Spain

The combination of Bar Lobo/El Japonés includes everything that turns a restaurant visit into an event. The interior is very stylish, but still very comfortable. The people are cool, but very friendly. The food is creative and the offer is huge and colourful.   Upstairs they show art exhibitions that change regularly, while serving delicious Japanese food in the evenings. Speaking of evenings: don't leave this place too early on weekends and enjoy a cocktail after dinner. At midnight the restaurant turns into a disco with DJs putting on music..

Ca l'Isidre is considered to be one of the best restaurants in town and not only since, in 1986, HRH King Juan Carlos and his spouse HRH Queen Sophia celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary here. This true Catalonian kitchen, which has very little French influence, will allow you an extraordinary gourmet experience.   The menu changes every day, as owner Isidre Gironés pays a visit to the market and evaluates its offerings. He then decides what will be put on the menu that day. There is a huge selection of great wines which go along very well with your gazpacho, sea bass, scampi or turbot.

What would Barcelona be without chocolate? Still worth a trip, we happily admit that. However, there still would be an elementary part missing to complete your happiness. We recommend whenever possible to take a break at a coffee house and eat a piece of cake and never ever to resist dessert in a restaurant.   If that's still not enough than you should not miss out on Bubo?s. In this place sweets are treated like little treasures: chocolates, bonbons, chocolate cakes and cookies are displayed like jewellery in a show window. If you want to start nibbling straight away, you will be served coffee or champagne.

Probably the sweetest shop in the world and a must-visit for people with a sweet tooth. The staff wears hats and headbands made of sugar only on the website and does not exclusively eat caramel sushi; however, these people are real artists with sugar.   The colourful and tempting bonbons are presented in a stylish silver bag. Beautiful to look at, but they only last for a short time. Better to buy them in a jewellery glass or trial tube as this way, you get a lot more.   The bonbons are funny and colourful but a lot more impressive are the lollipops and ring fingers. A sweet testimony to your love with an expiry date. At Papabubble they are now working with 30 different flavours; everything is colourful and wonderful!

To be honest, this has nothing to do with Catalonian and not even with Spanish fashion. However you should still pay a visit to the store of the Korean fashion designer Julie Sohn if you are doing a shopping trip.   The store is very Asian with its little bit of Zen, little bit of Feng Shui but also a touch of cool New York style. The mix makes it somehow perfect and distracts you briefly from the fashion items presented. This is no surprise as the interior design of this shop has won an award.   The fashion also deserves an award: discrete and simple, but never boring and always stylish.

Everybody in search of something special will make a find at Pinzat. For ten years, the creative heads behind the trendy label have worked on their ideas and a considerable range of products.   The result: unique bags and backpacks made of vinyl, one of the oldest customary form of plastics. But don't think of stiff and grey plastic bags. The offer ranges from small, medium-sized to big bags which were designed by graffiti artists from all over the world. From motifs with flamenco dancers to landscapes - everything is possible and makes each and every piece unique.   In order to guarantee a longer lifespan, the products are sewed twice and an additional strap enables you to wear your bag at the waist and attach it to your bike's handlebar. Also available: more vinyl pieces for the safe transport on your bicycle.

They love white and you'll soon find out why: nothing is more relaxing after a colourful day in the city than to rest your eyes in this discrete and minimalistic ambience. Colourless does not mean boring.   The rooms are vibrant with colours that are created through a Led effect. In the middle of the room, you'll find a shower made of glass that puts the room in the categories of sexy and stylish. Rooms are available in the sizes of X, L or M. If you decide to go for small, you can spend some leisure time at the White Bar, whose name keeps all the promises. A double room is available from 86 euros per night.

Designers and architects created a great ambience for sophisticated people. Dark corridors lead to light rooms where modern design meets natural materials leaving you with a great feeling.   If you wish to do more for your well-being, then let yourself be pampered at the spa, have a fruit juice at the pool bar or enjoy dinner at the hotel restaurant Moo. The Moo holds one Michelin star and features a wine cellar with 600 different types of wine awaiting the connoisseur. Double rooms are available from 230 euros per night.

Altogether there are three of them. Two 987 Hotels are located in Prague, one in the historical centre and the other one is called Soho. The potential mix-up is intentional! The third 987 Hotel can be found in Barcelona, only a few minutes away from the Passeig de Grácia and the Sagrada Familia. From the outside, on the basis of the facade, the city's architectonic heritage cannot be missed. Several architects including the designer of the Barca stadium Camp Nou, Francesc Mitjans have jointly renovated the building in the course of the past century.   Inside the 987 delivers what a stylish design hotel in Barcelona promises. Elegant wooden floors, pink light and eye-catchers like the mysterious glitter lamp and the plush chair in the entrance area. The 88 rooms in the Eixample hotel also play with contrasts: stuccoed ceilings and heavy upholstery give the suites a royal touch, colourful glass and matching accessories appeal to the design-oriented Barcelona visitor.

The nice side of Place Reial is that you just can't get it under control. In this square, the Catalonian joy of life is celebrated day and night.   It can become rather noisy here and only recently the locals took to the streets with huge posters to stop the noise at night. Admittedly, they weren't very successful. It is still rather noisy but somehow the sound has become nicer. The street musicians need to proof in a casting that they are actually able to play before they are allowed to perform on the square.   Drug dealers have disappeared, as police officers take more frequent walks through the square. In other words, be it day or night, a coffee or a beer on one of the many terraces is always worthwhile.

The smallest part of Barcelona lies between the old harbor and the Platja de Barceloneta. Ahead is just endless sea. Once upon a time, this used to be a very small fishing village. In the 18th century, however, a man arrived with a drawing table and he re-organised the area. That is why the area is full of two-storey buildings with a footprint modelled on a chess board. The beach of Barceloneta is the nearest to the city and therefore popular on a nice day. However, we still recommend it. Especially the proximity to the sea shows the high quality of life of this metropolitan. Tip: in the evening there is a lot happening on this promenade. A few night clubs, bars and restaurants are situated here. If you would like to eat fish ask the locals for their current restaurant recommendation.

The most favourite, beautiful, colourful and best market hall is situated right at the Rambla. The hall was rebuilt in 1914 and is as busy as any high street. Michelin star chefs mix with hobby cooks, housewives and tourists while shopping for their produce. The vegetables and fruits stands are vibrant with their colours and inviting scents. Make sure you take a fresh fruit juice on your journey. Careful: the choice is huge! The fish section is very impressive and the produce very fresh indeed. If you cannot stomach seeing fresh fish that's still moving, you should stay well clear. In addition, there is an irresistible offer of cheeses, sausages, sweets, olives and snacks, which can be eaten straight away. Hot tip: the small restaurants around the market are the place to go to enjoy a glass of wine with some very fresh tapas.