Gorgeous gothic
The ancient centre of the city, just off bustling La Rambla, is a winding maze of narrow streets that open out into generous squares. The buildings that flank them date back to the 13th and 14th centuries and beyond.
The centrepiece of the area is the Plaça del Rei, home not only to a clutch of historic buildings, Palau Reial Major and its imposing watchtower, but to a section of Roman wall and the City History Museum, which contains impressive relics of the Roman town of Barcino.
Other must-sees include the cathedral of Santa Eulàlia and the nearby Picasso Museum, housed in an ancient palace. But there's more to the Gothic quarter than history. The district is celebrated for its quirky shopping, notably on and around the Carrer de l'Argenteria. The silversmiths that gave the street its name now vie for space with restaurants, bars and the oddball Catalan t-shirt maker Kukuxumusu, which once designed a shirt in collaboration with the Dalai Lama.
The area reveals another aspect by night, as its fashionable bars teem with life. Try the cocktails at Margarita Blue, dive in for cheap drinks, DJs and dancing at Malpaso, or if the weather's just too pleasant, indulge your memories of rain and great indie music at the Manchester Bar.
Beachside bars
At the height of summer, from June to September, the population of Barcelona dons its flip-flops and makes for the city's glorious beaches. Savouring tapas with a chilled drink in hand, as the sun sets into the Mediterranean, is one of the quintessential Barcelona experiences at one of the many beach bars, or xiringuitos, that line the seafront.
Princesa 23 Beach Bar, on Barceloneta beach, offers welcome shade, good food and reasonably priced drinks, though the night crowd favours heading further north, towards Port Olímpic and the locals' favourite Mar Bella, where the music is played louder. El Boo, between Mar Bella and Nova Mar Bella, is always popular, as are the nearby Mochima bars, which spice up their drinks with Mexican snacks. IceBarcelona, meanwhile, offers the ultimate chillout experience in this sunny city. The walls and fittings are sculpted from ice.
Don't miss
This city has rhythm in its soul with live music on every corner. For atmosphere and variety, Luz de Gas is hard to beat. A renovated music hall, complete with chandeliers, it boasts a lively list of residencies, in styles that change nightly from blues to Dixieland jazz, disco and Spanish rock. Jamboree is a popular destination with jazz fans, while upstairs there's flamenco on offer in Los Tarantos. Towards the end of the evening, the two come together to form one riotous club. Rock fans congregate at Sidecar Factory Club, which features a different live act every night and DJs who really know their stuff. Sala Apolo, meanwhile, has been packing them in since the 1940s. This is where many international acts play, but after they finish it turns into one of the city's most popular clubs, heavy on African and Latin rhythms.
Book your Barcelona trip at expedia.co.uk. Prices start from £147 per person for three nights.
