Barcelona

At a glance

Barcelona has transformed itself from smug backwater into one of the most dynamic and stylish cities in the world. Summer is serious party time, with week-long fiesta fun. But year-round the city sizzles - it's always on the biting edge of architecture, food, fashion, style, music and good times.

The buildings, many the work of the eccentric genius Gaudí, will blow you away. The art, with significant collections by Picasso and Miró, will make you clammy all over. The people, with their exuberance, their duende, their persistent egalitarianism, will fascinate you.

When to go

The combination of tourists and business travellers visiting Barcelona means hotels are busy for most of the year. Spring and early summer is the best time to be in the city. The weather is usually pleasant, the number of tourists manageable and the city humming. High summer (mid-July to late August) is asphyxiating - many locals get the hell out and leave it to the guiris (foreigners). September isn't bad; the city recovers its normal rhythms, the heat eases and tourist numbers drop, but the weather can be dodgy. For real rain, hang about in October. Winter isn't especially distressing, but you will want a room with heating.

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