Summer in Barcelona abuzz with cultural, culinary delights

SEE

If you crave the selfies of Hong Kong's Pottinger Street or Graham Street's walls outside G.O.D, then don't miss photographer Joan Fontcuberta's mural The World Begins with Every Kiss. Painted in 2014 for the 300th anniversary of the National Day of Catalonia, the wall is a tribute to the Catalan lives lost during the fall of Barcelona in the War of Spanish Succession. Comprising some 4,000 tiles, which from a distance show two people kissing, the mural has become such a poignant and popular landmark that the government has left it up for good.

The Picasso Museum contains more 4,000 of the artist's works and is spread across five palaces. Picasso moved to Barcelona as a 14-year-old boy, and the museum traces his development from classically trained painter to cubist pioneer. It's an education on every level and it's full of surprises. Similarly, a visit to the Fundació Joan Miró is a must – and don't miss the intriguing space downstairs, Espai 13, devoted to showcases of experimental local and international contemporary art.

Hit the heights afterwards by taking the funicular (ironically, Gaudí died after being hit by a tram in 1926) to the top of the Tibidabo mountain and admire the stunning views of the city. Travel further up and you'll discover the birthplace of Salvador Dalí, with a museum dedicated to him and his crypt below. (The white seaside town of Cadaqués, the artist's birthplace, is only about two hours from Barcelona and is well worth the trip).

If you want to gawp at Antoni Gaudí, and in this city it's almost impossible not to, visit the still incomplete cathedral La Sagrada Familia. Once denounced as garish and monstrous, it's now the most-visited attraction in the city, with Gaudí's Park Güell and the FC Barcelona Museum not far behind; the structure began construction in 1882 and its completion is aimed for 2026 via private donations. Gaudí's Casa Milà, the last private residence he designed was built between 1906 and 1912, is also a must-see. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a category that pops up all over Barcelona.

La Rambla (or Las Ramblas, as the locals call it) is Barcelona's most famous street, and at 1.2 kilometres has Port Vell at its southern tip and Plaça de Catalunya at its north. It's home to mime artists and street performers; for first-time visitors, it's tempting to grab a seat and a jug of sangria, and simply absorb the sights and sounds. Sample from the La Rambla drinking fountain, too; folklore says that if you sip from it, you'll fall in love with Barcelona and always return to the city.