Barcelona overview

Spain’s second city brims with vitality, culture, and a staggering array of architectural beauties. It is home to many of Gaudi’s master monuments and vies with Madrid for Spain’s best loved metropolis. Although the capital may have better museums, theatres and hotels, Barcelona certainly has its finger firmly on the pulse and boasts something Madrid doesn’t have; beaches. The lanky Las Ramblas - an overgrown tree-lined boulevard that runs from the city’s main square right the way to the modern harbour - is a good start point for forays into Barcelona’s backstreets. The unfinished and awe-inspiring La Sagrada Familia cathedral and the languid Parc Guell are Gaudi’s unmissable babies, while the Olympic Stadium and a trip to nearby, lofty Montserrat are also must-dos.