Spain

One of my favorite things to do in Barcelona on a Sunday morning is to go to the Catedral and listen to the sardana and watch the traditional Catalan folk dance. The music is beautiful and the dance is much more complicated than it appears....

Head to the Gothic Quarter—once home to Barcelona's storied Jewish neighborhood, El Call—and look for the Sinagoga Major (Major Synagogue). The museum, built on the site of the city's oldest temple, is only two rooms, but it...

Bring some friends and a healthy appetite to El Bar-Barcelona for modern takes on traditional Spanish bar food as well as a well-thought-out wine menu. Crunchier-than-usual croquetas made with panko, a carnivores-only version of patatas bravas,...

A longtime favorite with Barcelona vintage and bargain shoppers, Encants Vells is one of Europe's oldest flea markets, dating from the 14th century. Recently it moved a few blocks away from its historic location to a shiny new modern market packed...

For good luck in Barcelona, go to La Casa de l’Ardiaca and touch this turtle. If you look closely you'll see this is really a letterbox. The birds symbolize the hope that you'll get your mail soon, but the turtle is a nod to the reality of how...

On our first day in Barcelona, we learned that the city has surprises in store around every corner. We had just met up with American expat Jeff Koehler in the plaza in front of the Santa Maria del Pi church, about to head up a narrow street to THE...

Constructed in the 17th century but heavily modified a century later, this castle—actually more of a fortress—lords over Montjuïc hill. Its use as a military bastion spans from the 1600s to the mid-1800s, when Barcelona...

Correfocs, or fire-runners, are one of my favorite elements of Catalan culture and local festivities in Barcelona. Dressed as demons and dragons, locals of all ages (kids, too) don fire-resistant fabrics and dance and skip around town spewing fire...

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Imagine Barcelona--filled to the brim and beyond with mountains of books and buckets of roses. Students fund-raising, Romanian gypsies, and Charities hawk cut roses in every color of the rainbow--indeed, even rainbow-colored versions compete with...

Perhaps less well known than Catalan artists like Dalí and Miró, Antoni Tàpies was a delightfully strange painter, sculptor and art theorist, and Barcelona's museum dedicated to his work is located just off Passeig de Gracia, making it much more...

Amble down La Rambla, stopping to admire fresh flowers, original artwork, and Barcelona souvenirs at your leisure. Watch living statues come to life when you drop a euro in their cups—most will pose with passersby, for a price, of course....

La Boqueria Market is a necessary stop on any Barcelona itinerary. Make the most of your time there with a stop at Bar Papitu, a small bar on Sant Galderic Square. Late morning, make like a Catalan, and wash down anchovies and olives with local...

The church where Gaudi was finally buried after he died suddenly after being hit by a trolley car, the church at Colonia Güell looks like it was built directly into the hill. Inside, it's a cross between the drama of striking buttresses and a...

A short trip from Barcelona via bus or car, explore Besalú's medieval old town. Cross its restored 11th century bridge into a picturesque village with cobblestone streets. Shop for handmade trinkets or stop off for a meal or a drink in bars and...

In Rupit, Stone cottages with orangey-red terracotta roofs perch around a stream, half-hidden by the mountainous green hills. An hour and a half drive from Barcelona, walk around this beautiful, if tiny village (approximately 340 residents). Pose...

As you enter Barcelona's famous Mercat de Sant Josep de La Boqueria from La Rambla, one of the first stalls you encounter is Tocineria Marcos, purveyors of Iberico ham and a stunning array of other cured, cooked, and fresh meats. It's just one of...

I took one bite and about fell off my chair. This was the creamiest, most flavorful onion dish I had ever tried. I found myself taking smaller and smaller bites so that I could somehow make it last longer. In a tiny little town barely found on the...

Alongside the Gaudí Architecture and many marvels of Barca, the Palau de Musica (although not a work of Gaudí) is a must-see on a tour of Barcelona. And a concert at the Palau... magical.