Visit Barcelona

First impressions of Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the most architecturally exceptional cities in the world — the Mediterranean capital of Catalonia, with the dense medieval Gothic Quarter, the dramatic Eixample grid laid out in 1859 by Ildefons Cerdà, and most extraordinarily, the surreal Modernista architecture of Antoni Gaudí, who shaped the city like no other architect anywhere has shaped a single city. Seven of his works are UNESCO-listed; chief among them is the still-unfinished Sagrada Família (started 1882, expected completion 2026 — the same year as our current trip) — a basilica of dripping organic forms, vast tree-like columns, and stained glass that turns the interior into a kaleidoscope at sunset. Casa Batlló and the wave-shaped Casa Milà (La Pedrera) on Passeig de Gràcia, and the mosaic-tiled Park Güell on the hill above, are the other Gaudí must-sees. Beyond Gaudí, Barcelona's medieval Gothic Quarter is a labyrinth of narrow stone lanes leading to the magnificent Barcelona Cathedral and the dramatic Plaça del Rei. Don't miss La Boqueria food market on Las Ramblas, the Picasso Museum (his early Barcelona years), the lively Born district, a long lazy lunch of paella and cava on the beach at Barceloneta, and an FC Barça match at the Camp Nou (currently under renovation; matches at Olympic Stadium in 2026).