SPAIN is still Britains' top holiday destination despite the Pound plummeting against the Euro.

NEARLY 14 million Brits head there annually - and it's set to be even MORE popular next year after thousands of our travel agents met in BARCELONA last week.

TODAY we bring you a taste of two exotic Spanish cities - Barcelona and SEVILLE.

AS a beach bar DJ spins his dance tunes into the hot summer air, I loll back into my sun lounger, gaze out at the waves and take a sip of a chilled mojito.

Ibiza? Ayia Napa? Zante? This place would pass for any one of those crazy clubbing destinations.

But it's way cooler, more cultured . . . and far off the Club 18-30's map.

This is Barcelona - the buzzing Spanish city where life is one hell of a beach. Since the 1992, Olympics money and marathon effort has been thrown at it to make every one of its seven beaches a winner.

On the east side near the Old Port there's Barceloneta, a more family- orientated and, therefore, busier stretch. Then over to the west, towards the exhibition centre, locals mix with out-of-towners like me on Nova Mar Bella for uber cool relaxation.

Forget the chic seafood restaurants of Port Vell marina, on this side it's all about the chiringuitos - shack-like cabana bars where cocktails and atmosphere flow day and night.

Adventure

Each chiringuito has different music. I set up camp close to Mochima Bar and for £9 bagged a sun lounger for the whole day. Food and drink is not that cheap here - beers cost £2.70 and a big tuna salad set me back nearly £14. But in a prime sea-lapping spot who's going to complain?

Not me. I was in need of some relaxation after spending two days exploring a city that's big on culture but small enough to do in a weekend - if you're willing to make an effort.

Our three-day Barcelona adventure included easyJet flights and the perfectly located Catalonia Ramblas hotel. No sooner had my friend Sarah and I dumped our bags than we were in Catalunya Square, the heart of the city, armed with a two-day pass for the double-decker Bus Turístic.

At 27 Euros it is by far the cheapest ticket to Barcelona's sights plus, on the top deck, it's a great way to get your bearings and a tan at the same time. We stepped off at the National Museum of Art of Catalonia - not to go inside but to take in the amazing views of the city from the hill top. Here I got my first glimpse of La Sagrada Familia, the famous ornate 19th Century church by architect Antoni Gaudi.

Las Ramblas - the city's most famous street packed with a mix of human statues and market stalls - is historic for different reasons. Legend has it that if you drink from the Font de Canaletas, an old iron fountain, you're truly from Barcelona.

We opted for a less risky bottle of Spanish Rioja at Tapaç24, an old- school bar serving traditional tapas.

Another fun way of seeing the city is to hire a GoCar, two-seater open-top yellow vehicles. You drive yourself with commentary from a speaker on the dashboard telling you all about the sights. See www.gocartours.es

Nights out start late in Barcelona - and they're worth waiting for.

At the to-be-seen-in CDLC we mixed with the city's trendiest clientele before heading to the bars of the more charming El Born area.

Barcelona has all the ingredients for the perfect city break, you just need to pack some energy in your suitcase to see it all. Until you stop at the beach, that is . . .

GETTING THERE: easyJet has flights from London airports to Barcelona from £26.99 including taxes (www.easyJet.com ). To book accommodation at the 4-star Catalonia Ramblas from £129 for a double room, visit www.lastminute.com . A week's car hire in Barcelona costs from £116 (www.holidayautos.co.uk or 0871 472 5229). For more details on Spanish holidays visit www.spain.info

Stylish Spanish city is simply Seville-ised

By Kate Law

THERE isn't a city more Spanish than Seville. Bullfighting, flamenco, fiestas, winding alleys and white-washed houses - everything you expect from Spanishness is here.

My partner and I wanted a full-on Spanish experience on a romantic break - and the capital of Andalucia didn't let us down.

STUNNING: Giralda minaret

We stayed Las Casas del Rey de Baeza - a cool, tranquil hotel built around two beautiful courtyards, complete with a pool on the roof and within walking distance of some of the most beautiful parts of the city.

Our perfect Seville day started with a relaxed breakfast in one of the busy cafes around the pretty squares. After some arm-twisting, I persuaded my partner to take a leisurely trip along the best shopping street in Seville - the Calle Sierpes. It's lined with small boutiques and great fashion chains including Zara and Bershka which does trendy and very affordable Spanish style. Got some great belts and necklaces for a fraction of British prices.

In return, I agreed to some serious sightseeing. First we visited the cathedral - the third largest in the world, where Christopher Columbus is buried.

STROLL: On Calle del Betis

We did the serious hike to the top (42 metres, only beaten by the Vatican's St Peter's and London's St Paul's) but it was worth it for a stunning view of the city.

Don't lunch before 2.30pm and when you do head for one of Seville's gorgeous tapas bars. If you do stay at Las Casas del Rey de Baeza you'll be lucky enough to be close to El Rinconcello - one of the most famous tapas bars in the city dating from 1670.

We loved the bustling, buzzing atmosphere of a place where they take your order by chalking it on the worn wooden counter top. Specialities of the house are the serrano ham, spinach with chick peas and scrambled eggs for about £3 to £4 each.

HOT SHOPPING: Down Calle Sierpes

To feel truly Spanish, we needed a siesta (putting those comfy beds to good use) to sleep off lunch. And then, well rested, by early evening we were ready for a stroll through the pretty, geranium-filled streets or the elegant Maria Luisa Park.

We found the best nightlife over the Guadalquivir river in Triana, which was known as the gipsy quarter until the 50s.

Tapas

It is home to artists, flamenco dancers and bullfighters and is considered the spiritual home of flamenco. Here there are more great tapas bars (Sol y Sombra has bullfighting posters dating from the 30s) and we enjoyed the perfect evening drink in the atmospheric bars along the Calle del Betis, which meanders along the river.

The view across to the Giralda minaret is stunning. Open from 9pm, try Alambique, Big Ben, Sirocca, Maya Soul, Shiva and Cafe de la Prensa (where the barmen are famed for their looks!)

To see Seville at its best, avoid the height of summer when it is far too hot - instead go for spring or autumn.

Semana Santa (Holy Week) between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday is when the Seville people parade through the streets in pointy hoods carrying life-size tabeaux of Easter scenes.

Or plan your trip around Le Feria de April, in late April - an orgy of dressing up with dancing until dawn, traditional Flamenco costumes, daily bullfights, carriage rides and a giant funfair. Sherry flows non-stop.

Another Spanish tradition, not quite so palatable to many of us Brits, is bullfighting. But if you're not keen to see a fight, you may still find a tour of the bullring interesting. The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza is at Paseo de Cristobal Colon 12 (www.real maestranza.com ).

Sightseeing aside, to truly understand the romantic city where Carmen rolled cigars on her thighs and where Don Juan worked his magic you need to wander the streets.

Our favourite moments were just watching traditional Spaniards with their slicked back hair drawing on cigarettes outside a tapas bar. Or smart couples parading through the streets in their finery.

This is the magical Seville we revelled in, vowing to return.

GETTING THERE: Vueling has daily flights from Heathrow to Seville from £51 one-way (www.vueling.com or 0906 754 7541). To stay at the four-star Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza where double rooms start from £97 see www.lastminute. com). A week's car hire in Seville is from £116 (www.holidayautos.co.uk or 0871 472 5229).

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