The Roman colony of Barcino’s city walls -the remains of which can still be found in the old town - date back to the 4th century BC. However, it’s the striking Gothic architecture in Barri Gòtic, as well as the city’s intriguing modernist constructs around Eixample, that lend Barcelona its signature surrealist skyline. Late 19th-century works by legendary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí are the star of the show, with the bizarre turrets of La Sagrada Família cathedral crowning Barcelona’s creative buzz.

Architecture aside, Barcelona has everything from a bar and restaurant-rimmed beach - host to many a music festival in summer - to a thriving arts scene. Museums are stacked with works by Barcelona-born Joan Miró, while its trendier quarters broadcast a thriving talent for street art. Foodies shouldn’t pass up an opportunity for a chilled aperitif - and tapas, of course -in the lively Las Ramblas market.

Summers in the city are sizzling, with August reaching peak temperatures of 31°C and La Barceloneta beach drawing in a flux of surfers and sunbathers. The weather in the Catalan city is always pleasant, though, making this a popular destination year-round.

Venture beyond Barcelona’s bustling bars and cafés, and serenity awaits. The Montserrat’s lofty peaks, overlooking the city from a cool hour’s drive inland, are a favourite among hikers and nature-lovers. If scaling its slopes on foot feels a little too strenuous, a sedate five-minute cable car ride will deliver you to the mountain’s main observation deck for yawning views across the city and beyond.

Sun-worshippers should make their way along the Costa Dorada, which aptly translates as ‘gold coast’. Sitges, a sleepy coastal town by day, erupts into a cacophony of conviviality come evening, its bars and restaurants humming with fiesta spirit. Explore the Costa Brava (‘wild coast’) north of Barcelona for private coves - you’ll certainly find them around the pretty horseshoe bays of Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc.

Girona is a 90-minute drive northeast of Barcelona and offers a cultural fix of a more genteel kind. Ascend 91 stone steps to explore its immense cathedral, which rose to popular fame in season six of Game of Thrones. If visiting in May, don’t leave without admiring the Temps de Flors, which carpets Barri Vell in a vibrant tapestry of flowers.

Hire car with Avis in Barcelona to access Catalonia’s vineyard-carpeted landscapes, golden beaches and pretty coastal villages.