Oh wow! The Hardy Boys, yes. Maybe I get my fascination from that too. Never thought about it. Great point.

Many of the small streets won't accommodate cars, but most of them do (with very little room for error). However, bikes and scooters are definitely preferred by most of the locals. It is very hospitable for pedestrians.

Costs aren't too bad if you go in the Autumn like we did. The weather is still great, but the hotels have better pricing. We did an all-inclusive hotel and the food was good. However, Barcelona can be a bit pricey especially for some of the attractions like those related to Gaudi. I was appalled by some of the prices and the wait times. There is plenty to do in Barcelona without visiting these sites, but "to each his own". Compared to the U.S., Spain is very affordable. Compared to Russia, nothing in Europe is affordable. lol