Barcelona is a city you look up in — at Gaudí's spires, at wrought-iron balconies, at the light bouncing off the sea. See these five, and speak a little Spanish (or Catalan!), and the city opens right up.
- La Sagrada Família — Gaudí's unfinished basilica, unlike any building on earth. Book a timed ticket online and go when the afternoon sun sets the stained glass on fire.
- Park Güell — mosaic dragons, wave-shaped benches and a terrace over the whole city. The free zones are lovely; the paid Monumental Zone is the postcard.
- The Barri Gòtic — the medieval Gothic Quarter, a maze of stone alleys, hidden squares and the cathedral. Get deliberately lost; that's the point.
- La Boqueria market — off La Rambla: jamón, fruit cups, seafood counters. Order a zumo and a cone of ham: "un cortado y un poco de jamón, por favor."
- Bunkers del Carmel at sunset — old civil-war bunkers on a hilltop, now the best free 360° view in Barcelona. Bring something to drink and arrive early for a spot.
Locals switch happily between Spanish and Catalan — try either and you'll earn a grin. Meet a Spanish speaker below and get your ordering-and-directions Spanish ready before you fly.
