Special treat: Hotel Claris is a luxury hotel with a difference, a minute’s walk from Gaudí’s buildings and high-end shopping on Passeig de Gràcia. Doubles from £131. Read review http://bit.ly/YWOW7i
Mid-range: The Banys Orientals is in Born, Barcelona’s loveliest neighbourhood, with elegant rooms and friendly service. Book well in advance. Doubles from £83. Read a review http://bit.ly/10MfqZI.
Budget: Market Hotel is a chic and sophisticated cheap hotel, on the edge of the Raval and a short walk to the Plaça Catalunya. Doubles from £55. Read the full review http://bit.ly/1196LfQ.
On arrival - 8pm: Head for the great Gothic cathedral, and the tangle of medieval streets around it – you’ll get lost, everybody does, but that’s the charm of the Barri Gòtic.
If you’re lucky you’ll find yourself outside the lively El Portalón (0034 93 302 11 87), where you can order terracotta jugs of house red and choose from a long list of tapas.
Day one - 10am: La Pedrera (0034 93 484 59 00; lapedrera.com; admission €11/ £9.30), Gaudí’s undulating apartment block, now contains an exhibition centre.
The fantastical Casa Batlló (00 34 216 03 06; casabatllo.cat, admission €20.35/ £17), a glittering, polychromatic affair, also open to the public.
Day one - 1.30pm: A short stroll seawards from here will take you to Tapaç24 (0034 93 488 09 77; carlesabellan.com), one of the city’s best tapas bars, but get here well before 2pm for a seat.
Day one - 3.30pm: From here, it’s an easy metro ride to Gaudí’s other masterpiece, the unfinished Sagrada Família church (sagradafamilia.cat). It’s as breathtaking within as it is otherworldly without
Day one - 8.30pm: Salamanca (0034 93 221 50; gruposilvestre.com) is a boisterous, sprawling classic, with a seafront terrace and prices that are better than most (mains starting from around £11).
Day two - 9am: Have a coffee downstairs at the Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall (0034 902 442 882; palaumusica.org) to sneak a peak at the lobbym or book a guided tour for the whole thing.
Day two - 2pm: Cal Pep (Plaça de les Olles 8; 0034 93 310 79 61; calpep.com) is known for its super-fresh seafood tapas. It pays to book ahead. From around £15.
