The complex played an important role in the life of many immigrants who arrived in the United States
Barcelona's tree-lined pedestrian street known as Las Ramblas serves as the city's vibrant social hub. Here you'll find numerous shops and boutiques, restaurants, cafés, and the landmark La Boquería, one of the most famous public markets in Europe.
Barcelona's astonishing Basílica de la Sagrada Família stands as one of the most remarkable and unconventional churches in Europe, if not the world. Designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), construction began in 1882 and was due to be completed in 2026 to coincide with the anniversary of Gaudí's death. However, that deadline will be missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown across Spain. Sagrada Família, however, can still be visited.
Gaudí's work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the basilica is one of the city's most celebrated crowd-pleasers. After admiring the impressive exterior, visitors can marvel at an equally sumptuous interior. The ceiling (pictured) draws gasps of admiration for its dazzling opulence.
Another outstanding architectural feature of the church is the amazing stained-glass windows that allow ocean shades of ethereal light to flood the nave.
Barcelona's spiritual and secular center is its Barri Gòtic ("Gothic Quarter"). This is Roman Barcino's original nucleus, and while there are still vestiges of Roman rule to be found here, it's the Middle Ages that are best represented by the historic monuments set into this historic quarter.
Looming over the core of the Barri Gòtic is the 14th-century Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. This medieval masterpiece is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona whose martyred remains lie in the cathedral's crypt.
Wandering the Barri Gòtic will eventually lead you to the Picasso Museum and one of the most extensive collections of the great Cubist master's work found anywhere. The displays are organized into three sections: painting and drawing, engraving, and ceramics.
There is quite literally a surprise on every corner in Barcelona. In the Eixample district off the elegant boulevard of Passeig de Gràcia stands the eye-popping Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera.
Another gem from Gaudí, flamboyant avant-garde Casa Milà dates back to 1912 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After exploring the interior, head for the roof and an undulating terrace decorated with swirling mosaic-adorned chimneys.
The exquisite Palace of Catalan Music is another UNESCO-listed eye-opener. A beautiful example of ornate Art Nouveau decorative style, the palace was designed by Barcelona-born Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1850–1923). The interior is just as fancy and ornate as the exterior.
Antoni Gaudí's ornamented and whimsical public park appears as if borrowed from the boundless imagination of a child. Multicolored ceramic fragments adorn the walls and terraces of this stunning landscaped garden, which is embroidered with colorful fountains, staircases, grottoes, and a splendid colonnaded hall. It's one of UNESCO's most vibrant World Heritage Sites.
Gaze upon the exuberant and theatrical facade of the Casa Batlló, a fantastical mansion completed in 1877, and ponder the vivacious, dream-like brilliance of its creator, Antoni Gaudí. This is yet another example of the man's extraordinary architectural style, and another one of Barcelona's impressive UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Home to FC Barcelona, the 93,354-capacity Camp Nou soccer stadium is the largest in Europe. Guided tours allow soccer fans to take in the playing field, the team's changing room, and players' tunnel. The museum houses a glittering array of silverware and other historic memorabilia.
One of Barcelona's most charming visitor attractions, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc wows audiences with a choreographed light and water show that is set to music. Shows take place over weekends. The fountain is situated below the Palau Nacional.
Situated near the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc is the wonderful Poble Espanyol ("Spanish Village"). This open-air architectural museum is in fact a collection of over 200 fabricated full-scale buildings replicated from different places in the Iberian Peninsula to form a small town.
One of Europe's great urban beaches, Sant Sebastià Beach serves as the summer hangout for sun-seekers and surfers. Located in the city's La Barceloneta neighborhood, the beach is fringed by an equally long promenade lined with touristy restaurants, shops, and tapas bars.
Barcelona's busy port is best admired from above, during a flight on the historic Port Vell Aerial Tramway. It traverses Port Vell, Barcelona's old harbor, connecting the Montjuïc hill with the seaside suburb of Barceloneta.
