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Fancy a splash in the Mediterranean? Trot down to the end of La Rambla, wander along the palm tree-lined Moll de la Fusta, down restaurant-packed Passeig Joan de Borbó, et voilà , the sea beckons. Over four km (2.5 miles) of blue flag beaches stretch north from Barceloneta to Port Olímpic and beyond. Facilities are top-notch, including showers, deck chairs, beach volleyball courts and lifeguards. Convenience, however, means crowds, so finding a spot among the masses of oiled bodies can be a challenge, particularly in the summer.

See Barcelona’s port activity from a different perspective, either from the air or the sea. The telefèric cable cars offer sweeping, bird’seye views of Barcelona and its coast, while the old-fashioned Les Golondrines boats and the Orsom Catamaran sweep you around the port area.

Come face to face with the teeming marine world of the Mediterranean at Barcelona’s impressive aquarium, the largest in Europe. The highlight is an 80-m (262-ft) long underwater tunnel equipped with a moving walkway that transports visitors through the deep blue unknown, while sharks glide menacingly close. A huge hit with the kids is the new Explora! floor, with interactive activities that allow you to explore the ecosystems of the Mediterranean.

Housed in the Palau de Mar, a renovated portside warehouse, this museum offers a broad, interactive exploration of Catalonia’s history since prehistoric times. Kids (Museu d’Història de Catalunya), especially will have a ball with the engaging exhibits, such as a Civil War-era bunker and a recreated Catalan bar from the 1960s with an ancient futbolín (table football) game.

Saunter along the Rambla de Mar, a floating wooden pier that leads to Mare-magnum, a flashy mall of shops, fast-food outlets, restaurants and bars. Nearby the giant IMAX^® cinema shows 3-D films on mega-screens, generally on nature-, adventure-, and sports-related topics.

In 1859, Catalan Narcís Monturiol invented one of the world’s first submarines, a replica of which stands on the Moll d’Espanya. Hard to believe, but in an earlier version of this wooden, fish-shaped submarine, powered by two internal steam engines, Monturiol made a number of successful underwater journeys. He invented the submarine as a means of gathering coral; later, he tried to sell it to the army. However, he finally sold his invention in parts and died penniless.

This massive, circular structure is home to offices, convention halls, a five-star hotel and the top-notch restaurant Ruccula (Restaurants & Tapas Bars). There are also several gift shops, including Galería Surrealista, featuring souvenirs inspired by Dalí and other Surrealists. In the central courtyard is a “rhythmic” fountain that spurts out streams of water at differing velocities. Nearby, you can board cable cars and soak up splendid views from the top of Torre Jaume I.