First published in express newspaper, Auckland, New Zealand, 31 January, 2007.

So what do other cities do that don’t have a fabulous Hero party to look forward to every summer? Well, one that I have good biblical knowledge of boasts a bar on every corner, four kilometres of Mediterranean beaches and more hours of sunlight than almost any other European country. That’s: bar + cel [sky] + ona [wave] = hot – even before you start seducing those Latin lovers! Since the world’s most powerful athletes did their thing in the ’92 Olympics, Spain’s second largest ‘gay’ city has been throbbing at an ever raunchier rhythm.

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia. The city’s role in the Spanish Civil War was given some renown by writers like George Orwell (Homage to Catalonia) and Laurie Lee (As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning) while Pedro Amodóvar painted the city in rather fantastical strokes in the film All About My Mother. There is a mild independence movement (although thankfully no bombs or other unpleasantness) so the natives might look askance if you insist you are in Spain. The official languages are Catalan and Spanish. A lot of people speak English, but it is polite to ask first.

What we do at Hero, they do pretty continuously year-round. On any given Friday or Saturday night, over twenty bars will be packed with pumping bodies, who will later spill into four or five large clubs. Remember, if you want your night to meld seamlessly with those stylish Spanish lads and girls, think dinner about nine, your first bar, say, elevenish and hit the club of your choice shortly before three. It may take a while to adapt to these Latin rhythms, but practice will make perfect.

Here are some places to check out: Dietrich’s, always the hottest spot, offers drag, acrobatics and trapeze shows at regular points throughout the night, along with excellent house-garage rhythms; Punto is a stylish bar for the 30s-40s crowd, packed on weekends; Eagle’s good for those who want a bit of rough; Átame [Tie Me Up] is a firm favourite with video clips and stage shows while Zeltas is loads of fun, a mestizaje between bar and club.

Clubs to check out are Metro, Salvation (only open Fridays and Saturdays) Space and the chain of Arena gay clubs: Sala Madre, Clásic, VIP and Dandy. As well as this, the Trade parties at Discotheque and the Marica Pop nights at Martin’s really go off. Bears should head for The Bear Factory. You shouldn’t be lost for choice anyway!

Gay Pride on 28 June is one of the main party dates in Barcelona’s calendar. It is generally celebrated by a march and an open-air party in one of the main squares, such as Plaça Universitat. As well as this, other large events like Sonar, the progressive music and multimedia arts festival, and the B-Parade take place a few times a year.

Yet life is more than just a party. Relaxing on a beach is also an honourable pursuit. Barceloneta is famed for having more square metres of gleaming flesh on any given day than anywhere else on the peninsula, except maybe Sitges, the little fishing village popular with the gay community just 20 minutes down the coast. Sitges has a fabulous parade and party for Carnival every year, originating from a last-ditch celebration before the deprivations of Lent. Don’t bother with a hotel, just catch the train down, party all night and get the first train back in the morning!

For a truly heroic meal, you’ll have to book six months’ in advance at El Bullí near Roses, northwards up the coast. Ferran Adrià – a local boy from a humble Barcelona suburb – was declared the best chef in the world by The New York Times food review. Try his liquid ravioli, vegetable aires (literally, flavoured air) or sea foams (oyster juices whipped into a gelatine foam). El Bullí is only open from April to September.

If you’re up in Girona, one relative of our Heroic Gardens you shouldn’t miss is Temps de Flors. Once a year, in mid-May, houses in Girona's cramped Medieval Jewish quarter, or Call (pronounced kaay), open their gardens and patios to the curious. The Girona Council sponsors elaborate floral displays that cover monuments and even create intricately designed carpets of petals through the streets which processions of musicians and street performers then annihilate.

However, whatever the temptations, make sure you stay here and enjoy our Hero festival before heading off to sample how they do it overseas.