Barcelona is an urban masterpiece on the Mediterranean coast line. It offers spectacular art in the form of cuisine, museums, gallerias, and architecture. Barcelona City isn't known for it's beaches so if you want to bathe in crystal blue waters head to the Costa Brava or Tarragona. Sitges is a fun and safe destination for gays. Costa Brava is the coast line north of Barcelona and Tossa de Mar is incredible. Expect rocky beaches.

Thinks to see in Barcelona:

- Get to know the successes of Catalunya's favorite architect, Gaudi, by walking in his master pieces such as Sagradia Familia, Casa Batllo, and Parc Guell. Regardless what you find yourself exploring, you'll see Gaudi's intersection between nature and the indoors. Book Sagrada Familia in advance to avoid very long lines, it is worth the visit.

Museums:

- Do you enjoy art? In Barcelona you'll find Picasso Museum and see his first masterpieces as a young teenager to his art from his late years and how he transformed as an artist throughout his lifetime. Do you want to get lost in the minds of creatives like Dali or Gaudi? Visit their homes that have been transformed into museums. Dali's home in Figuerres is easily accessible by regional train, and you immerse yourself in his surreal art. It's called Dali Theatre-Museum and make sure you have tickets in advance. Salvador-Dali.org is the official website.

- Want to tease your senses? Go tapa hopping on the famous Career de Blai in El Poble-Sec neighborhood. Wherever you go and eat, make sure you go for family style eating so you can try it all! "Raciones" are big plates meant for sharing while "Tapas" are meant for individual consumption or for a small bite for a larger group.

Our favorite restaurants:

- "Bar del Pla" or "Cañate" for tapas.

Go to a "marcat" to find fresh produce, juice, and local bars and eateries. Everyone from your group will find something they life. Try Mercat de Boqueria (this is the most famous tourist mercat), Mercat de Sant Antoni, El Mercat del Ninot. Check out what the foodies of Reddit recommend.

Parks:

- Parc Guell

- Parc de la Ciutadella

- Take the Teleferic de Montjuic to Castell de Montjuic

Shopping: Walk along Passeig de Gracia for high-end designers. Walk through the maze of the Gothic Quarter for quirky finds.

- Breath Taking Views: At the cross in Parc Guell.

Madrid is where Chema and Maggie met and where Maggie worked and lived for 3 years. So it's certainly close to our hearts. This is where you go to feel like a local.

Good coffee:

- Federal Cafe

- Toma Cafe

- Mafrens (used from "My Friends")

Wine bars:

- La Canibal

- La Cruda for amazing natural wines and phenomenal tapas

- Alimentacion Quiroga

Restaurants:

- Pizza Posta is serving up Neapolitan pizza. This is where Chema and Maggie met for the first time sharing the Funghi Pizza.

- Get churros con chocolate at 24/7 Chocolateria San Gines. 1 cup of chocolate is generally good for 2 people, it is a thick dark chocolate.

- Platea Madrid is a higher end tapas market with many food stalls serving up fancy small bites.

- Get a Spanish/Japanese fusion at Yakitoro by Chicote (Spain has amazing tuna, often exported to Japan for sashimi). Madrid has the best seafood in Spain and one of the best in the world.

- Get croquetas at Casa Julio

- Get tortilla de patatas (Spanish omlette) at Pez Tortilla

- Maggies all time favorite restaurant for tapas and raciones for sharing is Sanlucar, serving up food from Cadiz and sherry from Jerez!

- DeAtun - for the best tuna dishes, owned by people from Cadiz where the best tuna is fished and exported world-wide

- Get amazing Chinese at Kungfu Bar&Restaurant

- Tipea fusion restuarant

- La Castela for fresh seafood

Bites and Grub:

- Get a "Zapato" (shoe) at Melo's for a hangover cure or before going out for a long night

- Go to any Mercado and eat at a small local food stall. YUM! Mercado San Anton is where Chema and. Maggie went the second day they met each other while Jake was working and Maggie was 'baby sitting' Chema.

Rooftop Bars:

- Terraza de Sabastini hotel rooftop with stunning views of the Royal Palace

- NH Collection Madrid Gran Via hotel has a rooftop bar and restuarant

- Terraza Cibeles - you have to go inside of CentroCentro cultural center and take the right hand side elevator up. There is a minimum spend per person here.

Shopping

- Go high-end shopping on Calle Serrano, you can start at Puerta Alcala

- For something quirky check out Calle Fuencarral. For the Inditex empire (Zara, Mango, Stradivarius) go to Gran Via.

Things to do:

- On Sunday go to Mercado El Rastro for a used and new street market along La Latina.

- Relax at this Arab spa: Hammam Al Andalus for Arab baths, a body scrub or massage.

- Visit the Royal Palace to feel like a princess for a day (buy tickets in advance)

Parties:

- Toni 2 Piano Bar - I've never been, but it's self explanatory

- If you show up at a place "early" which is usually before 1am your entrance is a drink ticket. Go to the bar and ask them to use it and they'll tell you what you can get. Typically it'll be a mixed drink (gin&tonic, rum&coke, vodka&soda)

- La Negra Tomasa cuban bar for live cuban music and social dancing (there's usually a cover at the door)

- Party to groovy electronic tunes at Cafe Berlin.

Visit beautiful medieval villages [that are not abandoned], which include stunning medieval Ainsa and Boltaña or take a break from the city and hike/bike/climb in the Pyrenees by staying in my favorite destination Benasque. Check out Barbastro and their delicious cousins. What are they known for, you ask? For their tomatoes.