Barcelona: the good, the bad and the ugly for visitors

THE GOOD

From Gaudi to Jordi, soccer to fashion, Barcelona is on many a bucket list. The stylish city packs a hefty sightseeing punch so, grab your camera, slip on a pair of comfy shoes and head underground. The metro system is as user-friendly as our own MTR – pick up a T10 ticket (10 journeys) and make a beeline for Plaça de Catalonia. After admiring the neoclassical statues, feeding the pigeons and buying match tickets at the tourist office, pause for coffee and a spot of people watching at local landmark Café Zurich. As soon as the caffeine kicks in, set off along Las Ramblas, the broad pedestrianised boulevard that serves as ground zero for tourists.

Jugglers, street artists and souvenir kiosks compete for your attention and the tree-lined thoroughfare is home to countless cafés and eateries. Las Ramblas is never more crowded than on Sant Jordi Day, each April, when couples exchange gifts – a rose for the women and a book for the men (guys here still seem to prefer that to a computer game). Sweethearts browse the stalls in search of the perfect present, distinguished authors sign copies of their books and the heady smell of roses fills the air.

Talking of fragrant surroundings, enlightened local authorities are addressing air and noise pollution with an initiative designed to confine heavy vehicular traffic to large perimeter roads. The scheme, known as superblocks, will transform side streets into vehicle-restricted “citizen spaces”, with an emphasis on leisure, cultural and community activities.