City Lights Dining and Hotels

The Catalan Capital of Barcelona is enjoying a renewed success with new Michelin stars awarded in 2009 and spawns of Ferran Adrià's 'El Bulli' restaurant ' voted the best restaurant in the world for an unprecedented third year running ' mushrooming up all over the city. Combine this with the huge immigrant population in Barcelona and anyone is spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out, and most visitors to the city will take away a great taste of Catalonia or other world cuisine for a fraction of the price as countries such as Italy, for example. So what about the romantic couple, looking for that special meal?

Barcelona is flanked on one side by Montjüic mountain ' the site of the 1992 Olympic games - and is the first choice for two of the best meals with a view. The first is the restaurant El Xalet, which is just next to the Olympic diving boards and comes complete with concierge parking ' one of the few restaurants in the city to offer that. The restaurant is perched half way up Monjüic and offers some spectacular views of the bustling city lights of Barcelona below. The restaurant is not cheap, but for a special occasion you can choose from a fantastic quality menu, and fantastic desserts - which you need to order on arrival, as they are made especially for you.

Staying up on Montjüic, and perhaps the best surprise to spring on a loved one, is the cable car dinner. That's right ' a special dinner inside the Montjüic cable car all the way up to the old castle. The local brewery Moritz have organised a 'Picnic in the sky' with a 3 course meal, and plenty of Aigua de Moritz ' the alcohol free version of their brew. The cable cars can be occupied by up to 8 people, so it's equally cool to do with a group of friends, but for that extra special treat, there's no better way to eat dinner than hanging below the stars. Live music is also provided at the start and finish of the meal, and if you're in the city between July and September, this is a great Tuesday night to spend.

If you're thinking about something exotic, then I can highly recommend Thai Gardens. Of the many copycat restaurants that have emerged, this is the original and unbeatable. The restaurant itself is fitted with fantastic décor, buddahs and the staff don traditional dress. The food itself is absolutely exquisite, and there are various tasting menus. The best thing, though, is that if the restaurant is not particularly busy or if you book ahead, you can have one of the traditional Thai tables, which are on the floor with sunken areas for your feet. This adds an extra special quality to the evening (or indeed the daytime) and transports you to the Far East whilst still being in the heart of the Mediterranean.

If meat is your preferred choice, then head up to Avenida del Tibidbo to El Asador de Aranda. This magnificent building features in Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Barcelona-based novel, The Shadow of the Wind, and serves the best lamb in Barcelona. Clay ovens are filled with wood and then meat is slow cooked, to literally drop off the bone. Try the suckling piglet for an irresistible change, raw beef served on a hot stone (for you to cook how you like it), and the best lamb chops on their mini barbeque grill with hot embers. The owners have two downtown restaurants, but for wow quality, this can't be beaten.