Housed in a Belle Epoque, 19th-century building this apartment's interior is just as striking as the outside. A steady theme of chocolatey tones paired with minimalistic furnishings made us feel like we were in the home of a deep thinker. Still, there are small details that breathe some warmth into the flat – the Catalan hydraulic tiles on the floor, the modern art on the walls, and the red velvet seats on the balcony. The balcony has a perfect people-watching view over the leafy boulevard below. The kitchen as black as backstage at a theatre and dramatically downlit, but it's not all style over substance as the cupboards are packed with everything you could want for self-catering. Should you need to catch up on work, the second bedroom doubles as an office. When it comes to clocking off you couldn't be better placed with Passeig de Gracia one block away, where Gaudí's masterpiece 'La Pedrera' and famous hotels like Omm and Hotel Casa Fuster reside. The apartment itself is in the 'Cuadrat d'Or' (Golden Square), an area packed with bars, restaurants and high-end shops galore.

Home truths:
* The second bathroom is quite small, but it's furnished with its own rainfall shower
* The second and third bedroom feel a little underfurnished, but there is plenty of space
* The apartment is on a main street, close to all the action, but there may be some street noise if you're sitting out on the balcony