Barcelona,Spain.

This beachside city is the offbeat counterpart to Madrid. It’s unquestionably hip, and strikes a perfect balance between its iconic attractions (the Antoni Gaudí-designed Parc Güell) and cutting-edge developments (the zinc-and-glass design center DHUB, Michelin-starred restaurant Saüc). Museo Picasso is a must-see, with an impressive collection of the artist’s early works. Catalan culture may be best appreciated through the city’s renowned food scene. Grab breakfast at the Pinotxo counter inside La Boquería market, or another small-plates-centric spot, Tickets. Here, brothers Ferran and Albert Adrià, of famed El Bulli, spin out sophisticated tapas like fascinating liquid olives and raviolis, algae tempura, and seasonal sorbets. Further mad-scientist experiments can be sampled at ABaC. Think oysters tartare with fennel, and Hamachi with cherries and aptly named cucumber snow.