In Spain, Barcelona is the city with the most fascinating avant-garde. You can trace the entire history of Twentieth Century art, from Gaudi to Miró, through its structures and museums. Spain's greatest artists have turned this cosmopolitan, sun-bathed city into an outlet for creativity and a source of inspiration.

No description of Barcelona would be complete without Antonio Gaudi. One of modernism's geniuses, he has left an everlasting imprint on the city’s streets. See the Park Güell, an illustration of his amazing architectural approach: a multicolored salamander, an undulating trencadis bench… You'll go from one surprise to the next. Impressed by his art? See more at Casa Milà, an undulating mass of stone, and one of the most imaginative buildings in the history of architecture, as well as the Sagrada Familia, recognized worldwide as the undisputed emblem of Barcelona. This temple, built on a spectacular scale, has been compared by some to a troglodyte palace or a melting candle. It is one of the most revolutionary religious monuments of the Nineteenth Century: Gaudi dedicated over forty years of his life to the building, which is yet to be finished.

You should also take some side trips to Barcelona's vast array of museums, which hold Picasso's and Miró's masterpieces. Follow their careers at the Picasso Museum, located in one of the Ribera district's stately palaces, and at the Joan Miró Foundation, where you can view all the facets of the artist's work, including his early paintings, sculptures and sketches. You will find culture at every step you take in Barcelona, city of Art and History, even in the privacy of your hotel. Indian Sculptures and a private Egyptian art museum at the Hotel Claris, paintings by Guinovart at the Derby Hotel and original Gordillo and Dali works at the Gran Derby Hotel… The Catalan capital's luxury hotels will delight your esthetic sensibilities. The perfect place to spend the night in a refined, exclusive atmosphere.

• Enjoy a gourmet escapade at the "East 47," the Hotel Claris' gourmet restaurant, which is updating the great classics of Mediterranean cuisine.

• Enjoy the Festa Major de Gràcia, the Feast of the Assumption, celebrated on August 15 in the picturesque Gràcia district: its residents compete in decorating the streets, with a prize going to the most imaginative street.

• Read Barcelonas by Manuel Vazquez Montalban, which chronicles life in Barcelona, to learn all the city's secrets.

• The Palau Güell, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage treasure, is the earliest example of the style Gaudi invented.

• The Sagrada Familia Museum, to grasp the full complexity of the architect's undertaking.

• Las Ramblas, the avenue bordering the Mediterranean, where you can stroll on a summer evening, and visit its art galleries, theaters and café terraces.