Barcelona

Barcelona, wow.  What a cool place.

It's Buenos Aires with a better economy... or LA without traffic... or Miami without the hurricanes.  It's edgy, hip, fun, modern, and a great place to unwind for a few days.  It's like your smart and sophisticated friend who works as a designer for Apple, is fluent in the history of medieval church architecture, and can own you on the dance floor until the sun rises at 6am.  

Barcelona's charm is in the unexpected daily delights.  And it's affordable!  Everything felt on sale in Barcelona.  Even the food, which was perfectly matched to the local wines.  The museums weren't as famous as those in Paris, but they were interesting, perfectly sized for a 2 hour visit and almost completely devoid of tourists.  The parks, the views, the weather... the list goes on.

Gaudi's post-modern religious monument, the Sagrada Familia, is a must-see.  The Vatican is bigger and more ornate, but Gaudi takes the prize for most inspiring and delightful architecture.  After admiring the church - which is barely half complete - have a tapas lunch in the sun, take a siesta, and party with the locals until sunrise.

So here it is, Barcelona.