Overlooking Barcelona, Montjüic is a hilltop vantage point a world away from the labyrinthine streets of the city below. Explore the castle and botanic gardens, and see the grand Olympic Stadium originally built for the 1929 Olympics and refurbished for the 1992 Games.

There are a number of beaches in and within easy reach of the city. Barceloneta is the closest to the city centre and both the most famous and most popular. There's plenty of beach volleyball and ping pong on offer, as well as places to find fresh seafood. Head to Nova Icaria if you're after something a little more sedate, with the same range of beach activities on offer on a smaller scale. For something altogether quieter, make your way north to Platja d'Ocata, a pristine, tranquil stretch of beautiful golden sand.

Discover Barcelona's rich heritage in this vast living museum, with its main building on Plaça del Rei. The Museu d'Historia de Barcelona (MUHBA) contains the remains of Roman villas, an underground winery and the largest Roman excavation outside Rome.

For a true taste of art deco, head to Cinematheque Tanger, an all-artist-run creative hub. The theatre is North Africa’s first arthouse cinema and has masterclasses on independent films. 

Find a moment of calm from the bustling kasbah at La Terrasse De Dar El Kasbah. This colourful 19th-century tea house is stationed in the original 1884 building, the first English telegraph line between Tangier and Gibraltar. 

Tangier fell under the Carthaginian settlement and remnants of this past are evident at Cape Spartel. One of its biggest draws is the ornate lighthouse and nature reserve with its epic views of the sea.