Barcelona

This Month in Barcelona:

Shopping: One of Europe's premier food markets, La Boqueria is half grocery store, half tourist attraction. Sneak past the camera-wielding hordes taking photos of sheep's brains for better deals on meat, cheese and seafood at the back. Look out for stalls selling fresh fruit juice, sangria and hot chocolate (91 La Rambla, tel: 93 318 2584).

Sightseeing: It's the time of year when Barcelona's musos get excited as Primavera Sound heaves into view. 30 May will see free concerts by Saint Etienne, Black Lips and others on Passeig Lluis Companys, whilst on the 31st, the action kicks off properly at Parc del Forum (sanmiguelprimaverasound.es).

Key areas: With the grand Santa Maria del Mar Gothic church, the tree-lined Passeig del Born square, weird museums (such as the Chocolate Museum and the Mammoth Museum), and plenty of hip bars, restaurants and boutiques in hidden alleys, El Born is one barrio worth bothering with.

Day trips: The sleepy village of Sant Pol de Mar makes for a nice contrast to bustling Barcelona, and gourmands will have already noted that the three-star Sant Pau Restaurant (see above) makes its home here. During the day, take a walk on the Cami de Ronda coastal footpath to find hidden coves and beaches.

Barcelona News & Gossip

Benicassim Festival

Whatever else you're up to this summer, be sure to save 12-15 July for partying with the hordes at Benicassim. Those who have been to this four-day music festival say it's Europe's best and this year they might be right. An impressive line-up has already been confirmed, with Bob Dylan, reformed Manchester band The Stone Roses, Florence and the Machine and Noel Gallagher booking out the main stage, and more names pending. What makes it really special, however, is the setting: when things hot up in the crowds, just pop along to the beach and cool down in the Med. benicassimfestival.co.uk

Barcelona Trivia

• May: "Sant Pol, quina hora és?" is a famous Catalan phrase meaning "Sant Pol, what time is it?" The story goes that after the sundial of Sant Pol was destroyed by adverse weather, the villagers came up with the none-too-bright idea of covering up the replacement to stop the same thing happening again. When word got out of their mistake, neighbouring villages started to take the mickey by asking "Sant Pol, quina hora és?"

• April: Whilst celebrating Sant Jordi's day on 23 April, you may well hear the oft-quoted fact that both Cervantes and Shakespeare died on this very day in 1616 (hence the tradition of giving books). Establish yourself as a first-rate pedant by pointing out that in fact they died 10 days apart, as the Spaniards at that time used the Gregorian calendar, the English, the Julian.

• March: Thought onions were round? Not here in Catalonia. March signals the end of calcots season, so grab some of the lanky, leek-like onions while you can. They're usually served in restaurants and tapas bars with tangy romesco sauce. Many locals make pilgrimages (calcotadas) to nearby villages to barbecue them en masse.

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