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Barcelona Just decades ago, few tourists would have considered visiting the northern Spanish city of Barcelona. However, this once rather rundown industrial centre that seemed to have little to offer has undergone a seismic change that culminated in the hosting of the Olympic Games in 1992, an event which completely transformed Barcelona. Indeed Barcelona has entered the millennium as one of Europe's most popular short break destinations.

Montserrat Located some 60km (37 miles) to the northwest of Barcelona, the spectacular peaks of Montserrat have been a major pilgrimage destination for centuries. Today, hordes of tourists flock to ride the cable car to this atmospheric monastery that lurks deep in the rugged mountainside. Numerous miracles have supposedly happened here, centred on the icon of La Moreneta (Black Virgin), allegedly hidden here by St Peter. In addition to the monastery and accompanying museum, which features paintings by masters such as El Greco, Caravaggio and Picasso, the mountain hides numerous hermitages and caves, which can be reached on foot via a network of mountain paths. The basilica is open daily 0730–2030 (June to September) and 0800–1830 (October to June), while the museum is open daily 1000–1800 (March to December) and 1000 – 1645 (January to February). FCC trains to Montserrat depart hourly from Espanya station in Barcelona, to the cable-car terminus at Aeri de Montserrat.

Mount Tibidabo On a clear day, Mount Tibidabo offers unsurpassed views of the city and the Mediterranean in one direction and Montserrat and the Pyrenees in the other. Located on the northwestern edge of Barcelona, the slopes of the mountain are crisscrossed with appealing wooded walks, while the summit is crowned with an old-style amusement park. Transport to the mountain is by FCC metro to Avenida Tibidabo, then Tramvia Blau tram to Peu de Funicular and funicular railway to the summit.

Teatre-Museu Dali, Figueres Located in the town of Figueres, 145km (90 miles) northeast of Barcelona and reached by motorway or rail from Passeig de Gracia, this unusual museum is a surrealist showcase of the artist’s eccentric imagination. Created by Dali himself, out of the former town theatre where he held his first exhibition, it also holds his surprisingly austere tomb. The museum is open daily 0900–1945 (July to September) and Tuesday to Saturday 1030–1745 (October to June).

Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece and the city’s most outlandish landmark, the Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family, towers crazily above the grid-like streets of the Eixample. Despite being very much a building site, the cathedral has a certain beauty that somehow emerges, despite the omnipresent construction. However, it remains the subject of continual controversy over who should pay for its completion. The extraordinary structure has elicited cries of astonishment, awe, amusement and anger from visitors and residents alike, although it remains one of the city’s most visited attractions.

Museu Picasso (Picasso Museum) The Picasso Museum is the one of the city’s main tourist attractions, housed in two 15th-century palaces close to the Parc de la Ciutadella. The impressive permanent collection is devoted to the artist’s early work, including a large number of childhood sketches, paintings from the Blue Period (1901–1904) and the Pink Period (1907–1920), exhibition posters, ceramics and cubist works. There are also two exhibition spaces for temporary exhibitions.

Parc Guell (Guell Park) With Parc Guell, Gaudi created a fantasy land that seamlessly combines the natural and the man-made, as well as offers good views over the city. The park – originally conceived as a garden city – covers a hill to the north of the city centre. The gardens are enlivened by fantastic pavilions, stairways, columned halls and an organic plaza decorated with stunning broken-mosaic work (trencadis) by Gaudi’s assistant, Josep Maria Jujol. At the base of the hill is a house designed by Francesc Berenguer, which is now home to a collection of Gaudi’s furnishings and other memorabilia.

Casa Mila Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera (the stone quarry), is an undulating apartment block on the corner of Passeig de Gracia. The building, inspired by the ocean, is an incredible testament to Gaudi’s ability to make stone malleable. Apartments – which are not open to the public – are arranged around elliptical patios with no square corners in sight. The roof terrace is watched over by sentry-like chimneys and offers an excellent view across the city to the spires of La Sagrada Familia. The loft space of Casa Mila houses a beautiful museum, Espai Gaudi, dedicated to the architect.

Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) The maze of streets known as the Barri Gotic or Gothic Quarter contains an exemplary collection of Gothic buildings dating from Catalonia’s Golden Age, in the 14th and 15th centuries, interspersed with Roman ruins, delightful squares and numerous bars and restaurants. Placa Sant Jaume, at the heart of the district, is the epicentre of the city’s political life. The square is overlooked on one side by the Renaissance-style Palau de la Generalitat – location of the Catalan government – and on the other by the Ajuntament (city hall). Nearby, the Palau Real on Placa del Rei houses the Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat. The remains of the Roman city of Barcino, beneath the palace, were uncovered in 1931; Roman streets are still visible in the vast cellar space that stretches as far as the cathedral. The museum admission fee gives access to the cellar and to a number of beautiful medieval buildings.

