Europe has the highest density of historical experiences per land mass, while the availability of budget airlines means that you can have plenty of short city breaks to choose. If it's a short break for the family, a memorable stag or hen weekend with your closest friends, or a cultural experience with a loved one, it's guaranteed to be an experience you'll not get back home.

Often praised as one of the best cities in the world, Barcelona is where you are able to experience the ancient and modern simultaneously, and where all your senses will truly be filled.

Be sure that that your travel plans include visits to architecture designed by the Catalonian artist Antoni Gaudi, a journey to Montjuic Mountain to view the city stretching from the shoreline to the mountains is also a delight. Barcelona is able to please even the most astute travellers, don't miss the Picasso Museum with its all inclusive insight into the life and works of the celebrated artist, or the Nou Camp football stadium, home to FC Barcelona, is a pretty amazing place to visit as it is the biggest stadium in Europe.

All over the city you will be amazed at the art museums and architecture that denote Barcelona, but it is the Gaudi masterpieces that stand out the most, and the most visited is the church of Sagrada Familia for its religious significance and stunning architecture.

Two of the greatest buildings built by Antoni Gaudi on Passeig de Gracia are Batllo and La Pedrera. The outside of Casa Batllo has been cleverly designed to remind you of skulls and bones and way up high on the roof is a dragon, struck by a turret with a cross interpreted to be the sword of St. George. When you explore the interior you realize the attention to detail Gaudi spent on his designs and how each little part has been given such a lot of attention and thought.

The Torre Agbar was inspired by Gaudi but designed by Jean Nouvel who has created the shape to mirror the surrounding mountains of Montserrat, and reflect a rising geyser of water. Measuring 144m high, the tower has thirty-eight storeys as well as four levels underground and is constructed with reinforced concrete covered with red and blue glass panels. In the evenings the Tower is brightly lit up by LED lights in more than four thousand five hundred of its windows panes.

Make certain you take the Tramvia Blau up Tibidabo Mountain for the splendid views and enjoyable cycling tours, a great way to investigate the gorgeous surroundings. Afterwards the Funicular de Tibidabo will take you up the park at the very top where most of the rides originate from 1889, and the reason why the park has such a traditional feel about it.

Besides architecture, Barcelona is also legendary for its art of living it up at night, where there is a mixture of clubs and lounges comprising virtually every theme for all tastes and budgets. Barri Gothic and Las Ramblas, both in the city centre, have a great Gothic ambiance hence they are favoured by tourists as well as locals and there are many cool places to discover that are loved by the locals but are not bashful with tourists either. There is already an established stag and hen weekend scene here where packages generally include lodging and club entrances too, but the organizers cater to any kind of trips so if you just want a holiday with a group of friends who also enjoy the same kind of music as you then check them out online.

A trip away for a few days doesn't necessarily have to involve a city break of course; there are heaps of other options to choose from. Benefit from all that free time by taking the time to chill and get your energy back, perhaps the beach might be a better option for you, or a day or two walking the mountain paths? A last minute escape can be a real good deal and it's easy enough to see why Barcelona appeals to such a diverse range of people with its affluence of art galleries, weird and wonderful architecture, chic shopping boutiques, irresistible watering holes and dining options, and night-time venues and beaches. The profusion of apartments and hotels makes reservation simple to organise, so don't miss out on this charming city.