Barcelona

As the capital of Catalonia and Spain's second largest city, Barcelona is one of the most liveliest and most interesting cities in Europe. Indeed, if you ask a Catalan they will tell you to forget Madrid, and that Barcelona is the leading city of Spain.

Barcelona prides itself on its long history and its rich culture. Antique Barcelona is concentrated in the Gothic Quarter, the old city centre. This is where the city's Roman ruins can be found, such as the remains of a temple devoted to the first Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar. Most of the still-standing buildings in this old urban core are medieval or Renaissance in origin, like the La Mercè basilica and the buildings lining the Carrer del Bisbe Irurita. Even the newer buildings in the quarter are often built to look blend into the ancient surroundings, such as the neo-Gothic facelift given to Santa Eulalia in the 19th century. If you like strolling along narrow streets amid 500-year old buildings, then Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is for you.

However, if you like strolling in general, you need to amble over to La Ramblas. This is a splendid, tree-lined pedestrian avenue and shopping district that constitutes the liveliest place in Barcelona during the day. Unfortunately, that means prices in the cafes are inflated, so if you intend to enjoy wine and tapas while people-watching, be prepared to pay a premium for the privilege. Another place to enjoy the city sights is from Montjuïc Castle. Perched above the city, the castle is a great way to take in Barcelona's skyline, especially at sunset.

While not as endowed with fine art as Madrid and its Golden Triangle, Barcelona comes well-supplied with art museums (don't make the comparison between Barcelona's museums and Madrid's Golden Triangle within earshot of a Catalan). The Picasso Museum owns one of the most extensive collections of that artist's work in the world, while the National Museum of Art of Catalonia and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art both have internationally respected collections.

Barcelona also enjoys a lively, Spanish-style nightlife. 10 p.m. is a reasonable dinner hour, and no self-respecting Barcelonian would be seen at a nightclub or bar on a Saturday night before midnight. The city is home to what is arguably the best live music scene in Spain, clearly surpassing Madrid and rivalled only by Granada. The noted and break-out indie pop band The Pinker Tones are native Barcelonians, and some gurus within the indie rock scene whisper that fashionable, artsy Barcelona may be the incubator for the new Iceland.

If you are a fan of football, you should check to see if the famed, bitter rivals of Real Madrid, the three-time UEFA Champions League winner FC Barcelona (or simply "Barca") are playing a home game during your visit to Barcelona. Besides, Barca's stadium of Camp Nou is Europe's largest, with a total of 98,787 seats. That makes it a tourist attraction in its own right, even if only seen from the car window on a drive across town.

As one of Europe's most important cities, Barcelona is well-connected to European and international routes through its airport. Both regular and budget airlines from around the world make daily flights there.