Barcelona: Spain’s offbeat city

A beguiling mix of ancient and modern architecture, tempting cafés and sun-drenched Mediterranean beaches—Barcelona is Spain’s most cosmopolitan city. Barcelona’s vibe stays lively well into the night, when you can linger over regional wine at buzzing tapas bars.

Barcelona’s forte is undoubtedly its stunning architecture, notably the work of Antoni Gaudí, whose buildings are startling manifestations of Modernisme—the Catalan art nouveau movement. As you walk around Barcelona, you’ll spot these stunning pieces of art scattered around every corner.

The city’s best-known landmark, the soaring still-unfished Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família was Antoni Gaudí’s all-consuming obsession. The temple has remained under construction for more then 100 years, and the fascination it awakens amongst tourists and residents is undeniable.

Park Güell is one of Antoni Gaudí’s and Barcelona’s most visited attraction. Modernista gems like gingerbread gatehouses, dazzling staircases and an undulating ceramic tile bench line the park.

Filled with narrow winding streets, the Barri Gotic is Barcelona’s most famous district and also its Gothic Quarter. A stroll through the medieval alleyways and secluded squares of the old city is the best possible introduction to Barcelona.

No trip to Barcelona is complete without a healthy sampling of tapas—plates over plates of bite-sized goodies. And of course, everything tastes better when accompanied by good vermouth.

A window into Barcelona’s Catalan culture, La Rambla is a broad pedestrian boulevard, crowded every day until the wee hours of the morning. Set between narrow traffic lanes and flanked by lush trees, this famous street is lined with cultural centres, theatres, shops and intriguing buildings.

Fine weather and hundreds of hidden city gems encourage visitors in Barcelona to traverse the city on bike. Barcelona's 'Bicing program', is one of the many mass bike rental systems that have recently been started in Europe. There are about 100 stations across the city that hold about 3,000 bikes, which cyclists can pick up at one point and drop off at another.

Situated on a mountain side, ensconced by the rounded stones of the surrounding peaks, the monastery of Montserrat is located about half-an-hour outside of Barcelona. The location is stunning and you can easily spend a day hiking the surrounding trails to catch more heart-fluttering vistas.

Barcelona is the perfect destination for sun and sand worshippers. From the bustling tourist-paradise Barceloneta to nudist Mar Bella and tranquil Caldetes, the beaches here never disappoint.

Enjoy spectacular city views on a relaxing Barcelona harbour cruise. Choose from coastal cruises, sunset excursions and themed trips like jazz cruises.

With a bustling art scene and a bohemian city vibe, Barcelona is Spain’s offbeat beachside city. Here, every street overflows with life and every corner teems with stunning architecture.