The big Barcelona places guide

Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece, the world-famous church still rising after more than 140 years

Vaulted stone paths Gaudí built inspired by nature, quiet shady corners away from the crowds

Gaudí's dragon house with its bone-and-scale facade, one of the city's most striking modernist experiences

Gaudí's wavy stone quarry with its iconic rooftop chimney warriors, especially magical on the night visit

The palace the young Gaudí built for his patron, a hall with a starlit dome and a wild mosaic-chimney roof

The first house Gaudí ever designed, a stunning green-and-white ceramic mosaic that opened to the public only in 2017

The legendary entrance gate with Gaudí's two gingerbread pavilions, the starting point for the monumental zone

The fabled keeper's house at the park entrance, now a small visitor point explaining how the project was born

Gaudí's laboratory where he tested the arches of the Sagrada Família, a World Heritage site outside the city

Gaudí's forgotten castle on the ruins of a royal palace, without the Sagrada Família queues

Gaudí's restrained and surprising building that won Barcelona's best building award in 1900

The world-famous lizard on the staircase, the park's symbol and the photo everyone comes for

A wrought-iron gate shaped like a mythological dragon that Gaudí made for the Güell estate, one of his early and surprising works

A forest of 86 Doric columns supporting the terrace above, with spectacular mosaic medallions in the ceiling

The winding bench clad in colourful trencadís mosaic, with an open view across all of Barcelona to the sea

A sharp triangular stone winery Gaudí designed with his assistant Berenguer above Garraf beach, now a restaurant

A hidden fountain the young Gaudí designed, forgotten for decades in the Pedralbes gardens

An impressive red-brick arch built for the 1888 World's Fair, at the head of a wide, lively promenade

The Gothic cathedral of the old quarter, with a mysterious cloister, 13 white geese and a rooftop view over the city

A 17th-century fortress on the hilltop with a panoramic view of the port, city and sea

A thousand-year-old Benedictine monastery clinging to a cliff at 700 metres, Catalonia's most important spiritual site

The cathedral of the sea from the famous novel, a Catalan Gothic beauty built by the port's own labourers

The stadium of the 1992 Olympics that transformed Barcelona, now Barça's temporary home

A fortified 12th-century stone bridge with a gate tower in the middle, the photogenic entrance to the medieval town

The only fortified town to survive on the Catalan coast, 12th-century walls and towers right above the beach

90 dramatic steps up to the nave of the world's widest Gothic church, also known from Game of Thrones filming

Remains of the anti-aircraft batteries and the shanty quarter on the Bunkers summit, a fascinating story of 20th-century Barcelona

The church with the golden Christ statue seen from all over the city, with a lift to Barcelona's highest viewpoint

The city through which the Greeks and Romans entered the Iberian Peninsula, mosaics and columns right on the shoreline

Spain's most famous avenue, a kilometre and a half of street theatre from Plaça Catalunya to the sea

A mighty 9th-century fortress on a hill, now a Parador hotel with a tower and a striking Romanesque church

A Gothic basilica with one of Europe's largest rose windows, and a bell tower with an excellent view

A Benedictine monastery with one of Europe's most beautiful Romanesque cloisters, 144 hand-carved column capitals

The last bullfighting ring that operated in Barcelona, a striking Mudejar-style building with mosaic domes

A Gothic monastery from 1327 with Europe's most beautiful three-storey courtyard, a pocket of calm out of time

The fountain that legend says brings anyone who drinks from it back to Barcelona, and a celebration spot for Barça fans

Three giant chimneys of an old power station, free graffiti walls and a lively skatepark

Europe's largest 18th-century fortress above Figueres, a huge star with moats you can even tour by jeep

A 12th-century Romanesque bathhouse in Moorish style, a beautiful columned dome above the cooling pool

A lavish modernist palace by Domenech i Montaner at the entrance to Gràcia, now a luxury hotel with a jazz bar

The church on the rock above the sea, the famous postcard of Sitges and especially lovely at sunset

A 10th-century fortress on a hill above the town, beautifully restored and overlooking the whole Llobregat delta

Barcelona's most photographed neo-Gothic bridge, strung across a narrow lane between two old palaces

The church with the truncated spire that dominates Girona's skyline, with Roman sarcophagi inside

