• Best Champagne Bar: Sparkling wine in Spain is called cava, and often there is very little difference between the local version and what you get north of the border in France. El Xampanyet, a tiny, ceramic-lined cava bar opposite the Picasso Museum, has been serving up its house variety for eons and is one of the more atmospheric places to down a bottle or two.
  • Best Bar View: The trek up to the peak of Tibidabo is worth it for Mirablau, a chic bar that provides an unparalleled panoramic view of the city from its floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
  • Best Bar for Pre-Dinner Drinks: Strategically located just off the top end of La Rambla, Boadas is another historic watering hole, this time with its roots in Havana. Predictably, mojitos and daiquiris are a specialty, and it's relaxed enough that you can wander in casually dressed.
  • Best Tapas Bar: For a great all-round choice of tasty morsels from Catalonia the Taller de Tapas ("Tapas Workshop") is hard to beat. Local juicy prawns, marinated anchovies, and esqueixat (shredded salt cod in olive oil) head the list of goodies. It's my favorite of the five bars in this Barcelona chain.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.