A Perfect Day In Barcelona

9.00am

La Rambla

Get an early start on Barcelona’s La Rambla, to enjoy it in the morning Mediterranean light before the crowds arrive. Pick up your newspaper from a newsstand then pop into La Boqueria market – at its most colourful in the morning – for a proper Catalan breakfast like baby squid and poached eggs.

10.30am

Gothic Quarter

Across La Rambla is the Gothic Quarter. Meander through its shady, narrow lanes and palm-filled courtyards. Get the background on today’s Old Town at the City History Museum (MUHBA) or have a coffee break in the diminutive Meson del Café on Llibreteria.

12 noon

Breathtaking church

Over Via Laietana is the Born district. Glimpse the breathtaking interior of Santa Maria del Mar, or sip una copa de cava on the terrace of La Vinya del Senyor and admire the church facade.

1.30pm

Lunchtime

Get into the local rhythm and have a menú del dia, three courses at remarkably low rates in a neighbourhood bar like Rodrigo in Argenteria, or around the Passeig del Born. Another option is to walk 10 minutes to Barceloneta for a paella by the sea at Can Majó.

3.30pm

Siesta break

A gentle stroll along the Passeig Marítim towards the Vila Olímpica, pausing for coffee in one of the waterfront xiringuitos (beach bars), is ideal for working off lunch. Indulge in a taxi back to base for a reviving siesta, essential to keep up the pace until the wee hours.

5.30pm

Explore the Eixample

A session of retail therapy in the modernista setting of the Eixample is recommended for all the family. Those who don’t shop can visit a Gaudí building, like La Pedrera or Casa Batlló, or just wander around the area to see a wealth of decorative details, from stained glass to ceramics, by his genius contemporaries.

8.30pm

Drinks and tapas

Relax at one of the many terrace bars in elegant Rambla Catalunya, or try the eponymous cocktail at Dry Martini, Aribau 162. Afterwards go for tapas, the perfect dinner, especially when created by top chef Carles Abellan at Tapas 24.

11.00pm

On the town

Round off the day in style just up the road with a show and dancing at City Hall Club, Rambla de Catalunya 2–4, where you can rub shoulders with the sleek and beautiful. Alternatively, catch a cab to Mirablau, halfway up Tibidabo hill, and dance till dawn overlooking the city.