Barcelona is now a lot closer than you thought, finds JOHN WHEATCROFT

ONE of the great Mediterranean cities can now be reached with low-cost airline Jet2, by passengers flying from Yorkshire.

The company, which launched in February with flights to Amsterdam, has now started daily runs to Barcelona from Leeds Bradford airport.

It's a choice that was made following consultations with people in the north of England by Philip Meeson, managing director of Jet2.

Barcelona emerged as the region's favourite holiday destination, followed by Malaga which has also become a Jet2 route, together with Milan, Alicante, Palma and Nice. Large parts of Europe will now be cheaper and more accessible for people in North Yorkshire who have previously had to travel to Manchester or London for their flights.

Following the inaugural flight to Barcelona as a guest of Jet2, I spent 24 hours in the city. In such a short stay, you are only scratching the surface but it's time enough to get a flavour of Barcelona's riches.

Our first stop was at the Sagrada Familia church, the greatest work of architect Antoni Gaudi whose astonishing art nouveau 'modernisme' creations can be seen throughout the city. When finished - that's a big 'when' as the building was started in the 19th century - the Temple of the Sagrada Familia will have 18 towers, one reaching 170 metres high.

While Sagrada Familia inspires awe, there's almost too much detail to take in and many visitors will take more pleasure from serendipitous sightings of Gaudi buildings elsewhere.

The last time I was in Barcelona was in 1977, only a few years post-Franco. While the city had a familiar 'feel', I felt like a first-time visitor on this trip.

The most dramatic change to the cityscape in the intervening years came about with rebuilding for the 1992 Olympic Games. Our whistlestop tour took in Port Olimpic where beaches and an estate of apartments and parks have replaced the old industrial waterfront.

Barcelona's future looks similarly exciting. The city is hosting next year's Universal Forum For Cultures 2004 celebrations and this involves massive regeneration projects on an even bigger scale than those for the Olympics.

A trip to Poble Espanyol suggests that the Catalans were quick to latch on to the idea of theme parks. Poble Espanyol - Spanish village - was opened in the 1920s as a showcase for architecture and crafts. Building styles from throughout the country branch off from a main square, showing the visitor a miniature Spain.

The extensive Old Town, home to Barcelona's Gothic cathedral, and La Rambla, a walkway that leads to the sea and never sleeps are 'must sees' for short-stay visitors.

Flight prices for Barcelona from Leeds Bradford start from £22 single, including taxes, with early bookers most likely to benefit from the lowest fares. Malaga, meanwhile, is already proving such a popular destination that Jet2 is launching a second Saturday flight, for its summer 2003 timetable.

Full timetable and schedules can be found on the Jet2 website at www.jet2.com, or via the Jet2 call centre on 0870 737 8282.

Updated: 09:10 Saturday, April 12, 2003