Four 2,000-year-old Roman columns hidden in an inner courtyard, an ancient and completely free surprise

Barcelona's oldest church, a thousand-year-old Romanesque gem with a small and lovely cloister

Barcelona's historic prison, closed in 2017, a chilling free tour of the original wings and cells

A Civil War tunnel shelter the residents dug themselves, a chilling and fascinating guided tour

A complex of three churches from the 4th to 12th centuries with rare early frescoes, a site unique in Europe

A monumental hillside cemetery with striking sculptures and the grave of Joan Miró

A dreamlike monastery on the hillside above Gràcia, monumental steps and a view almost no tourist knows

The cave where tradition says the Madonna was found, reached by a hanging path with sculptures by Gaudí and his peers

The village's historic church, a neoclassical facade and the heart of the community for centuries

An impressive basilica on a spacious neighbourhood square, a pleasant starting point for the climb to Tibidabo

A neoclassical cemetery from 1775 with the chilling Kiss of Death statue, with free guided tours too

The best-preserved medieval corner in the city, where the Catholic Monarchs received Columbus on his return from America

The 12th-century Black Madonna in the Montserrat basilica, millions of pilgrims climb up to touch the orb in her hand

The church overlooking Plaça de la Virreina, a quiet neo-Romanesque interior away from the tourist queues

A historic fountain known from every Catalan folk song, with a pleasant bistro beside it in the leafy gardens

White lanes with grand indiano mansions built by the rich who returned from Cuba, boutiques and galleries

A grand 19th-century university building with quiet courtyards and a hidden botanical garden, open and free

A whole modernist workers' village built by the industrialist Güell, houses, a school and buildings by Gaudí's students

A 10th-century hilltop stone village with a swaying rope bridge over the river, one of Catalonia's most beautiful villages

A kilometre walk along Carolingian walls with watchtowers over the rooftops and out to the Pyrenees

A hilltop town with a ruined castle at its peak, Cuban indiano houses and the gateway to the area's best beaches

A beautifully restored medieval stone town on a hill, a Romanesque tower and a view over the rice fields

A fortified village carved into the rock with a natural moat, one of Catalonia's best preserved, romantic restaurants in stone courtyards

A tiny ancient stone village by the archaeological site, one lovely square, a church and restaurants facing the shore

A port town with a thousand-year-old Benedictine monastery and the Porta Ferrada gate, host to a veteran music festival

The museum Dalí built for himself in a burnt-out theatre in Figueres, eggs on the roof, a rain car and his tomb in the crypt

One of Europe's best science museums: a real Amazonian rainforest, a planetarium and hundreds of experiments

The world's largest collection of the young Picasso, across five Gothic palaces on beautiful Carrer Montcada

The world's finest collection of Romanesque murals inside a grand national palace from 1929

A culture centre inside a spectacular modernist textile factory, world-class exhibitions and cheap entry

The painter's house assembled from fishermen's huts in a hidden cove, kept exactly as he left it, book ahead

The contemporary art museum in Richard Meier's gleaming white building, and the plaza in front, Europe's skateboarding capital

A bright white museum Miró founded himself, with hundreds of works and a sculpture roof with a view

The Gothic royal shipyards from the 13th century, huge halls with a full replica of a gilded warship

Catalan fashion, furniture and graphics in the striking building facing the Glòries tower, free entry on the first Sunday afternoon

The pink house where Gaudí lived for nearly 20 years, with original furniture he designed and his personal belongings

A journey through Catalan history in a historic port warehouse, with a roof terrace and a free view over the marina

Walk underground through a whole Roman city, ancient Barcino, with streets, laundries and wineries

An impressive private collection of ancient Egypt with mummies and sarcophagi, great for a rainy day or pharaoh-loving kids

Treasures from Catalonia's Phoenician, Greek and Roman eras, including finds from Empúries

An interactive museum about the '92 Olympics that reinvented Barcelona, opposite the stadium

The home of painter Santiago Rusiñol who turned Sitges into an artists' colony, with two El Greco paintings facing the sea

A museum to the great Catalan artist in a modernist building, with a cloud sculpture and a tiled chair on the roof

Gaudí furniture, sculpture and glass from the modernist era in one place, the perfect complement to a tour of the houses

