There's nowhere quite like Barcelona and no other city in Spain can touch it for style, exuberance and dynamism. Glossy mags and the travel press tend to focus on its outrageous architecture and designer shops, but the city is much more than a fad. For a start, it's the capital of the semi-autonomous province of Catalunya and has a long seafaring tradition. It's an easy place to like and surprisingly easy to get around.

Barcelona DIRECTIONS has everything you need to get the most out of the Mediterranean's most exciting city: the top places to stay, the sights not to miss, the coolest bars ... in short the best the Catalan capital has to offer.

Browse the ideas section for inspiration before you go, and you'll know what you want to do, 24 hours a day if you like. Check out the details in the places section, and you can explore the whole city, district by district, with every sight, restaurant, bar and shop located on the easy-to-use maps.

It's like having a local friend plan your trip.