La Rambla La Rambla is not one street but rather a seamless series of pedestrian avenues stretching from the Monument a Colom on the waterfront to Placa de Catalunya in the centre of the city. La Rambla has the same place in the psyche of the city as the Champs Elysees in Paris or Oxford Street in London do, although is far less snooty than the former and far more attractive than the latter. Lined with trees, cafes, restaurants, flower stalls, shops and newspaper stands, La Rambla is the perfect place in which to stroll and soak up the unique Barcelona atmosphere. Attractions along the way include Gaudi’s first major architectural project, Palau Guell (Guell Palace). Placa Reial, just off La Rambla, is one of the most attractive squares in the city – elegant 19th-century houses look down on palm trees, lampposts designed by Gaudi, and an eclectic mix of people enjoying the lively atmosphere at outdoor cafes. Some of La Rambla’s most captivating attractions are its famous street entertainers who delight the crowds with their weird and wacky shows. Other points of interest are the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the legendary Cafe de L’Opera opposite, as well as La Boqueria, Barcelona’s wonderful, bustling food market.

Santa Maria del Mar Santa Maria del Mar is counted among the most beautiful churches in the city and is considered a prime example of Mediterranean Gothic architecture. It is located just to the northeast of the Barri Gotic, at the heart of the fashionable La Ribera district. A 15th-century rose window adds colour to the simple harmony of the columned interior.

Montjuic (Mountain of the Jews) The hill of Montjuic has enough attractions to fill several days and was the main location of the 1992 Olympic Games. In addition to the Palau Nacional and the Fundacio Joan Miro, visitors might also want to explore the Estadi Olimpic and the accompanying museum, the Museu Arqueologic, the replica Spanish village (Poble Espanyol) or the Pavello Barcelona, created by architect Mies van der Rohe, for the 1929 Exhibition. Other attractions include Castell de Montjuic – an 18th-century fortress – and an amusement park. Half the fun is the funicular ride up the mountainside and the outstanding views from the top.

The Waterfront A stroll along the harbourside passeig and wooden walkway is an excellent way for one to see some of the results of Barcelona’s epic regeneration programme. The focus of interest and activity in Barcelona is shifting back towards the sea, with the continued development of Port Vell (Old Port). The waterfront now boasts a myriad of eateries and bars, a vast shopping mall and leisure centre (Maremagnum) and an excellent aquarium. Barceloneta, the old fisherman’s quarter, which dates from 1755, still has some of the best fish restaurants in the city and is now also the gateway to Barcelona’s cleaned-up beaches. Further to the east, the Vila Olimpica at Poble Nou, created for the 1992 Olympic Games, is one of the liveliest and most interesting areas of the city during the warmer months, although it is often deserted during winter.

Reials Drassanes and Museu Maritim (Royal Shipyard and Maritim Museum) The Maritime Museum harks back to Barcelona’s seafaring past, with a staggering number of nautical exhibits, including a map by Amerigo Vespucci. The museum is housed in the magnificent Reiales Drassanes (Royal Shipyards), which date from the 13th century.

Passes The Barcelona Card offers discounts of up to 50% at many of the most interesting tourist attractions, including museums, entertainment and leisure venues, shops and restaurants, as well as free public transport and assistance insurance. Attractions include Museu Picasso, Casa-Museu Gaudi and Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona. The card is available for one, two, three, four or five days, from the main tourist offices at Placa de Catalunya, Placa Sant Jaume and Central-Sants station.

Beaches Sitges is a lively Balearic-style resort, situated 40km (25 miles) south of Barcelona, very popular with the Spanish, British and German gay community and accessible in 40 minutes by train south from Barcelona-Sants. Alternatively, Tossa de Mar, located 40km (25 miles) north of Barcelona, boasts several fine beaches and small bays, an attractive old town and a good museum. Buses from Barcelona are frequent during the summer but private transport might be required at other times. The Sitges Tourist Office, Carrer Sinia Morera 1, and the Tossa de Mar Tourist Office, Avenida del Pelegri 25, Edificio La Nau, can provide further information.

Culture Barcelona’s reputation as a world centre for art, architecture and design is growing yearly, with a plethora of cultural activities on offer. As if it needed confirming, in 1999, the entire city was awarded a Royal Gold Medal for Architecture, from the Royal Institute of British Architects. The seminal ghosts of such artistic luminaries as Antonio Gaudi, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Antoni Tapies permeate Barcelona’s cultural scene. Barcelona is also a showcase for homegrown Catalan traditions – dozens of festivals, religious holidays and special occasions are celebrated in the city each year.