A surprising collection in the heart of the mountain with Caravaggio, El Greco, Monet and Picasso, and an ancient Near East wing

The village house where the national poet Verdaguer died, a small free museum at the gates of Collserola park

The world's largest modernist hospital complex, spectacular pavilions and gardens without the Sagrada Família crowds

What many call the world's most spectacular concert hall, the peak of modernism with a breathtaking stained-glass dome

A village built from 117 replicas of beautiful corners from all over Spain, with artisan workshops and restaurants

The iconic sports and concert arena from the Olympics, where all the big stars play in the city

A spectacular 1876 iron market above which a whole city from 1700 was uncovered, Catalonia's most important memory site

Barcelona's historic opera house from 1847, a lavish golden hall that rose again from two fires

Smart themed exhibitions on cities, cinema and culture in an old almshouse with an impressive covered courtyard

The huge grounds of the Primavera Sound festival, a giant solar panel and a terraced sea-bathing area without sand

The Catalan Broadway: an avenue of historic theatres and musicals like the Apolo and the Victòria

The quality cinema beloved by Barcelonans, films in the original language in historic halls from 1902

The house of spikes that looks like a fairytale castle, six pointed spires in the middle of Avinguda Diagonal

Casa Batlló's terraced neighbour, a chocolatier's palace with a Dutch facade and a historic chocolate tasting

The minimalist 1929 masterpiece that changed modern architecture: glass, marble and water

Rebecca Horn's tower of four glass cubes in memory of the old beach shacks, the photographed symbol of Barceloneta

A giant colourful Joan Miró work set into the pavement of La Rambla, most passers-by walk over it without noticing

The Bonastruc ça Porta complex named after Nachmanides of Girona, with gravestones, inscriptions and the community's story

A dreamlike palace on the Sitges waterfront with a golden hall and balconies, tours and summer concerts

The historic theatre from which independent Catalan theatre grew, plays in an intimate atmosphere

A white arched palace inspired by Gaudí that was a textile factory, the modernist gem of the city of Terrassa

The house with two completely different facades, waves of colour and wooden galleries inspired by Gaudí, a little-known gem

One of Europe's oldest synagogues, from the 13th century, restored and brought back to life in the heart of the old Call quarter

A modernist palace by Puig i Cadafalch with a richly carved Gothic facade, near the Casa de les Punxes

Frank Gehry's giant fish sculpture of golden metal mesh, glinting in the sun above the Port Olímpic promenade

A warm modernist villa of wood and brick that was nearly demolished, now a neighbourhood culture centre with free entry

The most ornate corner of the Block of Discord, Domènech i Montaner's floral modernism at its best

The medieval Call quarter's alleys, one of Europe's most important communities until the 1391 expulsion, with explanatory signs

A ceramic-decorated modernist building at the foot of Avinguda del Tibidabo, lovely to photograph on the way to the tram

A Greek-inspired amphitheatre inside a rose garden, the summer stage of the prestigious Grec festival

A collection of 37 surrealist gold jewels Dalí designed, including the ruby-studded heart that really beats

One of Europe's oldest boys' choirs, singing in the basilica almost every midday and worth timing your visit for

A 12th-century Romanesque mikveh discovered in 1964, one of Europe's oldest and best preserved, beside the synagogue remains

A nostalgic 1901 wooden tram that climbs an avenue of modernist villas on the way to Tibidabo

The old village's main street: veteran shops, patisseries and the feel of a small Catalan town

The capital of Penedès wine with an excellent wine museum and the castells human-tower tradition, tastings on every corner

The alleys of the Jewish community that thrived here until the 15th century, with signs telling its story

One of Europe's best-preserved old Jewish quarters, stone alleys where the community lived for some 600 years until the expulsion

A white fishing village at the tip of the peninsula, the refuge of Dalí, Picasso and Duchamp, still bohemian and beautiful

The central square where everything begins, the meeting point between the old city and the Eixample and the transport hub

The city's main train station, the departure point for high-speed trains to Madrid and the coastal cities

The village square of Poble-sec with neighbourhood cafes, the quiet heart of the district

Catalonia's political square since Roman times, facing Barcelona city hall and the Catalan government palace

Poblenou's beloved local avenue, vermouth at noon, ice cream in the evening and almost no tourists

