Ever since it was founded over 2,000 years ago, Barcelona has been striving to become a great metropolis. To its inhabitants, it is not Spain's second city but the capital of Catalonia; not a Spanish metropolis but a European one, and the Spanish leader in both haute couture and haute cuisine. The best time to see Barcelona in its true colours is after FC Barça wins an important match, and the streets erupt with excitement to the sound of car horns and popping champagne corks.