Barcelona

A hilly green expanse hiding cultural gems — the Mies van der Rohe pavilion, CaixaForum, the ethnology museum — above the city. A cultural treasure hunt with a view.

The relaxed gastrobar beside acclaimed Gresca, serving Catalan comfort food, a fine bikini sandwich and a wine list in the hundreds. Grab a stool over the kitchen.

Far more than a Miró shrine: the artist founded this sunlit Josep Lluís Sert masterpiece to champion new talent. The architecture alone is worth the climb up Montjuïc.

Gaudí's first house, restored in 2017 into a jewel of a museum exploring his origins and influence. A quieter, no-less-dazzling alternative to his famous landmarks. Pre-book.

A finely edited men's shoes-and-accessories shop from a Milan-fashion veteran, stocking Heschung, Moscot and more. Ask the owner for sartorial advice.

A warm, off-piste Venetian restaurant on the skirt of Montjuïc, all about the sea — the squid-ink spaghetti is a must. A local favourite away from the crowds.

A bricks-and-mortar roastery from Spain's most decorated barista, the laid-back Frutas Selectas outpost adding pastries and a daily lunch. Serious coffee, easy mood.

A secretive 22-key bolthole down a Gothic Quarter alley, with red-velvet drawing rooms and a rooftop pool. An eccentric, faux-British labour of love.

An award-winning, format-bending cocktail bar where guests watch the drink-making unfold up close. Inventive glassware and theatre — call ahead for a seat.

An 1869 townhouse hotel woven into city life, with a colourful lounge, bookshop, café, rooftop restaurant and Japanese-style ofuro spa. A hub of homegrown creativity.

A historic luxury department store since 1843, with an in-house tailor, rooftop terrace and champagne bar. Service-led shopping at its most refined.

A design mecca since the 1970s, stocking reissued Gaudí and Dalí pieces alongside contemporary collaborations. A Catalan design institution.

A beloved Poblenou tavern on a tranquil, ombu-shaded square, serving superb roast fish, seafood stews and rice since 1980. A leisurely terrace lunch at its best.

An award-winning Catalan lighting house behind the ubiquitous FollowMe lamp and more. A pantheon of iconic Spanish design.

El Bulli graduate Rafa Zafra's elevated marisquería down an El Born alley, with glistening market fish on ice. Don't miss the Galician razor clams or onion-and-crayfish carpaccio.

A buzzy natural-wine haunt fusing Italian, Spanish and Catalan plates, entered through its sister wine shop Can Cisa. Order a copa of biodynamic wine and settle in.

A 20-room charmer between the city, sea and Montjuïc, with a tropical-modern feel and an edible garden. Bijou rooms, vast views — book a penthouse for the open-air bathtub.

A handsome, Isay Weinfeld-designed vegetarian restaurant with globe-spanning, flavour-first cooking. Wood-fired pizzas and vibrant salads for a relaxed lunch or dinner.