Stroll along the flower-scented Rambla to seafront promenades, and fill up on tapas and whacky architecture on Barcelona city breaks.

Meandering off the city's main drag of La Rambla, the Gothic Quarter's winding lanes lead to the pointy spires of Barcelona Cathedral. In orderly contrast, elegant avenues stretch northwards to L'Eixample and the wonky contours of La Sagrada Família church. Roller-bladers and joggers fill the promenade snaking along the beachfront from Barceloneta to the Olympic Port, while cable cars swing up to the hills of Montjuïc and Tibidabo, offering great panoramic views.

Best of Barcelona city breaks for...

• Families: Gingerbread houses greet you at the entrance to Güell Park, a hillside garden where lizard-shaped garden seats glitter with mosaics in the sunshine. Play hide and seek behind tree-shaped columns and look for parakeets nesting between the sculptures.
• Active types: Feeling energetic? Head to the coast and join the surge of roller-bladers gliding along Barceloneta boardwalk to the string of seven beaches stretching north. Or try your hand at kiteboarding. Afterwards, quench your thirst with a refreshing cerveza at a laid-back beach bar.
• Relaxing: Take a leisurely saunter through the narrow lanes and catch glimpses of leafy courtyards in the Gothic Quarter. If you're feeling arty, pop into the Picasso Museum to check out works from his early Blue and Rose periods.
• Romance: When dusk falls, ooh and aah as splashing jets morph from pink to turquoise at the Magic Fountain. Rainbow-coloured illuminations light up lovers' eyes as the cascades dance to a soundtrack of cheesy ballads.
• Nightlife: Weekend breaks in Barcelona are all about nibbling tapas at a buzzing champagne bar. Graze on olives and anchovies at a zinc bar, or find a seat in a tile-lined alcove to glug sparkling cava.
  
  

Getting into Barcelona from Barcelona Airport

• Trains run half-hourly from the airport to meet the Barcelona Metro at Sants Station, a 20-minute journey. Alternatively, airport buses take around 40 minutes to deposit you in central Plaça de Catalunya.
• Official black-and-yellow taxis reach the city centre in about 30 minutes.
  
  

Getting around on weekend breaks in Barcelona

• Public transport: The Metro is easily the best way to get around Barcelona, with five routes snaking across the city. Bus routes fan out from Plaça de Catalunya, including the 11pm to 4am nightbus.
• Bicycle: Bike lanes make cycling an easy option, and there are several bike-hire firms.