Company's Guide to Barcelona

1. It's so quick to get to!

It's easy to forget quite how near Barcelona is. Catch the 8am flight from London and you'll be in the heart of the city by lunchtime, primed and ready to hunt out some tapas and cava to get your weekend started.

We flew with Vueling, who operate more than 290 routes in 131 airports all over Europe, Middle East and Africa and offer year round flights to Barcelona from London Gatwick. Fares, including taxes, starting from €49,99 one way. And the best bit about Vueling... they let you have your little cabin wheelie suitcase AND a handbag! No more deciding between those two pairs of shoes for your weekend away. Take both! (www.vueling.com/en)

Travel & beauty tips from a frequent flyer

2. It's got its own equivalent of hipster East London.

If you’re looking for the equivalent of cool East London in sunny Barcelona then Raval is the district to head to. The area is full of quirky bars, vintage shops and restaurants.

We loved Bar Marsella (Carrer de Sant Pau, 65, 08001 Barcelona). It’s the oldest bar in Barcelona where the traditional drink on the menu is absinthe. We stuck to a nice G&T but let's just say, they are generous on the Gin measures in Barca (#tipsy). Apparently famous Spanish artists such as Miro and Picasso used to drink in Bar Marsella back in the day, which explains a lot when you see their work! The interior is amazing and worth the stop off just to Insta that.

We also visited the craft market right on the Rambla del Raval – great for artsy postcards, prints and jewellery. And just a short walk from the Raval district is the Gothic Quarter. Look out for Petritxol Street, known informally as Chocolate Street. If you’re into a bit of history, Barcelona was the first city in Europe to have chocolate due to its history in shipping and proximity to Africa. Definitely make sure you try some Churros dipped in chocolate sauce!

3. It's got one of the most Insta-worthy hotels we've ever seen.

You have to stay at the amazingly stylish Barcelo Raval. It's only 20 minutes by taxi from the airport and is perfectly located in Raval to be in the heart of the action. Located on La Rambla del Raval, it's exterior design is unique and now iconic in Barcelona. Black metal grills surround the elliptical structure - and it's this shape that means every room benefits from an amazing view of the city.

Once inside the first thing you notice is that the Barcelo Raval's interior is seriously stylish. Flock wallpaper, tubular ceiling decorations, over sized lampshades, velvet banquettes, it's an Instagrammer’s dream. Oh and did we mention there's free wifi too. Insta-perfect.

Up in your room you can chill out to your own tunes (iPhone/iPod dock provided) whilst taking in the incredible view of the city as you sit on your ginormous bed. It's all super techy, even the curtains are motorised!

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To get an even better view you have to go up to the 11th floor and walk round the 360 terrace. You can see all the key touristy sites plus the sea! It's easy to forget Barcelona has it's own beach when you're caught up in the hubbub of the city. It's a busy beach but we loved the fact we could catch the Metro to the seaside!

The best bit about the Barcelo Raval? There's a bar and a pool on this 360 terrace so you can sunbathe by day and enjoy a sangria by night as the sun sets over the. Once the sun sets it's time to hit the cocktails and where better to do that, than back down to the hotel's ground floor and the B Lounge. Open to guests and visitors, it has DJ sessions every weekend to get your night off to a good start. And the best thing to get rid of a Sunday hangover? The Raval Brunch served in the B Lounge restaurant from midday until 4pm - fresh fruit, freshly baked pastries, tapas, salads...and cava if you can handle a glass! And its served buffet style so you can keep going back for seconds, thirds…

The Barcelo Raval is that right mix of super cool hotel, but not intimidatingly so. The staff make you feel incredibly welcome and the service is what you’d expect from a boutique hotel. But without the prices breaking the bank. Its great for a weekend away with the boyfriend or a girls mini-break as the location makes it easy to cab it to all the main tourist spots (taxis are really cheap, especially in a group) and walk to all the cool shops and bars locally.

Prices at Barcelo Raval start from €110 (£92) per room per night. Price based on two people sharing on a B&B basis. Visit www.barceloraval.com for more info.

­­4. You can never eat too much tapas!

That is a Barcelona fact. Tapas is everything and we pretty much ate our body weight in it. Try Taller de Tapas for lunch (www.tallerdetapas.com) but make sure you set aside an hour or two to really enjoy the huge selection of tapas you will want to order. This is not the place to grab a quick snack and run, its too good! Check out our pictures above and follow them on instagram (@tallerdetapasbcn) and you’ll see what we mean!

For dinner if you’re staying near the Barcelo Raval try Bar Raval for drinks and dinner – it’s a two minute walk from the hotel at the top of the Rambla del Raval. The risotto balls are incredible!

5. The shopping is amazing

The Raval district is full of interesting little quirky shops and some amazing vintage stores where prices are much better than the UK. Here are our faves:

El Bigote del Senor Smith (www.bigotesmith.com) Joaquin Costa, 38

The front of this store is like walking into a modern art gallery with brightly coloured prints hanging on white brick walls. At the back though is a selection of cool jewellery and interiors pieces which will definitely fit into your hand luggage.

Fusta’m (www.fustam.cat) Joaquin Costa, 62

You’ll feel like you’ve walked right into an Aladdin’s cave of vintage interiors pieces.

La Central del MACBA (www.lacentral.com) Placa dels Angels, 1

Full of amazing stationery, this is the place to pick up arty postcards, pencils and notebooks all with a stylish Spanish twist. Located right next to the Museum of Contemporary art, head there in early evening to check out all the cool kids using the area as an unofficial skatepark!

Lullaby Carrer de la Riera Baixa, 22

We defy you to leave this shop empty handed! Definitely the place to go if you love vintage clothes and handbags!