I stayed with Lidia for just over 5 weeks, and I will say that I don't think of Lidia as my landlady, but as a friend. I was welcomed with open arms into her beautiful home, and was treated as though it were my home as well. I will definitely stay with Lidia again without a doubt and I'm sure we'll be keeping in touch. The house is spotless, the room is cosy and lacked nothing, and the shower was brilliant – more powerful than my own at home!

As far as access to the city, you couldn't want for more. The bus stop is in front of the house with buses every 15 minutes to the centre, taking around 30 minutes. A quick walk down the road to the metro station will get you to the city in about 10 minutes, and if you fancy there's the Ferrocarrils (Lidia called it a 'train but not a train'), that takes again, about 10 minutes. Because you're not in the city centre, you can see Barcelona and get some peace and quiet from the manic hustle and bustle.

There's a supermarket right in front of the flat, another about 50 metres down the road, and another one across the road from that one! There's a pharmacy underneath, and a brilliant cafe / pizzeria that I passed many evenings in.

The neighbours are quiet and friendly, I had many chats in broken Catalan in the lift. There was a fan in my bedroom that effectively combatted the heat at night, and if all else failed, there's a great air-conditioning unit in the front room that packs quite a punch!

I was genuinely sad to leave and I will definitely be going back. I could not have wished for a more easy going person to stay with, who lets you keep yourself to yourself, but also if you want, have a really good chat and natter together.

If you come to Barcelona, you have to stay here.