Within walking distance of our apartment there is an almost overwhelming range of attractions to explore. Bars and restaurants are on almost every corner and range in price and quality from the very basic to the elegant and expensive. The shopping mecca of Paseo de Gracia is a block away, and many of the most famous buildings of Catalan Modernism, including some by Gaudi, are also at hand.

A little further off are the important musical venues the Liceu and Palau de la Musica Catalana. Several venues also offer flamenco and jazz music.

A short Metro ride takes you to Montjuic, the site of many of the events of the 1992 Olympics. There is a large area of parkland on the mountain, as well as the important art collections of the Fundacio Miro and the National Museum of Catalan Art.

There are easy day trips north to the coastal towns of the Costa Brava and to the south to Sitges and Tarragona. And if you are here in the winter, you may want to ski in the Pyrenees or Andorra.