BARCELONA has attracted plenty of international attention in recent weeks with some residents of the city and the surrounding Catalonia region looking to secede from the rest of Spain.

The Catalonia region is arguably Spain's top tourist destination and Barcelona itself has always been a popular destinations for Aussies travellers. Clients rarely have a bad word to say about the city.

Regarded as Spain's most cosmopolitan city and one of the Mediterranean's busiest ports, Barcelona will amaze with the architecture and fresh Mediterranean cuisine.

Flights from the East Coast of Australia to the east coast of Spain are a long haul and I would recommend a stopover somewhere on route.

There are many airlines that fly into Barcelona on a daily basis however the one that I have found that to have a very good reputation and flies the most direct route from Australia is Singapore Airlines.

A current airfare with them from Sydney to Barcelona and return will set you back about $2010, that's with all the fees and taxes included.

Once you are there Barcelona has lots to offer.

The city has seen the rise and fall of the Roman Empire and the dark days of medieval Europe. It may well be the only city left in Europe with a large concentration of gothic architecture. This, combined with the more modern styles of architecture makes for an interesting walk around the city.

If you like your architecture or like to visit interesting places try the The Esglesia de Santa Maria del Mar, it is Barcelona's finest gothic church.

It was built in the 14th century however the most famous church is the Basilica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia. Work began on the church in 1882 and is still under construction to this day.

Besides the wonders of the city's architecture, Barcelona also has many fine restaurants, tapas bars and clubs.

The bar del convent is a popular venue that can be found under the gothic arches of what remains of the convent's one-time cloister. It is a pleasant cafe/bar and well worth a visit.

The Museu del Futbol Club Barcelona might not be everyone's cup of tea but in a football-mad country like Spain a visit to FC Barcelona Museum might leave you with a new appreciation for the sport, not to mention some football merchandise.

There are plenty of other museums and galleries where you will find works by Picasso and other famous artists.

Barcelona is a year-round destination. It does get cold but the winters seem to be more manageable than most other European destinations.

September is a good time to visit and coincides with the Festes de la Mercè, a four-day festival celebrating Barcelona's co-patron saint, Nostra Senyora de la Mercè (Our Lady of Mercy).

This final burst of pre-winter madness festival features a swimming race across the harbor, a fun run, outstanding free concerts and a bewildering program of cultural events.

Adding to the local colour are all the ingredients of a major Catalan festa: castellers, sardanes (traditional Catalan folk dancing), parades of gegants and capgrossos (giants and big heads), and a huge correfoc.

When considering possible destinations that offer a little bit of everything for everyone, then choose Barcelona.

If you like your cruising then Barcelona is a great place to start a Mediterranean cruise with all the major cruise companies using Barcelona as a port of call.