We met up with Patrizia at the airport in Barcelona on a beautiful sunny and warm day in December, A perfect way to start a fun and relaxing weekend. We made our way to the trendy and spacious apartment which was in the Eixample area and enjoyed a few hours of catching up and having a few beers before the Red Hot Chilli Peppers concert that evening. The concert was held near the Olympic stadium in Montjuic and since we still had to collect our tickets we headed off to join the hundreds of other fans, eagerly anticipating a night of great music and probably a lot of dancing in the stands.

Still very sleepy and with sore heads we got up and had breakfast in a nearby cafe. We are after all in Barcelona and lying in was not an option when there is so much to see. We took a leisurely stroll to Passeig de Gracia, known as the Golden Square and soaked in the amazing architecture surrounding us. First we stopped by the Ille de la Discordia which are four of Barcelona's most famous Modernista Houses followed by Casa Mila an apartment block and also one of Gaudi's architectural creations. The next stop was the church of the Sagrada Familia, one of Gaudi's most celebrated buildings. We all agreed that it is hands down one of the most impressive churches we have visited. The church is currently unfinished but all three of us have made a pact to return once it has been completed. Before tackling the old town we decided to have a well deserved break at the cafe Els Quatre Gats. A quirky and original cafe frequented by Picasso in his youth. He also had his first exhibition in the big room of the cafe. After re-feuling we wandered around the old town and did a bit of window shopping at the Christmas market near the Gothic Barcelona Cathedral. We then headed toward the historic Avenue of La Ramblas. A wide tree lined central walkway that leads to the sea. On either side of the walkway there are news stands, flower stalls, musicians, street artists and cafes where you can sit and watch the world go by. Our hunger led us to the colorful food market known as La Boqueria where we were tempted by stall upon stall of fresh produce and delicious antipasti and fresh bread. Armed with bags of goodies we trekked back to the apartment for a picnic style lunch followed by a lovely siesta. Refreshed and re-vitalised we decided on a visit to Museu Picasso, housed in a beautiful medieval palace. Then we were off to dinner at a seaside locale, with a glass of sangria in hand, toasting to health, sanity and happiness before devouring a delicious seafood paella. What a satisfying end to such a fabulous day.

After a wonderful nights sleep we got up and were greeted by yet another glorious day in Barcelona. The morning started with a culture fix at the Joan Miro gallery in the Montjuic area. As it was such a beautiful day we took the funicular to Castell de Montjuic, an 18th century castle on top of Montjuic hill which commands fantastic views over the port and city. After an invigorating walk around the castle walls we made our way to Poble Espanyol for a spot of lunch and a walk around the arts and craft shops. The architecture of the buildings are in the styles from all over Spain and it feels like a walk through days gone by, where the modern day concrete jungle did not exist. Then we headed to Palau Nacional and Placa d'Espanya which led us to Parc de Joan Miro to photograph the rather phallic sculpture by Joan Miro called Dona i Ocell (Woman and Bird). Even though it's a little out of the city, a visit to Parc Guell is a must when in Barcelona. It is another Gaudi creation and has been designated a Unesco World Heritage site. It is a beautiful open recreational space where the pavilions, balconies and sculptures have been decorated and encrusted with mosaic tiles. As the sun reflects off the colorful tiles, it feels almost as though you are walking through a farytale. Gaudi's creativity is unique and inspiring and it is to his credit that his work is still admired today. After a full day of sightseeing and in true Spanish style we succumbed to yet another siesta and enjoyed a bit of relaxation at the apartment. In the evening we ventured out to the old town and found a lovely restaurant to have our last supper in. Barcelona is an amazing city to visit. The architecture is phenomenal, the people are friendly and welcoming and the food is fantastic and the taxis are cheap. The city is vibrant and inspiring, making it a destination you would want to visit again, I suspect we will be back soon!