Reus

Barcelona may possess his buildings but Reus is the birthplace of Spain’s favourite architect, Antoni Gaudí, and its hoteliers aren’t about to let you forget it. Most overt is the Hotel Gaudí (Carrer Arrabal Robuster 49), which although not Gaudí-designed, is on the city’s modernist art route and five minutes from the centre. A slightly more luxe option is Brea’s Hotel (Avinguda Reus Tarragona 1), which has gorgeous city views and a great restaurant specialising in Catalan cuisine. For those on a budget, there’s the central Hotel Ollé (Passeig Prim 45), a comfortable base for exploring the city.

Reus’ dramatic colonnaded squares and imposing honey stone boulevards are home to more than 600 shops, including the usual suspects such as Zara and Mango. But it’s not all high-street heaven; the city is home to several markets, including the vast Mercadillo Central de Reus (Carrer Prat de la Riba), which has more than 150 stalls selling everything from unique handicrafts to fresh, local food. Most of the big designer names are to be found at Passeig Comercial El Pallol (Carrer de La Presó 4), offering boutiques, restaurants and bars in the heart of the city.

Reus is the capital of Baix Camp, a Spanish comarca (county) famous for its excellent wines. Not surprisingly then, the foodie scene in the city revolves around the ruby brew, with local sommeliers only too happy to point you in the right direction. La Giberga (Carrer d' en Vilàr 12) is a good place to start and has excellent local wines to accompany its repertoire of hearty Catalan fare. Cullerades (Carrer de Pubill Oriol 8) is a family-run restaurant that’s also worth a visit if just for the menjar blanc – a local pudding made with cream and almonds. Head to Ciutat Gaudí (Passeig Prim 2) for tasty local tapas.

Reus Carnival

February

This two-week street party includes all the classic elements of a carnival: parades, wackily dressed participants and huge, elaborate floats. There’s also free-flowing food and drink.

FEC Festival

March

Whether a comedy skit, mini documentary or cinematic art installation, this annual film festival is dedicated to the short, which means there’s always plenty to see.

Trapezi

May

For a few days each May, Reus is invaded by hordes of acrobats performing in streets and squares across the city. As you’d expect, those who have mastered the trapeze top the bill.

Festa major de Sant Pere

June

The biggest fiesta on the Reus social calendar, Sant Pere celebrates the life of the city’s patron saint with parades, virtuoso displays of Catalan dancing and a huge bonfire. The event also includes the ‘dance of the giants’, when locals sporting oversized papier mâché outfits attempt to pirouette through the street.

Cos

October

Autumn sees theatre companies from all over Europe descend on the city for its annual mime festival. The four-day event includes a mix of performances, workshops and discussions.