This is a guest post by Pol Comaposada, author of the travel blog Mundo-Nómada.com. Since no one knows his own city better than a local, Pol gives us 10 ideas to enjoy Barcelona.

The capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, is a city full of life. If you visit, you will enjoy it more in summer (from May to September) since with the heat you can make more street life and make better use of its beaches. However, in winter it also has its grace, especially in December and January when its streets are filled with lights and a Christmas atmosphere. The mountains of the Pyrenees are just over two hours away, so it's worth it to go both in winter (to ski) and in summer as recommend 5 star hotel barcelona

1) Plaça Catalunya and Les Rambles You can not say you've been to Barcelona if you have not walked the mythical street of Las Ramblas. This street starts at Plaça Catalunya, the most important street in the city, and goes down to the Columbus monument, near the sea. On both sides of the street is the old quarter of Barcelona, Ciutat Vella. One of the favorite attractions for tourists in the ramblas are the human statues, artists who with extremely elaborate costumes entertain walkers every day. You will also find flower shops, kiosks, (expensive) bars, restaurants, and many pickpockets! No one will steal you aggressively but every day tourist portfolios disappear. I recommend stopping at the bar Vienna (at the beginning of the street from Plaza Catalunya) and try the ham sandwich.

2) The Mercat de la Boqueria and Plaça Real You will find the Mercat de la Boqueria on the same street of Las Ramblas. It is a market of fruits and vegetables that little by little has been turning into a tourist attraction but that has not prevented to the grannies to continue buying there as always. It is the largest market in Catalonia and offers both local and exotic products. The Plaça Real is a trapezoidal square with a fountain in the middle. It is somewhat hidden next to the ramblas and is perfect to go out at night. There are several interesting pubs.

3) Ciutat Vella: the Gòtic and the Raval Ciutat Vella is the old quarter of the city and one of the reasons why I love Barcelona. The Ramblas cross this neighborhood and divide it into two parts: the Gothic and the Raval. The Gothic (to the right going down the ravines) is something more touristy. It is formed by narrow streets that may seem like a labyrinth. It is almost mandatory to get lost in these streets at least once in a lifetime. If you do, you may end up finding the Plaça del Rei a small square that will transport you to the Middle Ages. Nothing has changed since then! In the other part of the neighborhood, the Raval, live many of the city's immigrants (especially Indians and Pakistanis). It is a neighborhood not as careful as the Gothic where you will find many interesting bars and restaurants and at a good price.

4) The beaches Barcelona has nine beaches. They are very accessible and can be reached both walking and in the metro. All have services and are usually clean. The most famous is perhaps the one next to the two small skyscrapers of Barcelona, the Platja de la Barceloneta. In front of the beach there are several good restaurants where to eat a paella. Anyway, if you want good beaches, go to the Costa Brava, an hour's drive north of Barcelona.

5) The Parc de la Ciutadella It is a fairly large park located 15 minutes walk from the monument of Columbus. There is plenty of vegetation and a lake in the middle where you can rent the typical boat. It is a great place to spend evenings and especially on Sundays, when hundreds of young and not so young gather to juggle. There you will also find, in addition to the Barcelona Zoo, the Palau del Parlament de Catalunya.

6) Montjuïc Montjuïc is the small hill of 184 m. in front of the sea that can be seen from any point of the city. It owes its name to the Jews who buried their dead there. It is a very large park perfect to explore for a whole morning and reach the top of everything from where you will have great views of the city, especially from the castle that is at the top.

7) The Barri de Gràcia This small and old neighborhood was a town before completely joining Barcelona. Nowadays it is a perfect place to go out for drinks with the most authentic atmosphere in Catalonia. There you will find beer bars with independence flags next to pakistani kebabs 5 stars hotels Barcelona http://ift.tt/2p0czO1