When your rental apartment has been checked and sorted then the next thing on your list should be to head over to La Boqueria, one of the liveliest and colourful public markets Barcelona has to offer. Enticing local snacks as well as fresh fruit juice, local crops, cured ham and all kinds of other delicious food stuffs are on offer from the local area and far away provinces which you can buy then take home to your apartment to be prepared and cooked.

Eating out in the city isn't always as straight-forward as you might think, for instance there are sometimes certain things to take note of. Check if the price includes a value added tax as this can push your total bill up by a huge 7%, and although some restaurants may serve you wine and water and not charge, others will add them to the bill without asking. You'll find the waiters are more than happy to explain how the billing system works. As there is a time for siesta in Barcelona visitors are sometimes surprised when finding shops and restaurants closed during daytime hours.

Locals also know not to leave any of their belongings lying on the table especially when sat outside as thieves have been known to run past and steal them, and don't stress about whether to leave a tip or not, by all means leave some small change, but no offense is taken if you wish not to.

Making preparations about where to go and what to see in the city before you actually get there can result in big savings. Some museums and art galleries offer free entry on various days of the week and if you are under 15 or over 65 they are generally free every day. The national art gallery of Catalonia, Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya, for instance is free every day for those age groups, and to everyone on the first Sunday of each month. MNAC has an appealing collection of Catalan classical art, contemporary art together with 19th century photography and a numismatics collection that provides a diverse outlook to its background which is sure to keep you busy for a few days at least.

The MACBA regularly runs workshops based from its auditoriums, The Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona Study Center has a Library Reading Room and Special Collections Room with a large range of books, publications and records that can be looked through by anyone who has an interest in them.

Most of the parks provide a calming relief from the chaos of the city; make sure you visit Montjuic, The Fundacio Joan Miro Musuem and Parc d'en Castell de l'Oreneta. Ciutadella Park is an impressive size and invites you to unwind on its sprawling grounds, a green oasis within the city it is a fantastic opportunity for long romantic walks, while Parc Guell will stimulate your senses with its fantasy structures. A UNESCO World Heritage Site known as ""Works of Antoni Gaudi"", Parc Guell has the strangest creatures you'll ever see, particularly in a park! Art lovers can also check out the gallery view at the Fundacio Caxiaforum, or hit the streets for complimentary lectures on photography or just peruse a whole collection of freebie galleries.

The architecture of Barcelona is a surprise and immeasurable, and the most famous of all has to be the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished work of genius which is still visited by hundreds of tourists and will definitely enthral with its beauty. Another building designed by Gaudi, La Pedrera, can be photographed freely from the outside, leaving your imagination as to what the interior looks like.

An excursion to Barcelona is economical and affordable as long as you follow these tips. This is a city where something happens every day, and it has a wealth of inexpensive apartments for rent for anyone seeking accommodation and who has the time to spend in this Spanish city.