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As the World Low Cost Airlines Congress kicks off in Barcelona, Flight journalist Chris Hall shares his tips on what to do and see in this vibrant Spanish city... 

Barcelona is one of those cities that reveal more and more of themselves on repeat visits. Home to some of the world's most impressive architecture, museums and scenery, not to mention a truly excellent atmosphere throughout, it's almost impossible to characterise neatly. This city is modern, traditional, colourful, bohemian and mainstream all at once. Being the Catalan capital gives it a distinct identity within Spain, yet ironically it probably represents most foreigners' views of Spain. Most places claim to have something for everyone; Barcelona really does.

Gaudi

Antoni Gaudi's mind-bending architecture is one of the most obvious reasons to visit Barcelona, but that doesn't make it any less worthwhile. The Sagrada Familia, in the central Eixample district, is a must-see for newcomers, but take the time to check out Gaudi's Parc Guell. Situated further north, it's a popular spot for reflection and people-watching as you sit surrounded by surrealist sculpture and landscaped gardens.

Olympic village

Dating back to the 1992 olympics, Barcelona's Olympic village has been successfully turned into a tourist attraction that must have more than paid for itself by now - London take note. The modern architecture now houses a selection of shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as being a good spot from which to start a walk along the seafront.

Tibidabo

At 542m (1778ft), Tibidabo is the highest hill in the wooded range that forms the backdrop to Barcelona. If the weather's clear - and in Barcelona that's a fair bet - it's a great place for views over the city. The locals come up here for some thrills at the amusement park Parc d'Atraccions, with an array of rollercoasters. Equally breathtaking, however, is the glass lift that goes up 115m to a visitors' observation area at Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower. The more grounded among you can find solace in the Temple del Sagrat Cor, Barcelona's answer to Paris' Sacré Coeur. Looming above Tibidabo's funicular station, it is actually two churches, one on top of the other. The top one is surmounted by a giant Christ and has a lift to the roof.

Las Ramblas

A tourist magnet, Barcelona's de facto high street (actually five streets end-to-end) has nonetheless got more to recommend it than overpriced restaurants and street hawkers. Check out the colourful bird market, the Palau de Virreina and the Gran Teatre del Liceu - the old opera house - as you walk down towards the Placa Reial, one of the cities grandest open spaces.

Museums

Barcelona has more than its fair share of museums dedicated to the arts: one good way to make sure you don't miss any masterpieces is to buy an 'Articket' from the tourism board, which covers you for seven of the city's foremost galleries, including the Museu Picasso, Fundacio Joan Miro and Gaudi's Caixa Catalunya.

Museums - articket deal

Food Markets

Barcelona is full of traditional markets selling fresh Catalan and Mediterranean food. La boqeria is one of the grandest, oldest and best known, the latter owing largely to its situation just a couple of minutes off Las Ramblas. As well as providing excellent picnic material, you can - and should - sit and sample the quesadillas made there and then. For something more formal, try the nearby restaurant El Quim

Restaurants

Les Quinze Nits is a stylish tapas restaurant which is definitely one to consider if reviews are anything to go by: it overlooks the grand Placa Reial, serves delicious yet reasonably priced food and, not surprisingly, is very popular as a result. They do not take reservations, however.
Fans of fine dining will feel right at home in Alkimia, one of Barcelona's most fashionable and talked-about restaurants. Nestling in the shadow of la Sagrada Familia, it has quickly made a name for itself serving ultra-modern interpretations of typical Catalan cuisine.

For less extravagant dinners, avoid the tourist traps around Las Ramblas and head into the old quarter, Barri Gotic: explore the narrow, winding streets and you should find plenty of authentic tapas restaurants and cafés.

This is a useful list of some traditional Catalonian dishes that you might like to try if you get a chance.

Barcelona deserves its reputation as a party town, even in a country that lives for late nights. The best areas to target are Raval, Barri Gotic, or Born: that's where you'll find the best bars and clubs. Be prepared to go the whole hog; with clubs that don't open until the early hours of the morning you might find yourself a little stretched if you're working the next day.

Outside of Barcelona

If you have time, or fancy getting away from the busy city, the surrounding area has plenty going for it. The nearby town of Sitges is a popular mix of medieval and modern cultures; Figueres, a little further afield, is the birthplace of the world's favourite surrealist, Salvador Dali, and has an excellent museum devoted to him; or for something entirely different, why not take a trip to Montserrat? Ascending the mountain by cable car to arrive at the 16th century monastery makes for quite a pilgrimage.

