DK Travel : Barcelona

With warm, crystal-clear waters lapping its sandy shores and mountains nuzzling up to its northern edge, this glittering jewel in the Mediterranean is blessed with desirable geographical genes. From the buoyant, revamped port area to the atmospheric medieval streets of the Barri Gòtic and the beautiful Modernista buildings of the Eixample, Barcelona has it all. A host of treasure-filled museums, architectural wonders, lively beaches and enchanting squares provide the icing on the cake.

Pilma

Breathtaking designer shop selling quality modern furniture and interior accessories by big names, as well as cuttting-edge creations by Catalan designers.
Pitch-&-Putt Golf

The Costa Brava is emerging as one of Spain’s top golf destinations, but if you’re looking to tee off in town, your best bets are the nearby pitch-and-putt courses in Badalona and Castelldefells.
Plaça Comercial

The buzzy Passeig del Born culminates in Plaça Comercial, an inviting square dotted with cafés and bars. It faces the 19th-century Born Market (El born), which will re-open in 2007 as a cultural centre and exhibition space.
Plaça de Catalunya

Barcelona’s nerve centre is the huge Plaça de Catalunya, a lively hub from which all the city’s activity seems to radiate. This square is most visitors first real glimpse of Barcelona. The airport bus and train stops here, as do RENFE trains and countless metro and bus lines. The square’s commercial swagger is evident all around, headed by Spain’s omnipresent department store, El Corte Inglés (Plaça de Catalunya). Pigeons flutter chaotically in the square’s centre, lively Peruvian bands play to booming sound systems and hordes of travellers – from backpackers to tour groups – meander about. To add to the melting pot, the square is allegedly home to 25 people (mostly homeless immigrants).
Plaça de Catalunya & Carrer Pelai

The city’s booming centrepiece is also its commercial crossroads, flanked by the department store El Corte Inglés and the shopping mall El Triangle, which includes FNAC (books, CDs, videos) and Séphora (perfumes and cosmetics). Lined with shoe and clothing shops, the nearby Carrer Pelai is said to have more pedestrian traffic than any other shopping street in Spain.
Plaça de la Vila de Madrid

Mere steps from La Rambla (La Rambla) is this spacious plaça , graced with the remains of a Roman necropolis. A remnant of Roman Barcino, the square sat just beyond the boundaries of the walled Roman city. A row of unadorned 2nd–4th-century AD tombs were discovered here in 1957. The complete remains are open to the public.
Plaça de Ramon Berenguer el Gran

This square boasts one of the largest intact sections of Barcelona’s Roman walls.
Plaça de Rius i Taulet

The progressive, bohemian area of Gràcia, a former village annexed by Barcelona in 1897, still exudes a small-town ambience, where socializing with the neighbours means heading for the nearest plaça. Topping the list is this atmospheric square, with an impressive clock tower rising out of its centre. Bustling outdoor cafés draw buskers and a sociable crowd.
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri

Sunlight filters through tall trees in this hidden oasis of calm. The plaça is home to the Museu del Calçat (Top 10 Quirky Museums).
Plaça de Sant Jaume

The site of the Plaça de Sant Jaume (see Perfect Squares) was once the nucleus of Roman Barcino. With these roots, it seems fitting that the square has become home to Barcelona’s two most important government buildings: the Palau de la Generalitat (seat of the Catalan government) and the Ajuntament (city hall). Look for the detailed carved relief of Sant Jordi, Catalonia’s patron saint, on the 15th–century Generalitat façade. Within is the lovely 15th–century Capella de Sant Jordi (Capella de Sant Jordi), designed by architect Marc Safont. A highlight of the Gothic Ajuntament is the lavish red-and-gold Saló de Cent, where the Council of One Hundred ruled the city from 1372 to 1714. Also of note is the Pati dels Tarongers, a graceful patio with orange trees.