I explored Barcelona by car – the views from the mountains are worth every penny

LESS than an hour after I step off the plane in Barcelona I’m sipping a glass of cava and learning to make paella from one of the Queen’s former personal chefs.

She instructs us how to cook a rice dish fit for royalty, literally, as we simmer shrimp, squid and tomatoes over a hot plate.

Chef Lucia Zanchi explains the main ingredient in the Catalonian classic is heart — and it seems to also be the main ingredient in this beautiful Spanish city.

Cooking classes at The Paella Club start from £55 per person and you get more than enough bang for your buck. I leave having eaten and drunk enough for a small army.

But I must soldier on as there’s far too much for me to do in the trendy El Born district where I’m staying, which is nestled in between the Gothic Quarter and the lush Parc de la Ciutadella.

The district gives its name to Cupra’s stunning new electric car — the Cupra Born — which is my ride for the weekend.

We hop in and whizz around the old streets, taking in Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia cathedral from the comfort of our luxury vehicle before heading up to Park Guell, also designed by Gaudi.

Modernist architect Gaudi is one of the reasons a whopping 32million visitors flock to Barcelona each year — and once I arrive at his public hilltop gardens I see why.

Entry to the park, which contains surreal architectural treasures and mosaic pathways, is around £10 for adults and £6 for kids aged seven to 12. Under-sevens go free.

As darkness falls, we join a queue outside a dimly-lit barber shop. We’re not after a trim, though.

The old-school gents’ salon is actually cover for a fantastic little speakeasy, Bobby’s Free.

I sit in the chair and the barber pulls a lever to reveal the mirror is actually a door hiding a tiny, cheeky cocktail bar.

The next morning we decide to test out the full power of our Cupra Born by taking a trip into the mountains in the town of Montserrat.

We zoom up the striking winding roads so smoothly I forget we’re on wheels and not in a flying car. It is just 36 miles from Barcelona city centre, meaning the Born could easily do the trip more than eight times over on just a single charge.

Once close to the top we opt to take a £5 tram for the last leg, and the views are worth every penny.

Spicy margaritas

Thousands of Spaniards make a pilgrimage every year up the mountain to see the relic of the Black Madonna, believed to grant miracles to those who touch it.

It’s also home to the Montserrat Boys’ Choir, who perform for free at 1pm every day in the incredible cathedral there.

If hymns aren’t your thing, Barcelona is a hub for evening entertainment. For the perfect place to explore what’s on offer, try the Yurbban Trafalgar Hotel, with its spectacular rooftop pool and bar with fantastic views across the city.

Rooms are comfortable and the breakfast is a highlight, featuring local specialities, tomato bread and tortillas made to order.

For a night out, we headed to the Milano Jazz Club, just a five-minute stroll from main area Las Ramblas.

This old-school music joint looks like nothing special from the outside, but once you slip down the stairs you are transported to a cosy bar straight out of Mafia drama The Sopranos.

A small stage holds a jazz band who belt out Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra, while we sip on negronis and very spicy margaritas.

Energised by the music we head to Gala Barcelona for dinner. The bizarre bistro embraces the city’s surrealist style with a merry-go-round in the reception and a giant fountain in the shape of noses in the courtyard garden.

Even the trip from my table to the bathroom is exciting, as downstairs I come across a tarot reader telling someone their fortune in The Club, an intimate after-hours space with live music until 3am.

The El Born district is a winner for nightlife, with fabulous food and drinks, especially in avenue the Passeig del Born.

But there’s still plenty of cultural highlights tick off, from the Picasso Museum to the Born Cultural Centre in what was once the city’s largest food market.