This post is really just to big up Barcelona. It’s very difficult to make the statement ‘this is the best city in the world’ – but Barcelona has to be in the top 10.

It has some ingredients that make it a truly enjoyable city.

Firstly, it looks like a city; hemmed in by mountains, its 1.6 million inhabitants occupy one of the prettiest urban areas in the world. Dominated by Gaudi’s Cathedral, the city has a great deal of both old and new architecture. Walking around the centre, it feels as jam packed with history and culture as London, Paris or Rome. To get a good view, you would be well advised to try the Funicular, which pretty much lets you gaze across the entire city.

Secondly, it’s in Spain. This basically means it’s going to be hot in summer and very mild in winter. It also means you can gorge yourself on Spanish and Catalan food; superb seafood, potato omelettes, salads, delicious cured meats and mouth watering cheeses. Further to this, it’s not going to break the bank like Paris, for example, might.

Thirdly, and this  might be the clincher – it has a beach right next to it. So you can enjoy one of the world’s most impressive city centres and then jump directly into the Mediterranean Sea. What could be better?

Brits considering a weekend or a week here will find that many of the major airports fly there – and often for some pretty good prices, too.