Haven't gotten around to crossing Barcelona off your bucket list? Go Ahead staffer Louis dishes on why the next trip you book should be to the sunny, coastal Catalonian capital.

1. The night life may just beat the siestas

People eat late, stay out late, and restaurants will let you linger as long as you'd like. Without knowing any Spanish, it's really easy to walk up to people and make friends.

2. Pass the pintxos, por favor

Pintxos may be native to Basque Country, but locals in Barcelona also love to enjoy these small snacks that are usually spiked with a toothpick to a piece of bread.

There are so many pintxos bars to choose from, each with their own specialty, and it's perfectly normal to hop from one place to the next to try as many as you can. We recommend munching on anything featuring the region's signature meat called jamón ibérico.

3. There's enough vino to go around

Whether it's Cava, Txakolina, or something from Andalusia in the south of Spain, there are so many wonderful wines to choose from (and even more bars where you can sit down to enjoy them).

4. Trade your metro pass for walking shoes

Barcelona is a super easy city to explore on foot. It's basically a giant grid like New York City so it's really hard to get lost. And in the off chance you get distracted by the beauty of the architecture and miss your turn, the locals are friendly and will help you find your way.

5. The city was Gaudí's real-world canvas

Speaking of the architecture, you're almost guaranteed to stumble across a building designed by the famed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí while in Barcelona.

Park Güell, La Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera—we're out of breath just naming all the colorful, whimsical buildings where Gaudí left his mark.