With its 1.7 million inhabitants, Barcelona is the second largest city of Spain as well as the capital of Catalonia. Since the Middle Ages it has always been a cultural centre dedicated to exceptional creativity. As you wander through the city, its squares, its gardens and along the Ramblas, you will discover its charm through a kaleidoscope of varied styles: Gothic art with its origins and its cathedral, Modern art with the extravagance of Gaudi and the works of the young Picasso... If you spend a few days here be sure to visit old Barcelona with its Gothic Quarter and the nearby Gothic palaces on Montcada Street. However Barcelona is of course also Las Ramblas, this tree-lined promenade bedecked with exotic markets and cafés as well as Gaudi, whose works such as the Sagrada Familia and the Parc Guell have added to the city's world-wide reputation.