A huge medieval arcaded square, one of Catalonia's oldest markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays and the capital of cured sausage

A quiet village square with the saint's statue, one of the best-preserved corners of old Sarrià

The quiet, moving square in the Gothic Quarter, with Civil War bomb scars on the church walls

Barcelona's beautiful palm-tree square, with lamps the young Gaudí designed, bars and jazz into the night

El Raval's local avenue with Botero's fat cat sculpture, terraces and a genuinely multicultural feel

A hidden private lane with colourful houses and gardens, one of the Eixample's romantic and little-known corners

The green local avenue rising from the Arc de Triomf, Barcelona's brunch capital with shaded playgrounds

Gràcia's liveliest square, filling with locals, beer and guitars every evening

Gràcia's historic clock-tower square, ringed with cafes and chairs in the sun

The most photogenic square in the neighbourhood, village-like and calm facing the Sant Joan church facade

The square immortalised in the world-famous Catalan novel, with a Civil War underground shelter beneath it

A beloved neighbourhood square at the start of Carrer Verdi, perfect for a vermouth stop between sights

A small square with a bronze statue of the architect who lost to Cerdà in planning Barcelona, and neighbourhood restaurants

An authentic local square at the edge of Gràcia with a children's playground and old-school bars around it

The city's largest square with the two Venetian towers, the grand gateway to Montjuïc

The former village's main square with a church, a farmers' market and cafes in the shade of trees

A neoclassical arcaded square on the Onyar riverbank, the centre of Girona's evening dining and vermouth

A 60-metre column with Columbus at the top and a lift to a 360-degree view of the port and La Rambla

A ride in glass cabins from the park up to the castle with a shifting view over the city and sea

Barcelona's best viewpoint from Civil War anti-aircraft batteries, a must at sunset

The old harbour turned polished marina of superyachts, with Lichtenstein's colourful head sculpture

A vintage red 1931 cable car crossing the harbour from the Sant Sebastià tower to Montjuïc, a wild view on the way

A red iron bridge built by the Eiffel company in 1877, two years before the Paris tower, the city's photo spot

A 360-degree view from the 30th floor of the colourful bullet tower, with Tomás Saraceno's hanging cloud work

The blue bullet-shaped skyscraper with one of the city's highest viewpoints and a glass dome on the 30th floor

A terraced viewing garden above the harbour with artistic paving, the pretty photo spot on the way to the castle

A working observatory from 1904 with evening tours through the antique telescope and dinners under the stars in summer

A lighthouse on a 165-metre cliff above Llafranc, a huge view, a restaurant and a 15th-century watchtower

The high point of Park Güell with a 360-degree view, especially magical at sunset

The Olympic diving pool hanging above the city, one of Barcelona's most photographed spots, open in summer

A section of well-kept coastal path around the exclusive S'Agaró villa neighbourhood, coves and viewpoints at every turn

The classic viewpoint of the monastery and the rounded cliffs, an easy 20-minute walk from the complex

The hidden viewpoint on the mountain's back side, sunsets to the sea and an outdoor bar at weekends

Yellow and red facades reflected in the river, Girona's famous picture from the bridges

Norman Foster's communications tower with a glass viewpoint 560 metres above the sea

The steps in front of the National Palace are the locals' favourite sunset spot, with the whole city at your feet

Spain's steepest funicular climbs from the monastery to the upper viewpoint trails, a view to the Pyrenees

A former bullring turned mall with a round rooftop viewpoint facing Plaça d'Espanya

A wide promenade from Barceloneta to the Port Olímpic, the running and cycling route locals love

A diagonal pedestrian walk linking the Sagrada Família to Sant Pau, two World Heritage sites in one line of sight

A historic 1930 yellow funicular that leaps from the valley station to the monastery in five steep minutes

A hillside funicular on a normal metro ticket up to the summit neighbourhood, the cheap way to the mountain views

A wavy wooden bridge continuing La Rambla into the sea, opening to let boats pass and perfect at sunset

A village-like summit neighbourhood with old villas, view balconies and a mountain feel beside the city

A long palm promenade along the beaches, modernist villas and fish restaurants on the water

Barcelona's central park with a monumental waterfall Gaudí helped design, a boating lake and picnic lawns

