L'Eixample
Although a university was first set up on what is now La Rambla in the 16th century, the present, glorious mix of (neo) Romanesque, Gothic, Islamic and…
Must-see attractions in Catalonia
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Across from La Catedral your eye may be caught by what appear to be childlike scribblings on the facade of the 1931 Col·legi de Arquitectes. It is, in…
Barcelona
Book ahead for an evening tour (English available) of this organic brewery. Over the course of two hours, you'll taste the malt, hops and cereals and,…
Barcelona
This impressive arts space is housed in a renovated 19th-century thread and textile factory, with high ceilings and exposed brickwork. Fabra i Coats was a…
Parròquia de Sant Andreu de Palomar
Barcelona
Stepping out of Sant Andreu metro and onto Plaça d'Orfila, you'll be greeted by the sight of this grand church with an impressive domed roof. Originally…
Barcelona
At this information-packed interactive sporting museum, you wander down a ramp that snakes below ground level and is lined with multimedia displays on the…
Barcelona
Barcelona's river is little-known to visitors, but it's worth it for those who want to explore further. The River Besós lies right at the northeastern…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Opposite the southeast end of La Catedral, narrow Carrer del ParadÃs leads towards Plaça de Sant Jaume. Inside No 10, an intriguing building with Gothic…
Barcelona
A fun-filled Disney-style look at the life and work of Barcelona's favourite son GaudÃ, just a stone's throw from Park Güell. There are models of GaudÃ's…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Accessed within the Museu d'Història de Barcelona, this is the chapel of the old Gothic Palau Reial Major (Grand Royal Palace). Outside, a spindly bell…
Barcelona
With Poble Espanyol, the Fundació Fran Daurel is an eclectic collection of 300 works of art, including sculptures, prints, ceramics and tapestries by…
Barcelona
First built for the 1929 Expo, this cable car strung across the harbour between La Barceloneta and Montjuïc provides an eagle-eye view of the city. The…
Barcelona
Opened in 1888, the ‘Market of Liberty’ was covered in 1893 by Francesc Berenguer i Mestres (1866–1914), GaudÃ’s long-time assistant, in typically fizzy…
Barcelona
A relic from the industrial era, this striking Modernista building with its red brick and yellow details today houses an environmental education centre,…
Barcelona
The work of Enric Miralles, completed in 2005, this shimmering glass waterfront office tower is only 86m (20 storeys) high, but remains extraordinary for…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Observe what naughtiness people have been getting up to since ancient times in this museum, with historical relics such as Indian bas-reliefs showing…
Barcelona
Hip Nau Bostik is a must-visit for vintage lovers, and street-art fans in particular. Set in an old factory, it's a bit rough around the edges but is…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
A rare example of post-baroque building in Barcelona, the Palau de la Virreina is a grand 18th-century rococo mansion (with some neoclassical elements)…
L'Eixample
Domènech i Montaner’s 1905 contribution to the Illa de la Discòrdia, with Modernista carving outside and a bright, tiled lobby in which floral motifs…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Across Carrer del Bisbe from La Catedral is the 17th-century Bishop's Palace. Virtually nothing remains of the original 13th-century structure. The Roman…
Barcelona
Just east of its namesake neighbourhood, Barceloneta's main beach is a golden-brown strip of sand where, during warm months, pool-party promoters, mojito…
Estadi OlÃmpic LluÃs Companys
Barcelona
If you saw the Olympics on TV, the main 60,000-capacity LluÃs Companys stadium may seem surprisingly small. So might the Olympic flame holder into which…
Centre de Cultura Contemporà nia de Barcelona
El Raval
A complex of auditoriums, exhibition spaces and conference halls, the CCCB opened in 1994 in what was formerly an 18th-century hospice, the Casa de la…
Montserrat
Signs to the right of the entrance to Montserrat's main basilica lead into the intimate Cambril de la Mare de Déu, where you can pay homage to the famous…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Barcelona's town hall has been the seat of power for centuries. The Consell de Cent (the city’s ruling council) first sat here in the 14th century, but…
Barcelona
The group of installations built for the main events of the 1992 Olympics includes the Piscines Bernat Picornell, where the swimming and diving events…
L'Eixample
A singular neo-Gothic effort, this church is interesting because it was designed by Joan Martorell i Montells (1833–1906), GaudÃ’s architecture professor…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
On La Rambla with Carrer del Carme, this church was constructed in baroque style for the Jesuits in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to replace a…
Barcelona
Barcelona’s famously cucumber-shaped tower, Jean Nouvel’s luminous Torre Glòries (formerly Torre Agbar) is among the most daring additions to the skyline…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
One of the world's largest museums dedicated to all things cannabis-related opened to much fanfare in 2012. Set in the beautifully restored 16th-century…
L'Eixample
This striking twin-fronted building with vibrant tilework was created from 1909 to 1911 by Salvador Valeri (1873–1954). Note GaudÃ's obvious influence on…
Barcelona
Opposite the main information office of the Parc Natural de Collserola lies the historic 19th-century villawhere Catalonia’s revered writer Jacint…
Barcelona
With copper-hued stainless-steel scales sparkling at sunset, this 35m-tall, 56m-long fish sculpture at the foot of the swish Hotel Arts Barcelona looks…
Barcelona
If you're on the trail of GaudÃ, you may want to visit this little-known church in the district of Sant Andreu. The church was built between 1876 and 1881…
Barcelona
Rotating exhibitions of portions of this private collection of mostly 20th-century art (some 1300 works in total) offer anything from Man Ray’s…
L'Eixample
GaudÃ's most conventional contribution to L'Eixample is the 1901 Casa Calvet, built for textiles industrialist Pere Mà rtir Calvet (it now houses a…
Barcelona
If you're looking for a bit of green in the northeast of the city, head to Parc de la Pegaso, a huge space filled with a variety of ponds, water features…
L'Eixample
In a hidden garden inside a typical Eixample block is an old water tower and an urban 'beach', the Platja de l'Eixample, also known as the Jardins de la…
La Rambla & Barri Gòtic
Inside this late-19th-century building you can wander about looking at Frankenstein, Che Guevara, Lady Diana and lots of Spanish figures you probably won…
Barcelona
Northeast from the harbour stretches the promenade Moll de la Fusta. The Pailebot de Santa Eulà lia, a fully functioning 1918 schooner restored by the…