Shopping Shopping is one of Barcelona’s greatest attractions, with a bountiful five-kilometre (three-mile) shopping strip, all the way from the water’s edge at Port Vell right up La Rambla to Diagnol. International chains, designer shops and modern department stores can be found in the area around Placa de Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia and along Avenida Diagonal. The most famous shop in the city is the imposing El Corte Ingles, on Placa de Catalunya – part of a national chain, generally considered to be Spain’s leading department stores. La Rambla and the Barri Gotic are the places for tourists to hunt for souvenirs.

Sport The 1992 Olympics turned the sporting spotlight of the world onto Barcelona. Most of the action took place on Montjuic, which gained a new sports stadium, a marina and several swimming pools. Major annual sporting events in the city include the Barcelona marathon, which takes place in March, the Conde de Godo Trophy tennis tournament in April, and the Formula One Grand Prix, held in Montmelo every May.Football is ever popular. The local football team, Futbol Club Barcelona (Barca), Avenida Aristides Maillol, is one of the most successful teams in Europe.

Golf There are several golf clubs in the Barcelona area, which are open to non-members. Real Club de Golf ‘El Prat’, Apartado de Correos 10, El Prat de Llobregat, is a first-rate 36-hole course located near the airport, open to members of a federated club only. The course has hosted the Spanish Open on numerous occasions and is only open to members of a federated club. Club de Golf Sant Cugat, in the suburb of Sant Cugat del Valles, some 20km (12 miles) northwest of Barcelona, is a 21-hole course. Visiting players must provide all their own equipment but are entitled to use of all the clubs leisure facilities on payment of the green fee of 65 eur.

Bullfighting Bullfights are held on Sundays between April and September at the Monumental bullring, Gran Via Corts Catalanes 749. There is also a museum about the sport at the ring. The official ticket office is at Carrer Muntaner 24.

Nightlife Barcelona is increasingly gaining a reputation as one of Europe’s great party cities and deservedly so. Things may start slowly with some food and a few drinks after siesta finishes (at approximately 1700) but they soon gather pace and by 2300 the city is buzzing. Friday and Saturday nights are when the city is at its liveliest, although the drinking and dancing keeps going throughout the week. Bars are usually open until 0200 or 0300, while clubs and discos keep going until 0500 or 0600. The legal drinking age in Barcelona is 16 years and the price of tipple ranges from ˆ1 for a small beer or glass of wine to ˆ4 for something stronger, such as a rum and coke, depending also on the type of establishment.

Clubs Barcelona’s most beautiful people can be found in Up And Down, Carrer Numancia 179, the city’s most exclusive nightclub, while a younger, more down-to-earth crowd boogie to the latest sounds at Bikini, Carrer Deu i Mata 105. The split-level Moog Club, Arc del Teatre 3, in the Chinese Quarter, offers the best of European techno and hosts big international DJs. Salsitas, Calle Nou de la Rambla 22, with a well designed bar, restaurant and a dancefloor, is one of the city’s trendiest hotspots, while stylish Torres de Avila, Avenida Marques de Comillas, Poble Espanyol, has long been celebrated for its all-night trance-techno discos on summer weekends. Popular open-air haunts include La Terrazza, Avenida Montanyans – open in the summer months only. Punto BCN, Carrer Muntaner 63, is a popular gay club.

Bars Xampanyerias (champagne bars) serving sparkling Catalan wine (cava) are a speciality of the city. Good places for cava include La Bodegueta del Xampu, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 702, Xampanyeria Casablanca, Carrer Bonavista 6, and El Xampanyet, Carrer Montcada 22. The latter also serves cider and tapas, in vibrant surroundings. Bar Pastis, Carrer Santa Monica, has the honour of counting Picasso among its former regulars. The artist’s other hangout was El Quatre Gats, Carrer Montsio 3, a modernista bar with good beer and live music from 2100. The original menu, designed by Picasso, is on show in the Museu Picasso (see Key Attractions). L’Ovella Negra, Carrer Sitges 5, is a favourite as much with the international backpacker set as it is with local students. Bar Marsella, Carrer de Sant Pau 65, is the place to imbibe an absenta, a close relative of absinthe. For the style-conscious, some of the city’s coolest haunts include the spectacular Torres de Avila, Avenida Marques de Comillas, Poble Espanyol, on Montjuic, the perennially stylish Dry Martini, Carrer Aribau 162–165, Ideal Cocktail Bar, Carrer Aribau 89, and Mas i Mas, Carrer Maria Cubi 199. Mirablau, Placa Doctor Andreu, at the foot of the Tibidabo funicular, is especially romantic, with its sweeping views of the city, while popular Berimbau, Passeig del Born 17, serves up good cocktails to a background of Brazilian rhythms.

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