Barcelona's huge green lung: walking and cycling trails in a real Mediterranean forest

The city's oldest garden with a real cypress maze from 1791, a romantic corner most visitors miss

One of Europe's most beautiful botanical gardens, 4,000 species on a Blanes clifftop and a photographed viewpoint pavilion over the bay

Wetlands with bird hides, storks, flamingos and wild horses, flat trails that reach the beach

A park on an old factory site with a boating lake, lighting towers and a giant dragon sculpture to climb

Italian-style gardens hanging on a cliff above the sea at Lloret de Mar, cypresses, statues and steps down to the turquoise

The former royal palace gardens: lawns, cypresses, ponds and hidden Gaudí corners

A romantic, well-kept garden in the heart of the upscale district, a small lake and statues among old trees

A modern hillside garden with Mediterranean plants from five continents and open views

A working salt mountain quarried for some two thousand years, a helmeted tour through glittering coloured salt tunnels

A surrealist park designed by Jean Nouvel, bougainvillea, sunken seating and slides between walls

A quiet beachfront park with the neighbourhood's beautiful modernist water tower, a green moment by the sand

A clifftop botanical garden around a castle built by exiled Russian nobles, with a summer music festival by the sea

Enric Miralles' futuristic park with winding tubes, lakes and unusual play equipment for kids

A roughly hundred-metre waterfall at the end of a short trail from Rupit, spectacular after rainy days

One of Europe's largest cactus gardens, on a sea-facing slope with dozens of giant species

Terraced gardens with waterfalls, pergolas and Alhambra-inspired steps, a romantic and quiet corner

A romantic garden of an old estate with a small lake, peacocks and quiet shady corners

A classic hidden estate garden at the foot of Avinguda del Tibidabo, fountains and reading nooks among old trees

Catalonia's largest natural lake, a cycling loop around it, rowing boats and the '92 Olympic rowing course

A neighbourhood park with Miró's giant colourful Woman and Bird sculpture, a green stop by Plaça d'Espanya

Spain's easternmost point, a lunar landscape of wind-sculpted rocks that fired Dalí's imagination

A neighbourhood garden with a maze of cypress avenues and modern sculptures, beside Villa Amèlia

A park with 10,000 rose bushes from hundreds of varieties, at spectacular peak bloom in spring

Montserrat's highest peak at 1,236 metres, a trail among rounded crags with a view over all Catalonia

A marine reserve of seven islands off the coast, one of the Mediterranean's best diving and snorkelling sites

A green hill near the Bunkers with quiet walking trails and viewpoints without a single tourist

Well-kept gardens in the heart of the park with the classic photo spot of the pavilions against the city

A flat panoramic 10-kilometre trail along the hillside, the whole city at your feet the whole way

An easy shaded trail from the monastery among sculptures and ceramic panels, fine for kids and prams

The historic coastal watch path, the Calella-to-Llafranc stretch is short, stunning and perfect at sunset

The city's most famous and liveliest beach, an easy walk from the old town with a buzzing promenade and restaurants

A cove with a row of photographed green-and-white bathing huts, small, photogenic and calm even in August

The old, wide beach at the southern end of Barceloneta, by the sail-shaped hotel and with a more local crowd

The beach beloved by young Poblenou, calmer than the centre and with good chiringuitos on the sand

Five kilometres of wide shallow sand 20 minutes from the city, great for families and water sports

17 sandy beaches along the town, shallow water and blue flags, 40 minutes by train from Barcelona

The main beach of the young, lively resort town, a kilometre and a half of sand and clear water with every service

A young, liberal beach with a designated nudist stretch, and a watersports base renting kayaks and paddleboards

The beach stretch by the casino and hotels, named after the fishermen's shanty quarter that once stood here

A golden bay at the foot of the walls, one of the Costa Brava's famous views, which Chagall called the blue paradise

The calm, family beach by the Port Olímpic, easy with kids and with volleyball courts

One of the Mediterranean's clearest-water beaches, a golden sandy cove with a Parador hotel on the cliff above

Barcelona's last beach before the Fòrum, spacious and quiet, and dog-friendly in part

A relatively remote, quiet beach on the city strip, dunes, lawns and far fewer tourists

