/ We take you onto an open-top sightseeing bus for a 2-hour city tour -- settle in for a ride past the outskirts of town you would never get to see by walking. Although all the major sites are back in the center and easily reached on foot, you are probably curious about what the rest of the city looks like, and the bus tour will show you. It brings you past the University district on the west edge of town, by the large soccer stadium, and along some broad boulevards lined with apartment houses laid out in a very attractive and efficient manner. Several different routes are available, covering both sides of the city. As you ride along it becomes quite clear there is much more to the city than the narrow pedestrian lanes of the Gothic Quarter. A variety of older and contemporary buildings are packed in a pleasing mix throughout many square miles of the urban core. This bus tour will take up most of the remainder of the afternoon, leaving time for a leisurely dinner and evening stroll of your choice.
Barcelona comes to life in the evening more enthusiastically than during the day, so don't stop exploring when the sun goes down. Shops generally remain open until at least 8:00pm, although most shut down for siesta in mid-afternoon for several hours, making evening an ideal time for wandering the narrow alleys. Respectable restaurants don't open until 7:30 or 8:00pm, which is a bit late for some travelers but is the way of life throughout the country. Tapa bars and snack shops open earlier if you need a nibble, but save your real appetite for a bit later. Instead of sitting indoors eating during twilight you might find greater enjoyment by strolling during this magical time in streets filled with locals, illuminated by a special mix of light that combines the golden glow of evening with colored incandescent and fluorescent city lights. It is best to adjust your life-cycle rhythm to the local schedule and participate in the passing parade.