Little visual evidence remains of Barcelona’s medieval Jewish quarter, and what there is has been painstakingly unearthed from centuries of building and construction. Situate yourself in the small swathe of Carrers l’ Arc de Sant Roman, Call, Bisbe, and Sant Sever and you’ll be in the thick of it, then imagine the terror on August 5^th, 1391 when the Call was attacked by a mob of anti-semites and 300 people killed in the space of an hour. Only one of the two original Call synagogues remains and it’s open to the public. Inside you’ll see an austere, cave-like place of worship, jusxaposed with Roman vestiges and, if you are interested, a helpful receptionist who will fill you in the on the history of El Call.

This Born Street was the most upmarket address in Barcelona in the 12^th century. Boasting a string of compact mansions where medieval trading families once dwelt, they were built around large open courtyards and closed off from the nosy or hostile behind thick wooden doorways.

Many of these buildings have now been converted into bars, museums and galleries making C/ Montcada one of the most popular streets in the city partly due to its biggest attraction, the Museu Picasso.

Even though it’s a busy street with many tourists, its largely free of kitsch souvenir shops and has some smart galleries and shops, which fit the mood and style of the street. The famous Maeght Gallery (Nº 25) has a sweeping courtyard with a staircase of wonderful columns. It exhibits the work of new and established artists and also has an excellent bookshop. At Nº 20 the 17th-century Palau Dalmases, complete with overblown staircase and spacious inner court, now promotes itself as an Espai Barroc (Baroque Space), where you can sip an expensive cocktail amid red velvet and dripping candles.

From the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries, the wide-open, tree-lined Passeig del Born was the main hub of Barcelona. It hosted most of the city’s public festivities; jousting, carnivals and even that fun-filled Inquisition spectacle of burning of heretics at the stake.

It’s a special place both during the day, when it has a shaded, peaceful ambiance, and in the evening as a nightlife destination. The transition happens naturally, with both locals and tourists darting in and out of the compact, cosy streets that run off the Passeig del Born seeking out bars, restaurants and eclectic little boutiques. It’s a great place for people watching, and it’s easy to imagine it always has been.

There are some fab little bars on Passeig del Born; we like Copetin (Nº19) for authentic Cuban mojitos served against a backdrop of great rhythms and free popcorn and the café-bar Rosal  (Nº27) right at the end in front of the market.

The Passeig del Born is a great place to meet friends and many do, picking up slices of tasty pizza slices and cool beers from the street sellers, who have a canny knack of being close by when you really need them.

In the late 18^th century Barcelona was hemmed in by the boundaries of the old city walls. It was over-populated and disease ridden, with most residents living in squalid hovels (it could be attested that some poor folk still do). So the city planners called for an ‘extension’ or ‘Eixample’. The project was awarded to the prolific Ildefons Cerdá, who, as a first, drew up an outline on a gird system. As it took shape, the modernista architects of the time (including Gaudí) filled this ordered new district with their fanciful residential buildings for the nouveau riche. Many of course still remain, which is why the Eixample is often referred to as an ‘open-air museum’.

But over time many of Cerdá’s original plans for his utopian Eixample were lost. One of the most endearing aspects was the patis interiors, or community spaces located in the interior of every block. Over the past ten years or so the city’s authorities have acquired forty or so the plots back, and converted them into compact little community parks and gardens, along the lines of Cerdá’s original wishes.

One of the first pati’s to be reclaimed is located at the base of a water tower. A shallow bathing pool was installed, where for less than a euro kids can splash around to their heart’s content. But out of season it’s worth visiting too. As so the case with all the patis, it provides a respite from the bustle and traffic of this very urban hood.

If the crowds, or the five-euro entry fee, turn you off entering the cathedral then wander instead to the Archdeacon’s House, located more or less in the middle of the cathedral’s meandering complex.  Austere from the outside, step through the Renaissance portal (no-one seems to mind) and you can admire an adorable Andaluz-style patio with palm trees, a central fountain and basket arches. Before you leave, have a look at the casa’s letterbox; a delicate, carved work by modernista architect Dòmenech I Montaner. The swallow and the tortoise are said to euphemism for Spain’s snail-paced postal service, and many would say that things haven’t changed since it was installed in 1902. The building now holds the city’s archives, and you are welcome to do some research there (you’ll need some I.D.).

Tucked away in the bowels of the Barri Gótic you’ll find four soaring columns, the remains of the original Roman temple of Augustus. If your lucky and time it right you’ll be the only person there, affording a moment or two to contemplate Barcelona’s antiquity; close your eyes and imagine this was the largest structure in a lonely outpost populated by a few toga-wearing Romans. The columns are now enclosed by the jumbled topography of the Barri Gótic, and the overall juxtaposition is awesome.

A local landmark and inspired by London’s Covent Garden, the Mercat del Born was the Barcelona’s principal wholesale market until the mid-1970s when the wholesalers were moved to Mercabarna on the city’s outskirts (you can still see a few olive and fish wholesalers around the Born, though they are rapidly disappearing). Recent excavation work inside the building has revealed entire streets and homes dating back to the 18th century.

The discovery of these ruins sealed the edifice’s fate as a new museum and interpretative centre where they will be able to be viewed via glass flooring and a walkway, but there are also plans to have artist studio space available.

The project is scheduled to be finished sometime in late 2011, but that’s what was said in 2005 so we’ll just have to wait and see. If it does, it will be wonderful to traverse the building from the end of the Passeig del Born and continue right onto the Passeig Mercantil and Parc de la Ciutadella on the other side. There are lots of new places opening here, in anticipation so lets just hope they get their act together and allow this beautiful space to be used.

Just off one of the old city’s major shopping strip, the partly-lawned Plaça de Madrid a a great place to unwind. As is the case of many new public places, Roman ruins were unearthed was it was being built, in this case the remains of the old Roman necropolis. The crumbling tombstones have been incorporated into the landscape, either above ground or underneath (and protected by a perspex ‘floor’) and a few jacaranda trees provide shade. This urban oasis is also very popular with the city’s homeless and assorted ‘travellers’  (much to the chagrin on many of the locals) so be prepared to share the floorspace.

Parc de la Ciutadella, one of the few ‘lungs’ of the city, is a much loved by local residents and a wonderful for Barcelona’s visitors. It hosts picnics, school visits, tourists, jugglers, dog owners, romantics, pot smokers, literally everyone, young and old enjoys this great public space.

Its history gives a little insight to its place in the city’s heart. When Barcelona surrendered to the French in 1714 (commemorated at the nearby Fossar de les Moreres) many buildings in the Ribera area were demolished making way for a large military citadel. Finally knocked down by the residents of the area in 1869, the park emerged as one of the city’s first open public spaces.

Go explore, pick your favourite spot and escape from the city outside. Ciutadella is a gem of a park with a great atmosphere, invite friends to join you for a picnic lunch and on weekends try some swing dancing in the old bandstand.