Spain

Spain's second city and the capital of Catalunya, Barcelona is a class act. It's a real melting-pot of culture, cuisine and climate, offering visitors a unique combination of sun, sea and city all in one.

Barcelona is universally renowned for its Modernist style of architecture, epitomised by the work of Catalan genius Antoni Gaudí. Of course, it's also celebrated for its vibrant street vibe and extravagant night-life.

With a wide selection of shops, Barcelona is the ultimate designer city. The glamorous Passeig de Gràcia is home to top-name brands such as Chanel, Tiffany and Burberry. Equally famous for its football, the city is also home to FC Barcelona. The team's home ground is the magnificent Nou Camp stadium, which can hold over 90,000 people.

It has to be said that Barcelonans love to party. There are a lot of high-profile festivals that take place throughout the year, so it's easy to time your trip to catch one of them. Here are some of the highlights.

Espit Chupito – an extremely popular bar that serves over 500 different types of shots - some are even set alight along the bar.

Champañería– there's usually standing room only at this lively champagne bar, where you can sample some fantastic cava and tapas.

Oveja Negra – the 'black sheep' is a gem of a place and a favoured haunt for students.

Manchester Bar – For those of you who are just dying to relive those brilliant Britpop moments, this is the perfect place to chill with a mojito while soaking up that indie scene.

Shoko – one of the trendiest clubs in Barcelona, this eastern-style venue is right on the beach front.

Opium Mar – frequented by a slick, cosmopolitan crowd, the party atmosphere is inspired by a beautiful location overlooking Barceloneta's beach front.

Razzmatazz – always a popular choice, this club has five rooms, each with a different genre of music - pop, indie, techno, electro and disco.

There's no shortage of accommodation to choose from in Barcelona. Whether you're after a 5-star hotel, a cosy apartment or a cheap-and-cheerful hostel, you won't be struggling to find what you want.

Take a look at our accommodation page for an idea of what's on offer. You might also want to ready our guide to booking Barcelona apartments for some insider tips. As an added extra, you'll also benefit from a wide range of discounts to use in city tours and activities when you book with us.

Bear in mind that you really do need to book your stay in advance, especially in the spring and summer when the city is heaving!

Reus (9) and Girona (10) are two of the other airports that visitors to Barcelona sometimes fly to (both are over 100 km away). If you're flying into Girona airport you can catch the bus for a one-and-a-quarter hour journey that ends at Barcelona's Estació del Nord. From Reus airport, there's a public bus operated by Hispano Igualadina, which will drop you off at Barcelona's main Sants station.

If you'd rather grab a cab, there will be plenty of the city's distinctive yellow and black taxis ready to ferry you onwards from El Prat. Or you could arrange a transfer in advance by phoning Fono Taxis. They'll pick you up from any of the major airports (El Prat, or even Reus and Girona) and drop you off wherever you want in Barcelona.