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The Barcelona Card offers up to 50 per cent off the city’s main attractions, plus free travel on buses and the metro. It’s available for one to five days at all tourist offices and El Corte Inglés department stores. The Articket, valid for three months, provides free entry to six art museums, including MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya), MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani & Centre de Cultura Contemporània) and the Fundació Joan Miró (Fundació Joan Miró). The tourist office on Plaça de Catalunya see Sources of Information sells it, as do Caixa de Catalunya banks and the museums themselves.

Many museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month, including the Museu Picasso (Museu Picasso). MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya) is free the first Thursday of the month. The tourist office has a list of all the free museum days. Most museums also offer a 30–50 per cent discount for people over 65.

The T-10 ticket permits 10 rides on metro, FGC and buses, but only lasts for 1 hour 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can purchase a two-, three-, four- or five-day pass, which provides unlimited travel on the same services. See Tips on Getting Around Barcelona.

Enjoy rock-bottom prices for concerts and the opera (Sep–Jul) by buying seats with partial views – or no view at all. The Gran Teatre del Liceu (Performing Arts & Music Venues) sells cheap tickets for opera and classical recitals. The Palau de la Música Catalana Palau de la Música Catalana has reduced price early-evening weekend shows twice a month. For general information on cultural events – and special deals – call or visit the Institut de Cultura in the Palau de la Virreina (Palau de la Virreina).

The most economical way to get a bite to eat is to pick up picnic goodies at one of the city’s food markets see Most Fascinating Markets. The menú del dia (fixed lunch menu) offered at many restaurants is another good way to fill up on the cheap. Dining on the terrace is often more pricey than eating inside, where sitting at the bar is usually the cheapest option.

Bypass McDonald’s and Burger King and sample Spain’s cheaper fast food equivalents. Pans & Company and Bocatta are found all over town; both offer cheap meals, particularly if you eat between 10am and noon, and 4 and 7pm.

Start out the night in your hotel with a bottle of Spanish wine from the supermarket. Then head to the Barri Gòtic or El Raval where there are plenty of cheap dive bars. Order a canya (tap beer) or a Spanish bottled beer, Estrella or San Miguel, which are usually cheaper than imported beers.

Visit Barcelona during the low season, from October to April, and you’ll find cheaper hotel deals (and air fares). Enquire about special deals when booking a room – many places don’t volunteer information oj reductions unless specifically asked.

You don’t have to stay at the ritzy hotels to enjoy their luxurious environs. Most of the bars and cafés at the five-star hotels are open to the general public. Try the Hotel Arts (Luxury Hotels), near the Port Olímpic, where you can sip a cocktail to the rippling tunes of classical piano.

Go to the cinema (Top 10 Versi Original Cinemas) on el dia del espectador (often Monday or Wednesday) or for a matinée (usually before 2:30pm), when tickets are cheaper.