Most places tend to plant their public holidays around victories and celebratory events. But no, not us. The fall of Barcelona and the abolition of Catalan institutions back in 1714? Let's make that our national day!

Not that we're complaining - still struggling to get back into work mode, we’ll gratefully accept any bank holiday - but as a nod to La Diada's origin, we'll take our celebrations to another fallen Catalan institution, El Café que pone Muebles Navarro, which shut down last year.

Many a local bemoaned the closure of the beloved furniture shop-cum-bar, but the new owners - the guys behind Gotico's Milk Bar & Bistro - have put the airy 300 square meters to good use. Out with the Raval-grunge and kitsch and in with a Lower Manhattan-style space, with a full service kitchen (and weekend brunch planned for winter).