Barcelona

Souvenirs are everywhere you look in Barcelona, so if you're after a Gaudi T-shirt or an FC Barcelona scarf you won't exactly be stuck for choice. For something more substantial, meanwhile, shopping boulevards like Passeig de Gracia are home to large numbers of designer stores, while the creative El Born district is a great option for picking up items from quirkier independent outlets. On La Rambla, the food stalls at Boqueria Market (Rambla 85-89) are where to head for fresh produce, and not far away the large El Corte Ingles department store (Placa de Catalunya 14) draws plenty of interest during its sale periods.

At times it can feel as though Barcelona is permanently engaged in one long mealtime. The prevalence of tapas (and their larger counterparts, racions) means that food is rarely out of mind, as does the local predilection for eating late - it's by no means unusual for people to arrive at restaurants after 10pm. Try Quimet i Quimet (Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 25) for authentic tapas, or head to the Michelin-starred Cinc Sentits (Carrer d'Aribau 58) for the restaurant often touted as Barcelona's best. For an atmospheric drink, call in at Bar Pesca Salada (Carrer Cera 32), located in an old fish store and serving 24 brands of gin.

Carnaval

February/March

The big pre-Lent fiesta, with masked balls, musical parades and copious amounts of food and drink. Colourful costumes and packed bars are the order of the day - proceedings end with the symbolic 'burial of the sardine'.

Sant Joan

23 June

A bedlam of firecrackers, beach bonfires and fun-seeking locals, the Sant Joan festival takes place each 23 June - although the days preceding it are often lively too. Cava is traditionally the tipple of choice.

Sonar

June

A three-day offering at the altar of electronic music and new media, this hugely renowned gathering bills itself as an 'International Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art'. It hosts thousands of creative professionals, as well as plenty of DJ-based partying.

Festival del Grec

June-August

Barcelona's largest highbrow cultural festival gives a public platform for dance, music, circus and theatre. It takes its name from the Teatre Grec on Montjuic, which is still one of the key venues.

Festes de la Merce

September

Held in honour of Barcelona's patron saint, the week-long Festes de la Merce is Barcelona's biggest annual festival: giants are paraded through the streets, concerts are held and the city as a whole enjoys seven days of firework displays and general merriment.