The Costa Brava's perfect fishing village, boats on the sand, white arches and fish restaurants

An elegant, tranquil bay with a short promenade and a small marina, a favourite of Spanish families for generations

The quietest cove among the Palafrugell coastal villages, pines running down to the water and restaurants on the beach

A turquoise pebble cove with a row of white houses with green shutters, small and perfect

A family beach town with a long shallow beach facing the Medes Islands, a base for glass-bottom boats and water sports

Barcelona's crowded, beloved tapas institution, worth the queue for the montaditos and the prawns

A packed, standing-only local cava bar, a glass of bubbly and a grilled sandwich for a few euros

Barcelona's famous seafood restaurant since 1975, where Spain's royals eat crab

The modernist cafe where Picasso held his first exhibition, a fully preserved 1900 atmosphere

A narrow, legendary beer bar at the entrance to Barceloneta, its foie gras sirloin became a tapa famous across the city

The institution that many say has served Barcelona's best patatas bravas since the 1950s

Barcelona's oldest restaurant, serving traditional Catalan cooking in the same spot since 1786

A family cava bar from 1929 by the Picasso Museum, legendary anchovies and bubbly wine from the barrel in a loud atmosphere

Some of the city's best tapas without the crazy prices, perfect croquettes and a black squid dish you have to try

One of the port's veteran seafood restaurants, wine barrels at the door, grilled sardines and a rich paella

The family den where the bomba was invented, a spicy potato ball, open only until midday

A tiny legendary tapas bar from 1914 with bottle-lined walls and montaditos that are a culinary must

The neighbourhood bar on the way to the Bunkers, cheap sandwiches and coffee before the climb to the viewpoint

The Roca brothers' three-Michelin-star restaurant, twice the world's best, book months ahead

Classic tapas in a chef's version by Carles Abellán, the truffle bikini became a local legend

A veteran 1940 bodega on Rambla de Catalunya, vermouth from the barrel, jamón and patatas bravas without the pose

An 1870 chocolate institution where the Cacaolat cocoa drink was invented, a swiss with a mountain of cream not to be missed

The restaurant crowned number one in the world, three Michelin stars and a tasting experience booked months ahead

A veteran bodega with wooden barrels on the wall, house vermouth and simple tapas at neighbourhood prices

Barcelona's famous patisserie dynasty, croissants and cakes that are works of art since 1906

A paella and seafood institution from 1903 by the port, walls covered with photos of artists and famous diners

An elegant Parisian-style tapas bar with gourmet products and excellent wines, a favourite of local chefs

A family institution from 1922 on the corner of Plaça de la Revolució, vermouth from the barrel in a real Catalan atmosphere

Creative chef-level tapas at fair prices, on the way down from Park Güell to Gràcia

A cava house founded in 1551 in a Puig i Cadafalch modernist building, a little-train tour through the wine tunnels

Small bars on the sand from Barceloneta to Mar Bella, a mojito with your feet in the sand and tapas facing the waves

A tiny, beloved vermouth bar that brought the Catalan vermouth hour back into fashion, with their own preserves

Gràcia's young, in-demand vermouth bar, house vermouth with fine tinned seafood

One of the city's most talked-about tapas bars, excellent papitas sandwiches and a wall of fan signatures

The world-famous cava winery right by the train station, a lively tour of the huge cellars with tastings

Barcelona's chocolate boutique with creative flavours and a thick hot chocolate rated among the city's best

A legendary 1886 patisserie founded by the poet Puig, chocolates and cakes that are a Barcelona institution

Barcelona's pintxos street: dozens of bars with bites on the counter from one to two euros

Barcelona's traditional chocolate lane, historic granjas of churros in hot chocolate and art galleries

The Eixample's lovely culinary street, a half-pedestrian green stretch with a row of sought-after restaurants and terraces

The Roca brothers' gelateria from the three world-famous chefs, wild ice creams at a stand that looks like a dream

Spain's famous family winery offers vineyard tours by little train and guided tastings near Vilafranca

Spain's cava capital, more than 80 sparkling wineries around one small, sweet town

Europe's most famous food market, fresh fruit, jamón, seafood and colourful juices right off La Rambla

A 1900 bullring turned round mall, with a free 360-degree rooftop viewpoint facing Plaça d'Espanya

