Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Spain : Barcelona - July 2008

Country Code: Dial for Spain

Summer in Catalonia’s capital can be a heated affair. But who cares when you can chill out along the sprawling waterfront, sip iced drinks in shady medieval courtyards, cool off in world-class museums and hit festivals held beneath the stars? Judy Thomson sweats it out

Getting around

El Prat

Bus: The nearest airport is El Prat Airport, about 12km from the city.

LA RAMBLA

This world-famous street running from Plaça Catalunya to the port is at its best and busiest on Sant Jordi, when ad hoc rose vendors and booksellers jostle with the regular flower stalls and news stands.

Sleep soundly – If you’re after a room with a view, try AC Miramar. For a bargain bed down the road, head to youth hostel MamboTango.

Culture vultures – The open-air amphitheatre Teatre Grec (36 Passeig Santa Madrona) is bliss on a hot summer’s night, while dance companies in Mercat de les Flors (59 Lleida) present no language barriers. Don’t miss Montjuïc de Nit on 5 July – there will be all-night performances and open-door events at the hill’s museums. Visit bcn.cat/grec for the more details.

Must eat – Even if seeing one of the best collections of Miró’s work doesn’t pique your interest, the terrace at Fundació Joan Miró (Parc de Montjuïc) makes a great watering hole.

Must drink – Even if seeing one of the best collections of Miró’s work doesn’t pique your interest, the terrace at Fundació Joan Miró (Parc de Montjuïc) makes a great watering hole.

Dance the night away – Make a beeline for outdoor club La Terrazza (Poble Espanyol, Avenida Marquès de Comillas), which opens in the summer. Playing host to a roster of resident and guest DJs, it’s one of the most popular nightspots in town.

WATERFRONT

Take a break from the metropolitan dash and bustle and recharge your batteries on any of the seven beaches that stretch from Barceloneta to the Forum Diagonal Mar area. They’re all easily reached by foot, bus or metro.

Sleep soundly – Soaring above the Olympic Port is the luxurious Hotel Arts. If you want to up the opulent ante, make for the 43rd-floor spa with its panoramic outdoor terrace.

Culture vultures – Pull something over your bikini and you’ll be well dressed for Summercase (Parc del Fòrum), yet another music festival with a stellar lineup including Blondie, Grinderman, Sex Pistols and Kaiser Chiefs taking place 18 and 19 July. See summercase.com for more information.

Must eat – Tucked away behind in a hidden square is the charming Els Pescadors (1 Plaça Prim, tel. ), which serves perfectly cooked fresh fish on its pretty terrace.

Must drink – Barcelona’s beaches are lined with xiringuitos (beach bars) where you can snack with your toes in the sand. When the sun sets, the mood changes as cocktails are stirred and DJs start spinning.

Dance the night away – There’s a distinct Moroccan influence in Otman’s (Cirera 4) stylish loose garments for guys and gals. Sip a mint tea while you’re there.

EL RAVAL

Sitting on the opposite side of La Rambla to the gothic quarter, the up-and-coming old town brims with boutiques, traditional shops and dazzling new art spaces.

Culture vultures – From 4-8 July, the museum of modern art MACBA (1 Plaça dels Angels) and the adjoining centre of contemporary culture CCCB (5 Montalegre) are staging a festival of international dance in an urban setting. Both museums are also worth visiting in their own right.

Must eat – Anima (6 Àngels, tel. ) serves delicious contemporary Mediterranean food with an international twist. You can either eat on pavement tables or inside its stylish premises. Either way, it’s excellent value.

Must drink – Try Juicy Jones (74 Hospital) for health-giving organic juice.

Shop til you drop – Recently opened HoLaLa! Plaza (6 Valldonzella) stocks vintage clothing and accessories, while Canníbal (5 Carme) is a tiny shop packed with fun, one-off pieces for men and women by local designer Angel Salvador.

Compiled by Judy Thomson