A master of colour, Toulouse-Lautrec, once said that autumn is winter's spring. This season is a source of inspiration and beauty that Barcelona and its surrounding area reveal in all its splendour.

Barcelona's endless sunny days make the entire spectrum of blues glimmer throughout the year. Barcelona has surprises in store every day, in summer and throughout the other seasons of the year.

In Barcelona, you'll find food and traditions at the dining table all year round, but Christmas is the time of year when they truly come to the fore. This Christmas, be amazed at Barcelona's restaurants and hotels and savour the festive season dish by dish.

The autumn, oh so lovely. Transformation abounds…everywhere you look in the Val d'Aran there is change. Summer has come to a close and the mountains of this majestic central Pyrenees destination have quickly become a living museum for those fortunate enough to ponder them. Their hues of green, yellow, orange, red and rusty brown compare to the finest of paintings.

If you're someone who enjoys savouring every trip to the full, this is unquestionably your time of year to visit Barcelona. Every year, with the first autumn rains, Catalonia undergoes a cultural and culinary transformation focusing on a food that is an intrinsic part of its identity: mushrooms.

Look no further, because Barcelona has everything you want. This summer, the city has the best plans for the summer: more than 400 live concerts, international festivals, plans for the evenings so you can escape the heat and enjoy the peace and quiet of the night, cultural activities across the city, food to suit all tastes… and the sea, beaches, boulevards, gardens, shops… Welcome to the summer of your life.

The golden hour begins, the sun is setting and the city become the focus of cultural, art and food-related events. These are the "Nits d'estiu" (Summer nights), an ambitious project that makes the city the go-to place for an unforgettable summer.

You can hear music all year round in Barcelona, and, when the fine weather comes, the city has an endless array of festivals in store. They cover every musical style and genre: some of them are being held for the first time in the city, while others are now established as world-class events, which have made Barcelona, with its ground-breaking and innovative programme, one of the world's music festival capitals.

There's one day every year when travellers and visitors to Barcelona feel like they're on another planet. This is a day when Barcelona is suffused with a different atmosphere and it seems that everybody heads to the streets. So if you're planning on coming to Barcelona and your visit coincides with 23rd April, you're in luck! You'll experience the city on what is arguably the Barcelonians' most cherished day.

Literature and Barcelona are the stars of their own love story. A good number of writers have set their novels in the city or have moved there to pursue their literary careers. Do you want to follow in their footsteps and discover their legacies? If so, our literary trails are the perfect plan. Do you want to turn the page?

If you're thinking of heading to Barcelona for a break in September, there are five key dates on the calendar when the city opens its doors and celebrates its festivals in style. The Catalan capital dresses up for the occasion to pay tribute to the Mare de Déu de la Mercè, patron saint of Barcelona since 1687.

In summer, in June and September, Barcelona's former villages host their neighbourhood festivals. They are the perfect excuse to visit the city and lose yourself in its districts that are dressed up to the nines. The Sants Festival keeps alive the spirit of a major festival that used to be held in honour of Saint Bartholomew, the patron saint of the former village of Sants.