Luxury holidays in L'Eixample
Instantly recognisable (and handily navigable) thanks to its signature grid-like layout, L’Eixample in Barcelona swaps the Old City’s snaking cobblestones for wide 19th-century avenues. The district carries cultural clout to match its ancient neighbours: take in Gaudí’s hallucinogenic greatest hits – you’ll find La Sagrada Família, La Pedrera and Casa Batlló here – stock up on designer glad rags on the Passeig de Gràcia, then flaunt your new finery as you sample the sumptuous local fine dining. After dark, there are endless options to keep the cava flowing: flit between decadent cocktail lounges, hip student hangouts and Gaixample, the barrio’s glittering gay club scene.
When to go
Locals leave August – when the city can get a little sweaty and attractions often close – to the tourists. Aim to avoid public holidays: they trigger an exodus that means things tend to be shut.