Been to Beijing? Have any top tips? Then please share them with us...

Photo credit: Sipa Press/Rex Features

The 2009 World Routes Development Forum in Beijing is fast-approaching and the Airline Business team will be there, producing three daily papers from the show.

Because time is always tight on these trips, we are putting together a list of Beijing's highlights to share with the Routes delegates.

If you have any insider tips on must-see sights or foods to sample, please let us know.

You can get in touch by responding to this blog post, e-mailing me at victoria.moores@flightglobal.com or by sending a 'tweet' to my VictoriaOnAir Twitter account.

Kuala Lumpur (KL) is a vibrant, dynamic and colourful city which first appeared on the map in the mid-1800s. It is Malaysia's largest city and the youngest capital in Southeast Asia, reflected by the mix of old colonial-style buildings and modern skyscrapers. There is plenty to do and see in KL, so here are a handful of ideas:

(1) Iconic architecture
At 452m (1,483ft), the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC are tallest twin buildings in the world. The octagonal buildings, which were opened in 1998, have 88-storeys marking the significance of the Chinese lucky number 8. Although the public can't visit the top, you can take a free 10-minute tour of the double-decker Skybridge at the 41st floor (170m above street level).Tickets are allocated from 08:30 on a first-come, first-served basis, so you'll need to get there early to grab one of the 800 time-allocated passes (closed Mondays).

Picture credit: Daniel Berthold

(2) Bird's eye view
While the Petronas Twin Towers score points for their sheer architectural beauty, you get the best views of the city from the observation deck at the KL Tower, or Menara Kuala Lumpur to use its official title. The KL Tower, which is a telecommunications and broadcasting hub, is 421m tall and appears to be taller than the Petronas Towers, because it is built on a hill. At one point it claimed to house the highest McDonald's in the world, but if you're after something a little more upmarket, it contains a revolving restaurant providing diners with stunning views of the city.

(3) Hustle bustle
If you're on the look out for gifts, crafts, art work and souvenirs, you should visit Central Market in China Town. Housed in an air-conditioned art deco building, the market is located along Jalan Hang Kasturi, a few minutes away from Petaling Street. It has been classified as a heritage site and it is a landmark for Malaysian culture, packed with a wide variety of Malaysian arts and crafts, including textiles, sculptures and handmade jewellery. Keep an eye out for demonstrations and performances, which include martial arts, music and dance performances.

(4) China Town at night
Heighten your senses with a stroll through China town, which is based in Petaling Street - a former tapioca producing suburb. Take an evening stroll through the hive of vibrant activity at the night market, which has an array of colourful sights, stalls, restaurants and no shortage of opportunities to hone your haggling skills. It's also a great place to sample local fruits and food.

(5) Local tastes
Check out our previous blog on must-try local cuisine, which was compiled with the help of Malaysia Airlines and their Twitter followers. Other recommendations include Restoran Rebung, owned by a celebrity TV chef and Malaysia's first astronaut (when Malaysia bought Sukhoi jets from Russia, part of the deal was that Russia would put a Malaysian in space). This vibrantly decorated restaurant does very good Malay food and is set in a house in Bangsar, one of KL's most popular bar and restaurant areas. Another tip is the Crocodile Farm Seafood Village Restaurant, a quirky eatery which is a great choice for Cantonese seafood cuisine. It has a large wooden deck where you can sit overlooking what seems to be a round lake, but is an old open cut tin mine which has filled with water. Although not an actual crocodile farm, you can idle away the hours watching the fish and turtles (including some liberated ex-pets).

(6) KL take-away
For a real taste of local street food, head to one of the many bustling evening hawker stalls. Hang out with the locals on rickety chairs and tables and sample some very affordable dishes. There are around 50,000 stalls so you'll be spoiled for choice. The recommended food markets, where many are located, are around Jalan Alor (renowned for Chinese dishes); Bangsar Baru Hawker Stalls (good mix); Jalan Masjid India (mainly Indian) and Merdeka Square Hawker Stalls, just behind St Mary's Cathedral, (a wide variety of Asian food).

(7) A touch of tranquillity
Taman Tasik Perdana or the Lake Gardens Park is a botanical garden at Jalan Perdana which was built in the 1880s. Nestled deep in the city centre, this is a wonderful place to wind down and stretch your legs. Its lush green gardens, undulating hills, bright flowers and fauna make it a favourite spot for city dwellers. You can rent rowing boats and take in highlights including the bird, butterfly and deer parks.

