Stag Weekend Ideas in Barcelona

The Catalans have a reputation as shrewd, competitive sorts, full of pride and passion. And if you've Spanish friends, you'll already know they often get loud and proud quickly enough. As regions go, Catalonia is blessed: it has seaside and ski resorts, mountains and metropolis. Barcelona, the largest of its cities, is home to 1.6 million people. With all the trappings of a neon night out, and within stumbling distance of the beach, understandably it attracts lads on stag weekends abroad. And it's when they venture farther from the bars and the bistros that these groups step into a landscape primed for adventure.

Travelling inland it’s the Pyrenees that start to dominate the skyline. This mountain range joins the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and at its most remote delivers some of the greatest climbing routes in Europe. The glaciers that carved out its valleys are retreating every year, still that's not to say you'll be short of snow - there's plenty of it. In fact, the Barcelona stag do crowd could do well to leave the city behind in the winter months and head for the likes of Baqueira-Beret or Tavascan.

Back to Barcelona. As a base it's perfect. Culturally soaked in traditional and contemporary art, there's much to keep you wandering its streets. The 1992 Olympic Games brought a significant injection of money and development, leading to the renovation of the Barri Gotic, the city's historic district.

While officiados of art may revel in the Picassos and Miros they spot in the galleries, it's commonly the buildings by Gaudi that gets the girls who fly in on a Barcelona hen party to pause and draw breath…

As for footy fans, they'll find that in Barcelona each match is much more than just a game of two halves. And Barcelona FC has just secured its Champions League win, so the city is still buzzing!

The 'Barca' brand stretches across to its handball and hockey teams too. If you're on the visiting team but don't fancy talking on the champions at footy, sort out some paintballing or go-karting instead. Who knows, there may be a local team that fancies it chances against you? Probably not a great idea to be wearing a Manchester United shirt - it was only back in May when Barca beat them 3-1 in the Champions League final!