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 mediaeval quarter of the Barri Gtic.

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 connections. The area is crammed with bars, cafs and small businesses the neighbourhood boasts over 1000 shops as well as a large shopping centre, the Corte Ingls. The cathedral in Barri Gtic is a masterpiece of mediaeval architecture and the area also has other tourist attractions like the Picasso Museum and the Cuitadella Parc, Barcelonas Garden.

The city hall and the Catalan government headquarters, the Palau de la Generalitat are on the Plaa St Jaume in the centre of Barrio Gotico. 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.