Short on time? Poble Espanyol can wait.
Allow 2–3 hrs.
It's exactly what it sounds like: a 1929-built model town squeezing a whitewashed Andalusian lane, a Castilian plaza mayor and a Catalan square into one walkable set, plus working artisan studios (a glassblower, ceramicists) and the surprisingly good Fran Daurel contemporary-art collection. Who genuinely loves it: families with younger kids on a sunny afternoon, and craft-curious visitors who want to watch makers work. Who's wasting their money: anyone chasing the real thing — the actual Gothic Quarter is free, ten minutes away, and a thousand years older. It also turns into a late-night club venue, which is either a draw or a clue.