Secrets of Barcelona // Barcelona for felines

1. Botero’s “Gato”. My book The 500 hidden secrets of Barcelona is all about discovering the city, including its eye-catchers. The statue called “Gato” (1990) by Fernando Botero, for instance. It stood on various other Barcelona squares before finding a home in Raval. Large and fat, with a curious smile on its face, it's both a lot of fun for children to climb on and a bit unsettling for adults who look at it a bit longer. [Rambla del Raval] 

2. Cat Bar. From the guide’s list of “restaurants that vegetarians will love”. The mirrors on the wall turn out to be cat's eyes. There are drawings of people with animals heads on the walls. Cat Bar is a good example of how you can turn a tiny space into something distinctive. This vegan restaurant is strict about its food choices but does have a weakness for beer: Catalan craft beers, to be exact. A place with character. [Carrer de la Boria 17] 

3. Els 4 gats. Fashioned after the French cabaret Le chat noir, Els 4 gats intended to feed body as well as soul. It became the hang-out for Barcelona's artists and intellectuals; at one point it even had its own culture magazine. The interior mixes a traditional Catalan tavern with artistic flourishes. The lamps and furniture give it a slightly medieval feel. It’s one of the city’s oldest bars. [Carrer de Montsió 3, www.4gats.com] 

4. Gata Mala. My guide often leaves the city centre to discover districts too many tourists overlook. Gràcia neighbourhood, for instance. Here we find Gata Mala. A crowded bar, shouting Spanish ladies behind the counter, a regularly changing menu of tapas written on the wall: what's not to like about this “Bad Pussy”? The Gràcia district, with its Paris feel and wealth of cosy restaurants, is undervalued by visitors. Gata mala is just one of the reasons to take the metro up there. 

5. The wild cats in the university gardens. From the book's list of “5 green and relaxing gardens”. Yes, this is a university building you’re entering, but don't be shy: just walk in and cross the hall to the gardens. There are several small patios with ponds and orange trees, and a larger garden to the left. Amid the intense activity of Barcelona's centre, this is an oasis of peace. For humans, that is: birds and other small animals will inevitably fall prey of the dozens of cats lounging in the university garden. You can even see them from the street, through the gates.