Barcelona’s famous tree-lined promenade slicing through the old town from Placa Catalunya to the sea – a river of people, flower stalls and human statues. Touristy and pickpocket-prone, but an essential first stroll; duck into the side streets for the real city.
A jaw-dropping Modernista concert hall clad in stained glass, mosaic and sculpture, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Take the guided tour by day, or better still catch a concert under its luminous inverted-dome skylight.
Set in five medieval palaces in El Born, this museum holds one of the world’s great collections of Picasso’s formative early work, tracing his Barcelona years. Free entry on some evenings – check ahead and book.
Gaudi’s wave-fronted apartment block, nicknamed “the quarry,” crowned by a surreal rooftop of warrior-like chimneys. Tour the restored apartment and attic, then wander the roof terrace with the Sagrada Familia on the skyline.
Gaudi’s whimsical hillside park of mosaic lizards, wave benches and gingerbread gatehouses, with sweeping views over the city. The Monumental Zone is ticketed and timed – book ahead; the surrounding park is free to roam.
Gaudi’s dragon-scaled masterpiece on the elegant Passeig de Gracia, a riot of curves, colour and bone-like balconies. The immersive audiovisual tour brings its organic forms to life – magical in the evening light.
Gaudi’s astonishing unfinished basilica, under construction since 1882 and still rising. The forest-like interior and kaleidoscopic stained glass are unforgettable – book a timed ticket ahead, and pay extra to climb a tower for the view.
Barcelona’s go-to street for alternative shopping – a short Raval lane packed door to door with second-hand shops, record stores and tattoo parlours, with a few cafes to round it out. Great for cheap new threads and crate-digging; on most Saturdays the shops spill outside and turn it into a little open-air market.
Where to stay in Barcelona? A local guide to the best neighbourhoods, from the central Eixample and Gothic Quarter to village-like Gracia and the beach at Barceloneta.
How many days do you need in Barcelona? A local guide to the ideal trip length, the must-see Gaudi sights, the beach, and the best day trips.