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The legendary haunt of Picasso and his cronies, this late 19th-century bar-restaurant once hosted many a pastis-fuelled night among the city’s bohemian crowd. Hearty Catalan and Mediterranean fare is enjoyed amid replicas of works by the artists who found inspiration here.

After Tarragona, Empúries is Catalonia’s second most important Roman site. Occupying an impressive position by the sea, it includes more than 40 hectares (99 acres) scattered with Greek and Roman ruins, the highlights of which are the remains of a market street, various temples and part of a Roman amphitheatre. Coupled with lovely nearby beaches, it’s an ideal spot for those looking to mix a bit of history with a dip in the sea.

This “Russian salad” includes potatoes, onions, tuna (and often peas, carrots and other vegetables), all generously enveloped in mayonnaise.

La Rambla was once dotted with religious buildings, most built in the 17th and 18th centuries when the Catholic Church was flush with money. This església remains one of the most important functioning churches from this period.

This picturesque Gothic church (1342) has sculptures inside that date back to the 9th century.

Founded as a Benedictine monastery in the 9th century by Guifre II, a count of Barcelona, this church was rebuilt the following century. Its sculpted façade and intimate cloister with rounded arches bear all the trademarks of the Romanesque style. (Charming Churches & Chapels).

Originally built in 801 as a chapel for troops stationed in Barcelona, this església later became a spiritual retreat for young daughters of nobility. The church was rebuilt in the 12th century and is notable today for its Romanesque central cupola and a series of Romanesque capitals topped with carved leaves. Look out for two stone tablets depicting a Greek cross, which are from the original chapel.