Best veggie candlelit dinner in Spain. Hidden down a medieval alley in the Born, this intimate modest restaurant is 100% innovative and organic.

Carrer Banys Vells 18, 08003, 00 34 93 268 46 94, Metro: Jaume I

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Designer Japanese bar with an easygoing, modern atmosphere. You will meet a varied clientele trying out the healthy, balanced specials. My favourite is the salmon and mango salad. Like the place itself, it’s minimal and refined.

Passatge de la Concepcio 2, 08008; tel: 00 34 93 487 25 92; nearest metro: Passeig de Gracia

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The charm of this place overcomes its theme-park tackiness, despite the fake fairy-tale forest, waterfall and out-of-place four-poster bed which you’re frustratingly not aloud to lie on. Great for a first date as long as it's not a local.

Passatge de la Banca 7; nearest metro: Drassanes

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Just behind the legendary Boqueria market, this is best practice in regeneration. It has an eclectic design, sunny terrace by day and discrete candle-light by night as well as best value multicultural dishes. Inclusive and yet trendy. Great brekkie and home-made milkshakes.

Plaça de la Gardunya 7; tel: 00 34 93 3014 163; nearest metro: Liceu

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Think Willie Wonka versus Ferran Adria and you get a cosmopolitan, eclectic and mind-boggling menu featuring such random selections as hot chocolate soup with curry and yoghurt ice cream. Beats other neighbouring milk-bars in what is known as the hot chocolate street.

Carrer Petrixol 11, 08002; Tel: 00 34 93 301 11 97, www.xocoa-bcn.com/; nearest metro: Placa Catalunya

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There are no words to describe this Modernist fantasy – Gaudi’s creative DNA deconstructed in front of your eyes and overlooking the Catalan capital. From the largest balcony-bench in the world to the adorned ceramic animals via the mosaic, don’t bother going to the Universal Studios down the Catalan coast, this is the theme park of the future.

Carrer Olot, Metro: Lesseps

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The best advice when it comes to this street is to plunge in, go with the flow and enjoy the constant weird and wonderful activities taking place around you. Let yourself be carried past shoe shiners, cheap pensions, human statues (performers), and people of all types. Let your senses be assailed by the squawking of caged birds, the perfumed air of flower stalls, the chatter of gossips and the shrieks of the fruit markets.

Arguably the best people-watching place in the world. Federico Garcia Lorca said that it was the only street in the world he hoped would never end. It was originally just a path beside a stream that was running through the centre of the old city to Spain’s most famous street. If Plaça Catalunya is the communications hub, Las Ramblas is the emotional hub of Barcelona.

Metro: Plaça Catalunya

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An old railway line overlooking Paris streets it stretches out for 4.5 km from touristy Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes. To get it to it, go round the back of the Opera Bastille and you'll see the viaduct. Ideal for a jog, brunch or simply getting away from the Parisian hustle-and-bustle. Very Railway Children.

Promenada Plantee, Avenue Dausmenil, 75012

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In a street shyly hidden from tourists unless you're returning home after a late one on the Grands Boulevards. Part of this small bar is celtic open-plan, for the usual wide-screen-loving rugby shirts. After 10 pm, the dj turns the turntables on for indiebeatpunkdiscomodeighties music (it's the name of one of the nights). A rare delight for French students looking for a pub "comme a Londres". The crowd's a mixture of self-styled fashion throwbacks and relaxed trendsetters, in an alcohol-fuelled (try the vodka-caramel) but relaxed atmosphere.

10-12, rue Feydeau, 75002: 00 33 (0)140265997: Metro Bourse/Grands Boulevards

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For those who want to turn boring weekday nights into party intervals between work - generous happy hour policy, creative cocktail arrangements and eclectic dj workouts. Arrive at ground level, you'll encounter a Parisian Anglophile ambiance (great brunch and anglosaxon press), then go into the basement to impress your English to an unpretentious cosmopolitan crowd, eager to mix with the English enemy in very sense.

18 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, 75004: 00 33 (1) 42 72 81 34: Metro Hotel-de-Ville/Saint Paul

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Great Anglo-expat hideout smack bang in the middle of Paris. It's where the French meet their Anglo-Saxon neighbours to have a proper knees up. Although situated in the tackiest location, it has (fingers crossed) kept a hedonistic and cosmopolitan crowd. Overcrowding gives it its charm, but it could be its downfall.