Set on verdant wooded slopes outside Barcelona, the tranquil Monastery of Pedralbes was founded as a convent in 1326 for the Order of Saint Clare. Today serving as a museum of medieval ecclesiastical art, of which the church, chapel, and serene Gothic cloister are all part, the monastery is centuries away from the city below.
There's only one market you need to know about in Barcelona—Mercat de la Boqueria. Located on Las Ramblas, this sprawling venue has been serving the community since 1836. A colorful and aromatic selection of fish, meat, fruit, and vegetables wrapped up in a cacophony of sound make browsing this mercantile marvel a shopping experience to remember.
The monumental Plaça d'Espanya is one of the city's most important squares. It's distinguished by a number of historic landmarks, including the twin Venetian Towers and the nearby Palau Nacional.
Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist Joan Miró (1893–1983) was born in Barcelona and is honored with a foundation he helped create in 1975. A modern art museum houses some of Miró's greatest works, some dating back to 1917.
For a spectacular mid-air panorama of the city, take the cable car that climbs Montjuïc Hill and which terminates at Castillo de Montjuïc. Note that two of the gondolas are equipped to accommodate wheelchairs, and the entire cable car facility is fully adapted for persons with reduced mobility.
The cable car terminates near Montjuïc Castle, a military fortress that dates back to 1640. The terminus is sited near the aforementioned Fundació Joan Miró.
The first house Antoni Gaudí designed, and also one of the very first buildings of Art Deco ever completed, Casa Vicens falls under UNESCO World Heritage Site patronage for its Moorish (or Mudéjar) influence. The dwelling is located in the city's Gràcia neighborhood.
The regal Palau Nacional stands on the site of the 1929 International Exhibition, for which it was built. Housing the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya since 1934, the palace exemplifies the Spanish Renaissance style of architecture and remains an historic point of reference for locals and visitors alike.
Competing for attention among the historic landmarks visible on the Barcelona skyline is the modern Torre Glòries. Considered an architectural icon of the city, the tower is a popular stop on the tourist sightseeing trail.
This 60-m(197 ft)-tall monument to Christopher Columbus stands needle-like at the lower end of Las Ramblas. Inaugurated in 1888 in honor of Columbus' first voyage to the Americas, the monument rewards a steep narrow ascent with fabulous city views.
Admirers of Catalan art will be impressed by the collections on display at the National Museum of Catalonia, which is housed in the Palau Nacional. Works spanning the 10th to the 20th centuries, including paintings, sculpture, and photography, are displayed in dedicated rooms.
And why not end a day's city tour with a trip to the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, perched on the summit of Mount Tibidabo? The views alone back across the city are simply staggering, even more so at sunset.
Sources: (Building Design+Construction) (The Stadium Guide) (Telefèric de Montjuïc)
See also: Going around Girona
Barcelona, the vibrant and breathtaking capital of Catalonia, is one of Spain's most historic and exuberant cities. Noted for its collection of fabled architecture, not least the compelling Antoni Gaudí-designed Sagrada Família, Barcelona brims with an astonishing array of visitor attractions, including world class museums, art galleries, and the biggest soccer stadium in Europe.
Click through and discover what this extraordinary Catalan destination has to offer.
The fabulous Museum of History of Barcelona is another great Gothic Quarter find. The museum's Roman collections are especially engaging. Pictured is a Roman mosaic depicting the Chi-Rho symbol with alpha and omega.
Bewitching Barcelona is Catalonia's city break gem
A Catalan adventure
TRAVEL Europe
Barcelona, the vibrant and breathtaking capital of Catalonia, is one of Spain's most historic and exuberant cities. Noted for its collection of fabled architecture, not least the compelling Antoni Gaudí-designed Sagrada Família, Barcelona brims with an astonishing array of visitor attractions, including world class museums, art galleries, and the biggest soccer stadium in Europe.
Click through and discover what this extraordinary Catalan destination has to offer.