Els Quatre Gats is a café in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain that famously became a popular meeting place for famous artists throughout the modernist period in Catalonia.

Tapas Restaurant

In 1938 during the Spanish Civil war, Francisco Franco laid siege to the city of Barcelona. On the 30 September 1938, one of Franco's bombs fell on the church killing 30 people most of whom were children from the School of Sant Philip Neri and some were refugee children from Madrid where the church had been turned into a make-shift orphanage. As people pulled survivors from the rubble, a second bomb hit the square, killing 12 more bringing the death toll to 42. It was the second worst bombing hit in Barcelona during the war. Evidence of the bombings can be seen in the pockmarked walls of the church.

Searching for a place to slow down and breathe in the bustling centre of Barcelona may be challenging, but Bar Cugat provides a solution: a timeless bar situated in Eixample, with an elegant yet low-key atmosphere. While originally stopping in for a quick coffee, we found ourselves returning an hour later for a wonderful dinner. The clean yet eclectic interior (with an Art Nouveau poster to boot) is a great place to dine, any day of the week. Recommendations: classic tapas + vermut.

Casa Protea is a plant collectors studio based in Barcelona. A gathering place for plant lovers run by Jesús and Pancho.