(8) Back to nature
For something a little different, how about a trip to the spectacular limestone Batu Caves? Discovered in the 1890s, and situated seven miles north of Kuala Lumpur, this series of caves and cave temples is a sacred place for Malaysia's Hindus. But if you are feeling a little jaded after the conference, be warned you need to climb 272 steep steps to access the main Temple cave. Prepare for a little simian attention, as there is a large local monkey population.

(9) Serenity
Try visiting some of the local mosques and temples. Must sees include the Masjid Jamek mosque, a beautiful pink and cream brick building which is set in a grove of palm trees on the banks of the Klang and Gombak rivers. Also you should go to the Sri Mahamariaman temple which, built in 1873, is the oldest Hindu temple in the country. A few blocks away is the Sze-ya Taoist temple which was built by one of the founding fathers of Kuala Lumpur.

(10) Last-minute shopping
If you need to get that last-minute gift before heading home, KL has some huge shopping malls full of all the well-known global chain and designer stores, as well as housing entertainment venues and many restaurants and bars. Try visiting the Mid Valley Megamall or Berjaya Times Square. If you specifically want a designer label, Starhill Gallery is the place to go. If you're after electrical goods such as computers and laptops head to either Plaza Low Yat or Imbi Plaza located in the Golden Triangle.

Photo credit: IaRuth

Hats off to our friends at Malaysia Airlines - they've got their fingers on the social media pulse.

The IATA AGM in Kuala Lumpur is fast approaching, so I approached the MAS press team for some local food and drink tips to share with conference attendees via the IATA Airline Business Daily.

They swiftly issued a plea for recommendations via their MAStravel Twitter account, with great instant results - including unexpected celebrity input from local TV personality Sazzy Falak.

Many thanks to Salina for all her efforts. Read on to see the full list...

V Australia's Sydney launch party at Cockatoo Island is still in full swing as we cross midnight and the airline's launch day finally arrives. The party forms part of my Virgin 'round the world in eight days' adventure, which I am sharing with a small group of journalists, Stefan the pilot and Sir Richard Branson.

We have already travelled from London to Sydney, via Hong Kong. We've been to Virgin Active's Australian launch event and looked on as Richard unveiled Virgin's new round the world fares.

Our fly on the wall Virgin press trip diary - which I am also covering live via Twitter - continues...

The jet lag is beginning to wear off as Stefan the pilot and I settle down in Sydney as part of Virgin's 'round the world in eight days' tour. The first leg of our adventure took us from London to Sydney, via Hong Kong. Monday and Tuesday also turned out to be full of quirky surprises. Our behind the scenes Virgin press trip diary continues...

Sydney, Australia (Wednesday 25 February - Thursday 26 February)

Our day kicks of with an early morning media event. We're summoned to the top of the Four Seasons Hotel, navigating our way through a maze of pipes and other industrial kit to get to the roof. Despite their late nights, Richard and his son Sam are on hand to promote Virgin's new around the world fares against the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House (see above).

Ever wondered what it's like to be a guest on a Virgin press trip with Sir Richard Branson? Or to travel around the world in eight days?

Well here's my behind the scenes take on Virgin's 'round the world in eight days' tour which started in London on Saturday 21 February, bound for Hong Kong, Sydney and Los Angeles. You can also follow my progress on Twitter.

Virgin Atlantic president Sir Richard Branson has flagged the importance of social media channels, such as Facebook, during a media briefing in Hong Kong.

The stop, en route to Sydney, forms part of Branson's 'around the world in eight days' journey. The trip is aims to promote Virgin's new global connectivity, with the launch of Virgin Blue's new long-haul arm, V Australia.

During the briefing Branson said: "We take the Internet very seriously." He highlighted the fact that young people are increasingly using the Internet as a news channel, in favour of print publications, adding: "Things like Facebook are an essential part of many, many people's lives."

My recent visit to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia revealed it to be a place filled with contrast, extremely warm characters and confusing timelines.

First up, the timelines. It's like travelling back in time. No, literally. In Ethiopia it is 2001. Their calendar is seven to eight years behind ours, depending on whether we've had our New Year. This means the Ethiopians celebrated the turn of their millennium on 11 September 2007.

The Ethiopian year also has an extra month, giving them the perk that their tourism brochures can truthfully boast 13 months of sunshine (even though the thirteenth month lasts only five days).