Relax, we're not about to force-feed you a serving of frozen paella, followed by a jar of Don Simon's finest. But as our knee-jerk reaction is to shun anything smelling of made-for-tourists, we're often missing out. Among all the Mexican sombreros and unrecognizable porcelain figurines of Sagrada Familia, there are some quite brilliant experiences to be found.

Tour services like My Favourite Things and Like A Local will let you help you uncover some of them. Workshop tours in artists' studios in Poble Nou, a rooftop lunch at a private home in Born, or a picnic in Parc Ciutadella, are just a few of the things on offer. They're designed to make the tourist feel like an insider; sometimes the local needs a helping hand, too.