Usually regarded for its Modernist architecture, centuries of artistic influence and polarizing football team, Barcelona has come into its own as a growing tech hub. The capital of Catalonia hosts the annual Mobile World Congress each March, and its Poble Nou neighborhood cradles some of the world’s most recognizable startups like TravelPerk and Typeform.

If business takes you to Barcelona, extracurricular fun isn’t just limited to the confines of the city. A train ride north takes you to Costa Brava, a stretch of Mediterranean beaches, sprawling seaside cliffs and a more intimate peek into Catalonian life. When combined, Barcelona and Costa Brava blend business and leisure into a satisfying cultural and coastal cocktail.

Doing business in Barcelona breaks a lot of the professional norms Americans may be used to. Flexible meeting times, casual dress and later lunches where wine is usually present can be a shock to those accustomed to more structure, but choose the best approach by embracing the more laid-back lifestyle. If anything, treat it as a chance to adjust to the time difference.

Many cafés frown upon laptops, especially during lunch hours, but Barcelona abounds with co-working spaces, most of which rent hot desks by the hour. The city’s digital nomad scene is alive and well, meaning you don’t have to wander far to find a WiFi hotspot. If a co-working space doesn’t appeal, hotel lobbies offer a solid alternative.

Tossa de Mar © Pere Sanz | Dreamstime

Like other Spanish daily rituals, dinner is pushed back a few hours, so you may be hard-pressed to find a restaurant open before 8 or even 9 p.m. Reservations are highly encouraged at business dinner hot spots like Cocina Hermanos Torres, an open-kitchen concept near Sants, or Moments inside Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, where modern Catalan cuisine shines in an elegant setting.

Having to work in a lively city like Barcelona can prove difficult. Sun-soaked terraces beg patrons to sit for a four-hour coffee or a few rounds of refreshing claras (beers with lemon soda). It’s not unusual for a business lunch to stretch into an evening social event. The early morning hours provide the best opportunity for focused work, leaving the afternoons free for connecting with colleagues, clients or your inner Catalan.

Cadaqués © NaturSports | Dreamstime

When time permits or the weekend arrives, a quick train ride or a few hours in a rental car north of Barcelona takes you to Costa Brava, a seaside expanse full of ancient history, world-class dining and lazy afternoons at the platja (Catalan for “beach”). Start in Girona, where history comes alive in the old town. Original Roman ruins line Passeig de la Muralla, transporting pedestrians to the time when the Romans roamed the streets. A trail through history continues in Tossa de Mar, a 45-minute drive southeast of Girona. A medieval fortress rises atop rugged cliffs, clearing the way for unobstructed views of the Mediterranean Sea and its glimmering coastline.

Cap off a Costa Brava tour with a few nights in Cadaqués, about one hour and 15 minutes northeast of Girona. Tucked away in a cozy harbor, whitewashed buildings dot this quaint fishing village where artist Salvador Dalí once found inspiration.

INFO TO GO
Barcelona-El Prat International Airport is the main airport serving the city. Travelers can access the city center in about 30 minutes by Aerobús, local city bus, Metro (L9 Sud) or regional train (Rodalies). Girona-Costa Brava Airport sits about 65 miles north of Barcelona and welcomes flights from mostly European destinations on budget airlines such as Ryanair and Jet2.com.

Visitors can get to the center of Girona via the Sagalés airport bus in approximately 20 minutes. Barcelona Sants (Estació de Sants) is the departure point for regional, national and international high-speed trains. Regional trains also depart from Barcelona-Passieg de Gràcia in the heart of the city, where the Rodalies de Catalunya R11 train travels to Girona in one hour and 20 minutes. SARFA Bus 2 travels directly from Barcelona-Estació del Nord to Tossa de Mar in one hour and 25 minutes, and SARFA Bus 3 leaves the same bus station for Cadaqués, a journey of about three hours.

Accessing smaller seaside towns like Cadaqués usually requires a rental car, which can be collected at one of the regional airports or at numerous office locations throughout Barcelona and Girona.