it better to learn Catalan?