Barcelona

With a mild Mediterranean climate, Barcelona is a year-round destination, at its most beautiful (and least likely to rain) from May to June and September to October. July and August (especially the latter) can be hot and crowded with tourists; in August especially, many locals (including many restaurant and shop owners) go on holiday and abandon the city to the tourists.

Barcelona’s winter is fairly mild, and a good time to see museums, take in the opera and concerts, and meet more of the locals. June and September are the prime months for festivals and the clement weather.

The easiest way to access the city from the international airport is by taxi (about 25-30 minutes, €25-30). An airport shuttle bus, the Aerobus Express, leaves the airport every 20 minutes between 5am and 12am for the central hubs of Placa Espanya and Placa de Catalunya. RENFE trains run every 30 minutes from the airport to Barcelona Sants (the main train station) and Passeig de Gracia, both of which are on main metro lines.

Barcelona has a safe, reliable and well-integrated system of metros, buses and trams. Taxis are affordable and plentiful, but traffic can make journeys frustratingly slow. Because of the city’s compact size, and clement weather, walking and cycling (there are many places to hire a bike) are often the best option. Avoid driving: parking is difficult and expensive.

The Barcelona Card is available at all tourist offices, it’s good for 2, 3, 4 or 5 consecutive days of public transport and discounts on 80 museums, tours and attractions. Bike Rental Barcelona delivers bikes to the place of your choice. Perfect for getting around town.

RENFE trains from Passeig de Gracia and Sants stations serve outlying towns, notably the attractive beach resort Sitges.

If this is your first visit, stay central – the picturesque streets around landmark Las Ramblas and Placa de Catalunya, heading towards the sea, are the most pleasurable to just wander, stumbling upon tiny galleries, museums, shops and tapas bars. Aim for a hotel on a quiet side street or check if yours has decent soundproofing.

The labyrinthine-like Barrio Gotic (Gothic Quarter) and hip El Born districts around here each have a handful of stylish hotels, surrounded by atmospheric streets, bars and boutique shops, while more are opening up in the edgy Raval area, home to some of the city’s best bars. The less-touristy Eixample district has the city’s grandest hotels, rooftop restaurants or pools, and shopping, and puts you closer to charming, old-fashioned Gracia, with its restaurants, bars and village feel.

To be near the beaches, stay around the Vila Olimpica and Barceloneta – but be aware that it’s a taxi or metro ride to the central sights from there.

Top restaurants are found across town but with a greater concentration in the Eixample. For simple but delicious seafood try Barceloneta and nearby waterfront.

For the edgiest bars, head to the Raval. In the Born, the creative set drink in design-savvy bars. Sophisticated urbanites quaff cocktails in slick Eixample bars, or by the sea in the Vila Olimpic. Near the latter, the ex-industrial district of Poble Nou is currently evolving into the Next Big Thing.

Barcelona has more shops per inhabitant than any city, and massive sales in January and July. For designer labels, antiques and upscale boutiques, head to Passeig de Gracia. Trendy, independent boutiques line the narrow streets of the Barri Gòtic, Born and Raval. Specialist shops still thrive in Barcelona. Get (inevitably) lost in the Barri Gotic and discover shops from a by-gone era dedicated to traditional wonders like hats, cigars, feathers and candles.

La Boqueria market is excellent for food, including the all-important jamon. Placa Espanya’s bull ring is now Les Arenas shopping mall; bargain hunters have the massive Encants flea market at Les Glories Catalanes.

Antiques & Boutiques, run by two very lovely British women, offer personal shopping, with an emphasis on Catalan designers and small exclusive boutiques, and bespoke tours of the city.

What to buy

Independent designer fashions and shoes, handmade quality leather goods, homewares from interior designer Mecca Vincon, and locally produced foodstuffs including hams, wines and cheeses.