18 rue Saint Denis, 75001: 00 (1) 40 39 00 18: Metro Chatelet

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Paris' largest pizza (so large that waiters need to rest it on two plates) - you could almost say two for the price of one. Just round the corner from Moulin Rouge with the added-value of a terrace, this combines great value and great character.

6 square de l'Opera, 75009: 00 33 (1) 40079256: Metro Havre-Caumartin

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After crossing a makeshift footbridge, a la Indiana Jones, we entered what I can only describe as floating hedonism. The boat’s interior was decorated as if we were in a Kusturica remake of Pirates of the Caribbean. On deck a gentrified cameo appearance by a random Danube wave caused the tables to bounce about in sync with the dirty electro sounds which had momentarily replaced the dulcet and soulful tones of the local songstress who had accompanied the improvised offerings of the in-house chef.

Savski Kej: Belgrade

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This is what every cities should offer, a beach and this beats Paris-Plage. The beach is located on an island on of the two major rivers. The locals who go there to maintain their annual tan have labelled it the Hawaii of Belgrade, the atmosphere is very "spring break", with cocktail bars lined up along the beach, with a random bungee, paintball and trampoline for those who feel twitchy lazing on the beach. Ideal for getting out of the city.

This is a lovely holiday resprt in Belgrade! It is an island on the Sava river. There are many floating houses, rafts, where people have their getaway place, it's very charming and romantic! On the other side of the island, there is a lake with a beautiful pebbled beach, sports playgrounds, cycling and rollerblading paths, a nudist beach, many cafes, restaurants, night clubs, even a bungee jumping site!!! In the middle of the lake there is a geyser fountain going very high up in the sky! Once I saw a rainbow there, reflecting through the water, it was spectacular! It's very worth a visit!

Ada Ciganlija, Belgrade

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The hostel to be in Belgrade: great location - walk out of the building and you're in the epicentre of the tourist district, walk down a couple of floors and you venture into Ben Zakiba, what I can only call a glorified lock-in, its exclusive, hedonistic and chilled-out all in one. The clientele are in-the-know Belgraders and ... we only found out this place existed after meeting locals. A good stop-over point before going back to the hostel (I forgot to mention the only downside of the hostel, you need to walk up four floors to get there).

Nusiceva 8, Belgrade: www.hostels.com

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Dot is a pocket-sized club between the prestigious Pompeu Fabra university and the beach. Featuring functional design and impeccable service, it is open every single day of the year and offers an innovative line-up, from classic funky Latin grooves to nu skool breaks with a tasteful selection of cult films. Intimate.

Carrer Nou de Sant Francesc 7, 08002; Tel: 00 34 93 302 70 26; nearest metro: Drassanes

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Two-colours geometrical design in order to create two types of ambience in the same space. Located in the infamous Escudellers (often namechecked by Manu Chao) every night features a different theme (from nu jazz to dirty breakbeat via acid house) but always free entry. They need to sort out the air-con though - it can be like dancing in a smoking room.

Cerrer Escudellers 24, 08002; tel: 00 34 93 317 14 24; nearest metro: Drassanes

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Proof that quality is not always incompatible with popularity: with regulars the calibre of Dave Clarke, Ian Pooley or David Holmes, the club covers dirty raw house and techno in the main room and twisted freestyle disco upstairs.

Carrer Nou de la Rambla 113, 08004; tel: 00 34 93 301 00 90; nearest metro: Paral.lel

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White-hot lighting, the most fought-over sofas in the city and a deliciously eclectic selection of music at the hands of the connoisseur DJ. Opened five years ago for an Almodovar after-party, this micro-club down a back alley from Plaça Reial has an original door philosophy: you get a card, let’s say a queen of hearts when you come in and you exchange it for another card, let’s say an ace of spades when you buy a drink – you can only leave the club if you have this card.

Carrer Nou de Zurbano 3, 08002; tel: 00 34 93 317 61 24; nearest metro: Liceu

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Addictive haunt for exchange students, locals and other bagelistas. Along with a different vegetarian special every day, diverse tea flavours and American brunch served on Sunday mornings, the infinite selection of bagels provides an essential accompaniment to Barcelona snacking.

As a bonus, up and coming artists exhibit their work while an eclectic musical mix provides the aural background to your bagel-infused conversations. Known to insiders as the Bagel Club, it’s a must on the exchange student circuit.

Place de la Vila de Madrid; nearest metro: Placa Catalunya

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