Barcelona is one of the nicest cities to visit. Its museums, theaters, art galleries and nightlife are of an impressive high standard. Besides that, this art and design centre has a lot of interesting sights to offer to its visitors. The best place to watch people go by, to stroll or simply relax, is 'Las Ramblas', a pedestrian street with dozens of outdoor cafes. Here, youll find flower-stands, book kiosks and small market stalls where they sell birds and small animals. Youll also find an endlessly fascinating flowing receptacle of pageant-jugglers, singers, dancers, puppeteers, sidewalk artists, living statues and assorted oddballs on parade. Nearby is 'Plaça Real', with plenty of bars and restaurants, and 'Palau Guell', built by the Catalan architectural genius Antoni Gaudí in his undulating art-nouveau style. While in Las Ramblas and Placa Real, be very aware of pickpockets, too.

After having seen these sights, stroll the narrow winding streets of the 'Barri Gotic', the medieval Gothic quarter full of interesting tapas bars and cafes. Check out Picassos old hangout, 'Els Quatre Gats', which has been renovated without losing its bohemian charm. Or head for the old Barceloneta section on the waterfront. This working-class area, which was always slightly rundown and scruffy-looking, is now packed with paella restaurants. The new beach area, which runs from Barceloneta to the Olympic village, is much cleaner than the old beach area. Although some people believe that it has been cleaned up considerably, it might be a wise idea to stay out of the water. Fortunately, the beach itself is already a feast for the eyes (and ears), with its huge and roaring waves.

Catalans are known for their independent spirit and their sense of humour. Salvador Dali was a Catalan (and unfortunately for Catalans, he was also a Fascist and supporter of General Franco's regime)and his bizarre sense of humour is just one example of the regions endearing weirdness. Spring is the best time to visit Barcelona, you can expect a temperature of round and about 20 degrees. During summer, it can get very hot and humid (about 30 degrees) and crowded (because of the tourists, cultural events taking place in September). Barcelona will be as expensive as you want it to be. Attention: Barcelona is pretty rich and so prices are much higher than somewhere else in Spain. Still, restaurants are relatively cheap (at lunch time you can find a two course meal and desert for 7-9) and for a hotel, three meals and a night out, count on some 145 Euro for two persons.