The historic centre of Barcelona is divided in two by the famous Las Ramblas boulevard. To the left, as you go down towards the sea and the towering monument to Christopher Colombus, is the maze of dark winding streets that make up the charming medieval quarter of the Barri Gotico. Here, as elsewhere in the old town, the serious lack of parking space and restrictions on traffic are almost completely resolved by excellent public transport (underground and bus) connections. The area is crammed with bars, cafes and small businesses (the neighbourhood boasts over 1000 shops as well as the large Corte Ingles shopping centre). The cathedral in Barri Gotico is a masterpiece of medieval architecture and the area also has other major tourist attractions such as the Picasso Museum and the Cuitadella Parc, (Barcelona's Garden). The city hall and the Catalan government headquarters, the Palau de la Generalitat are on the Plaa St Jaume in the centre of Barri Gotica. Down towards the sea-front, beyond the chic and arty El Borne neighbourhood, the recently renovated local beaches and harbour of Port Vell make up the quarter known as Barceloneta which has some of the finest seafood restaurants in town. The large shopping complex of Maremagnum, which also houses bars, restaurants, amusement arcades and discotheques, is located at the revamped Port Vell, along with the Aquarium and the Imax cinema centre.

Eixample's neat grid of intersecting quadrangular blocks makes a striking contrast with the labyrinthine old town. This fashionable and up-market district extends northwards from the central Plaa de Catalunya and is a living monument to the flamboyant Moderniste (Art Nouveau) architectural style which has become Barcelona's trademark. Here beats the thriving business and commercial heart of Barcelona, with a high density of professional offices, as well as art galleries, bars, restaurants and shops of all descriptions, from chain-stores and boutiques to uniquely Catalan speciality shops. Along with the Cuitat Vella, Eixample also has the highest concentration of cinemas and theatres in Barcelona. The elegant tree-lined boulevard of Passeig de Gracia divides the quarter into Eixample Dret (right) and Eixample Esquerra (left). Cut across by wide streets like Avenue Diagonal and Gran Via and dotted with small parks, the area is also extremely well served by underground and bus services. For the hardened motorist, however, there is a limited amount of metered parking space. Eixample Dret has the largest concentration of Moderniste buildings in Barcelona, including several by Antoni Gaudi: La Pedrera, Casa Batll, and the church of La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, and the city's most visited monument.

Many tourists enjoy a trip to the top of Montjuc (taking the cable car up from Barceloneta). The site of the 1992 Olympics, the Montjuc park offers excellent public sporting facilities like the swimming pools at Piscinas Picornell, tennis courts and walking trails as well as the Olympic stadium, now home to the Espanyol football club. On the summit the Castell de Montjuc, a fortress built at the end of the 17th century on the site of the ancient Jewish cemetery, is now home to the Military Museum. When the World Fair was held in Barcelona in 1929, the mountain was remodelled and numerous museums and galleries dot the verdant gardens on the hillside most notably the Poble Espanyol, the re-creation of a composite Spanish village. Near the top, the Fondeci Joan Mir houses a comprehensive collection of this famous Catalan artists works. The Museu Nacional Art de Catalunya and the exhibition grounds of the Fira de Barcelona are located further down. After sunset, Monjuc becomes a lively night spot with its many bars,clubs and restaurants and tourist attractions like the Magic Fountain. The late-late nightlife with trendy clubs and bars that stay open till 6.00 am and the growing gay population give this part of Barcelona a round-the-clock buzz.