A huge mall within walking distance of the beach, Spanish and international chains and a restaurant terrace with a sea view

An upscale mall in an iconic building on Avinguda Diagonal, Spanish brands and a fine food hall

A mall on the water in the heart of the port, one of the few in the city open on Sundays and holidays too

The impressive restored iron market of Sant Antoni, and on Sundays a book and collectors' market around the whole building

An authentic neighbourhood market with a wavy colourful ceramic roof, less touristy than the Boqueria and with excellent stalls

An authentic 1913 neighbourhood market without tourists, family stalls and locals' prices

The club's big official megastore, shirts printed on the spot and gear you won't find anywhere else

A real neighbourhood market with an 1888 iron facade and flower stalls open almost around the clock

One of Europe's oldest flea markets under a giant mirror roof, bargains, vintage and auctions dating from the 14th century

Barcelona's luxury avenue, top brands, paving Gaudí designed and his two famous houses on the same street

A historic iron market near Plaça d'Espanya with family stalls and a real neighbourhood feel

A small, authentic neighbourhood market of the fishermen's quarter, fresh fish stalls and an excellent tapas bar inside

A covered 1888 modernist market in the heart of Gràcia, fruit, cheese and fish stalls without the Boqueria's prices

An old factory complex wrapped in greenery in Poblenou, design studios and a festive weekend market once a month

A small, high-quality 1911 neighbourhood market in a modernist building, gourmet stalls without the tourist bustle

Gràcia's big neighbourhood market, a great place to buy local snacks and eat at the tapas stalls

La Rambla's quiet sister, an elegant promenade with cafe terraces, boutiques and amusing animal sculptures

Gràcia's coolest street, independent boutiques, gelaterias and design shops without the big chains

Gràcia's main shopping street, vintage shops and clothes by local designers

The beach town with a long shopping street open on Sundays too and a big city beach, sea and shopping together

Europe's largest stadium, Barça's home, back in action after its huge renovation

A free evening show of water, light and music considered one of the most spectacular in Europe

An 80-metre underwater shark tunnel and thousands of fish, one of the largest Mediterranean aquariums in Europe

A historic amusement park from 1901 on the mountaintop, vintage rides above a view of the whole city

A veteran zoo inside Ciutadella park with dolphins, monkeys and a petting corner, a perfect break from the sights

Catalonia's most-visited museum: Champions League trophies, a Messi corner and an immersive experience

The marina built for the 1992 Olympics and recently renovated, chef restaurants, sailing schools and bars on the water

A bar on the Tibidabo cliff with a huge glass wall, a cocktail facing the city's million lights

The renovated, stylish funicular that climbs to the Tibidabo summit, an experience in itself

The natural history museum in Herzog and de Meuron's blue triangular building, whale skeletons and glowing minerals

Chocolate sculptures of the Sagrada Família and familiar figures, the entry ticket is a chocolate bar, a hit with kids

A seafront casino open until morning, roulette, poker and tournaments, entry with passport only

Barça's basketball and hockey arena, a fiery atmosphere at prices far more accessible than football

A neighbourhood park with a huge paddling pool in summer and a hanging Chillida sculpture, perfect with kids

A forest park with a miniature steam train for children, pony rides and trails among the pines

A giant playground on an old amusement-park site with slides, musical instruments and picnic corners

A green rack railway that climbs from the town of Monistrol to the monastery in a quarter hour of dramatic scenery

Gràcia's lavish gin and tonic bar, dozens of gins and cocktails on another level

Kayak and paddleboard hire and windsurf lessons at fair city prices on Mar Bella beach

Gràcia's legendary indie club, intimate live shows that launched big Catalan bands

Barcelona's pride district around Carrer del Consell de Cent, bars, clubs and an open, free atmosphere

The fast, cheap way up the mountain: a funicular from the Paral·lel metro station on a normal ticket

El Born's lively avenue, once a jousting arena for knights and today bars and tapas until late

Barcelona's Moulin Rouge: a legendary 1898 cabaret brought back to life with burlesque and flamenco shows

A magical Eixample inner courtyard with an 1870 water tower, which becomes a children's paddling pool in summer

A walk to the end of the breakwater to the sail-shaped W Hotel, a cocktail with a view at the bar on the 26th floor