Damien Simonis - Barcelona

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Compact and easy to get around by public transport, Barcelona is geared to tourism and you will find plenty of information on all major tourist attractions. At the same time, it is full of mystery and invites you to spend long days of meandering and discovering. The monuments and museums, mainly concentrated in a relatively small area, could keep you busy for a week or more, but inevitably some of your time will be dedicated to simply hanging out in cafes, bars, eateries and at the beach. Consider setting aside a day or two for excursions (). Take care, particularly on arrival, as petty crime directed at tourists laden with cameras and bags is, unfortunately, common.

Barcelona is a year-round destination; as ideal for a long weekend city break as for a six-month sabbatical. It is a good idea to time a trip with one eye on events and the other on the weather (see (). Many associate Barcelona with the summer sun, but August can be a poor choice the city broils and swarms with tourists as the locals disappear to more salubrious climes. It is certainly better to come around mid-June or September. If beach time is not a priority, you can easily find sunny (if chilly) weather and fewer visitors in January and February. You stand a good chance of striking rain from April to May and October through November.

Whether its being chased by fire-spitting demons or joining parades of giants, meandering through the decorated streets of Barcelonas barris (neighbourhoods) with beer in hand, or crowding into a mega-concert at the Frum, the city proffers a plethora of festivals. Many are steeped in colourful tradition, while others are modern affairs focused on concerts, theatre or sport. Some envelop the entire city; other lively local festes are limited to a particular barri. Events take place throughout much of the year, although there is more activity in the warmer months. For a list of official public holidays in Barcelona, see ().

Like Cap dAny/Noche Vieja (New Years Eve) anywhere, this occasion can create but not always fulfil expectations. Many locals arrange parties in their homes as restaurants, bars and clubs fill to bursting and charge like wounded bulls. Rowdy folks also gather around Plaa de Catalunya.

Epifana (Epiphany) on 6 January is also known as the Dia dels Reis Mags/Da de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day), or simply Reis/Reyes, perhaps the most important day on a Barcelona kids calendar. According to tradition, this is when they receive gifts (although Christmas has made heavy inroads). The holiday itself is quiet, but on 5 January children delight in the Cavalcada dels Reis Mags (Parade of the Three Kings), a colourful parade of floats and music, during which countless sweets are launched from the floats into the crowds.

A key part of the festival of Sant Antoni Abat, the patron saint of domestic and carriage animals, is this Feast of the Three Circuits, a parade of horse-drawn carts in LEixample near the Mercat de Sant Antoni every 17 January.

www.bcnvisualsound.org, in Catalan

This 10-day festival brings together audiovisual creators in a celebration of emerging stars in the making of anything from video to multimedia art.

www.barnasants.com, in Catalan

Each year the citys main live-music venues host a bevy of Catalan, Spanish and Latin American singer-songwriters for concerts spread over a period from the end of January until about mid-March.

Celebrated in February or March, this festival involves several days of fancy-dress parades and merrymaking, ending on the Tuesday 47 days before Easter Sunday. The Gran Rua (Grand Parade) takes place on the Saturday evening from 5.30pm. Down in Sitges () a much wilder version takes place. The gay community stages gaudy parades and party-goers keep the bars and clubs heaving for several days running.