Barcelona, Spain is a destination not too far away but for some it may feel like a world in its own. XM writer Jennifer Niejadlik traveled there recently and she gives some advice on what to do and where to go. 

The locals call it Catalan. Barcelona is a city of wonder when it comes to its architecture and food.  In the La Ribera neighborhood you’ll find one of the best tapas restaurants, Cal Pep. You may have to push your way to the bar seating as there are only five small tables available. Eighteen stools adorn the eat-in bar. There is no menu and no price list. It is best to leave your tapas choices to the waiter who will suggest dishes made from the catch of the day. A few things not to miss are: “cloisses amb pernil”, the clams with pancetta ham, or the “trifasic”, a basket of deep fried calamari, whitebait fish and prawns. Another combination that will melt in your mouth is the calamari tossed with a light tomato sauce and chick peas. The local red wine from Rioja is another pallet defining choice that will tickle your taste buds. The earthy flavors are rich and velvety. Moving on to dessert, the Catalona crème mousse is rich and creamy. It is just enough sweetness to leave you feeling complete. Now that you have a full belly it’s time to take a walking tour of the Antoni Gaudi designed church, “Temple de la Sagrada Familia”, and grand residence “Casa Batllo”. Gaudi’s architecture is unique where it displays characteristics of nature. In the “Temple de la Sagrada Familia” the beams are shaped like giant tree trunks. Gaudi oversaw construction of this church for forty years and it is still being worked on today. In the “Casa Batllo” shaped of wooden turtle shells are seen throughout. The environment plays a big part in Gaudi’s influences. The street sidewalks are even made of octagon shaped concrete tiles with a serpent and flower in each one.  

Fundacio Joan Miro is an extraordinary museum located on the hill top of Montjuic, with the largest collection of art from Joan Miro. He was born in the Barri Gothic in 1893 and lived until 1983. The Miro museum consists of 300 paintings, 150 sculptures, some textiles and more than 7000 drawings spanning through his entire life. 

After a full day it’s time to rest your head, Hotel Claris is a stroll away from the main international designer shopping street, Passeig de Gracia. Hotel Claris features junior suites with an upstairs living room within your accommodations. The hotel would be an ideal place to stay during warmer days as it has an outdoor roof top pool. And if you haven’t seen enough the hotel houses a collection of Egyptian artifacts, a fifth-century Roman mosaic and original Warhol lithographs. The best place to book a flight and a room is on tablethotels. This travel web site is offered in eight languages and has a currency converter built in. KLM and Transavia also offer direct flights.