The Abba Rambla is a comfortable and friendly base, although the modern rooms have an inescapably chain-hotel feel to them. More stylish are the...

If you're having one of those nights when you just have to keep going (or you haven't picked up yet), stagger to this wildly popular 'after-hours'. It...

This was one of Europe's earliest medical centres. There was a hospital on the site as early as 1024, but in the 15th century it expanded to centralise all...

In a controversial move, the Generalitat appointed new director Vicenç Altaió to pump up the lacklustre visitor numbers for this contemporary art space....

A tomato's toss from the Boqueria market is this sunny little French bistro, chipped and battered in parts but ultimately charming. The menu, too, is a mix...

DIY-stylish, low-lit and cheap. Aurora's regulars chat over cañas during the week and bounce around the wee dancefloor downstairs at weekends. The smiling,...

Still the best of the various café terraces around the edges of the quiet, traffic-free Plaça Vicenç Martorell, Kasparo serves tapas, bocadillos, salads and...

The watchword is moody (not least among the waiting staff) in this stark, monochrome space, with punky artwork from celebrated graffiti artists. It comes...

Considered something of a classic, Bar Mendizábal has been around for decades, its multicoloured tiles and serving hatch a feature in thousands of holiday...

Just inside the entrance of the Boqueria, on the right-hand side, is this essential market bar. It's run by Juanito, one of the city's best-loved figures....

At the back of a beautiful old building converted into a health-food shop is this cosy little bar, where everything from the wine and beer to the milk used...

This cylindrical building now dominates the Rambla del Raval and promises to become something of an icon of the barrio. A hip cocktail lounge designed by...

With its pleasant communal areas, sparkling washrooms and handy on-site facilities, this fine youth hostel is cheap as chips. There are no individual rooms,...

This tranquil, elegant space features beige, minimalist decor and a display of cookbooks. From Bocuse to Bourdain, they are all for sale, and their various...