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Barcelona has inspired some classic literature. Given its importance to Spanish-Catalan history and politics and the Modernist art movement, this is not surprising. You can deepen your appreciation of the city with Barcelona and Modernity: Picasso, Gaudí, Miró, Dalí, a hefty hardcover tracking the city's progressive art and architectural development, or lick your lips as you browse Catalan Cooking by Coleman Andrews.

If you're ready to dive into history and politics, grab a copy of the classic Homage to Catalonia, George Orwell's personal account of the Spanish civil war, or Colm Tóibín's Homage to Barcelona, which eloquently ties together the city's rich history with its democratic transition after the Franco dictatorship. Barcelona is an opinionated stroll through the city’s violent history by Aussie scribe and art critic Robert Hughes.

Additionally, Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Barcelona based thriller Shadow of the Wind hit several international best-sellers lists, and Ildefonso Falcones' The Cathedral of the Sea, soon to be translated into English, has been hugely popular among locals.

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