Sunday Sardana

Traditional Catalan dancing in front of the cathedral
Talk of the town: During the Franco era the Sardana was banned, as the dictator saw the independent-minded Catalans as a threat and tried to stamp out their customs.

If you're looking to get a glimpse of true Catalan culture in its capital city, find your way to Barcelona's cathedral on a Sunday around noon. Here you will find groups of Catalonians standing around their belongings in a circle, holding hands and doing various foot taps and jumps. This is not a bizarre form of Spanish calisthenics: this is the Sardana.
The regional dance is slow and deliberate, each person well-rehearsed in the precise, elegant steps. If your interest is particularly keen, you might be pulled into the circle.