Olympic Port

The main Gothic church in Barcelona. The cloister is maybe the most interesting part.

One of the most representative examples of Catalan Gothic architecture, it features a sombre but beautiful interior. The upsweeping verticality and lightness of the interior are especially surprising considering the blocky exterior surfaces. Built between 1329 and 1383, it was once was home to a Christian cult in the late 3rd century. The church is dedicated to Saint Mary of the Sea, since the quarter was dedicated to the jobs related to the sea, from sailors to harbor works, commerce, even coin exchange. The inside was burned during the civil war, but it is still very interesting. Next to the church, you can see a monument, called Fossar de les Moreres, which is the place where many fighters where buried after the Barcelona defeat in 1714, so it is an important monument for Catalan nationalism.

The museum has limited opening hours but the park it is situated in is also interesting. Check website before going to the museum as it will eventually relocate to The Can Bagaria building.

By Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Has a lot of art from his first period, before the cubism, but almost none of his most famous works. Pictures are described only in Spanish, but overview texts for each period are available in English. Luggage over 30x30cm needs to be left at the checkroom and there's no liability for lost valuables.

Created in 1984 by the artist Antoni Tàpies to promote the study and knowledge of modern and contemporary art.

Barcelona's most popular and famous attraction, the Sagrada Família is a testament to Antonio Gaudi's modernist style and unlike any other church in the world. The texture and detail on the façades are intricate and incorporate forms seen in nature as much of Gaudi's work does. The inside is huge — it's estimated that it can hold 13,000 people — with vaulted ceilings and columns designed to be reminiscent of trees. The church is still under construction, but the central nave, apse and crypt are open. Seeing the Sagrada Família at night with lights on is impressive — this is the time when you understand why people say that it is built of bones.

The Pavilion is one of the emblematic works of Mies van der Rohe and key reference architecture of the twentieth century. The famous German Pavilion was designed for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition and reconstructed in 1986 on its original site. Its innovative architectural structure marked a radical change in the layout of space and greatly influenced the development of modern architecture. Furthermore, the Pavilion exhibits the Barcelona Chair, also designed by Mies van der Rohe, along with a bronze reproduction of Georg Kolbe’s sculpture Morning. The Fundació Mies van der Rohe veils for the conservation of the Pavilion.

Palace designed by Gaudí for the industrial tycoon Eusebi Güell. There is a basement and three levels of the palace to explore, the highest featuring a small exhibition. It is in a different style to Gaudi's apartment blocks La Pedrera and Casa Batlló, as well as being cheaper and less crowded than those sites. The rooftop of Palau Güell features the more standard Gaudi style chimneys, and views across El Raval.

If you're a football fanatic, then you can't miss a visit to this football temple, the home ground for Barcelona's biggest and most popular team and one of Europe's greatest footballing 'cathedrals'. During the Franco era, FCB was the only way that oppressed Catalans could vent their anger against his dictatorship. Because of that, it became and still is a symbol of Catalan identity. Camp Nou is the biggest stadium in Europe with a capacity of 98,600 people, with shops and a museum of the club's history. Match tickets start at about €42 and games hardly ever completely sell out, unless it is a match against the hated rivals Real Madrid (a match commonly dubbed El Clásico), one of the other top teams (Atlético Madrid, Valencia or Sevilla) or in the Champions League. With the quality in the current team, there are always a few goals, and it is nearly always a resounding win for Barça. For stadium tours check the entry below.

The university has many interesting buildings, libraries and courtyards.

This museum mainly exhibits exponents, which were imported by Catalan sailors as they explored the new world. Free on the first Sunday each month (11:00 to 15:00)

Arts & cultural centre.

A beautiful Gothic monastery near the university, there are a museum which depicts the monastery life, a church, and a marvelous chapel covered with medieval frescoes.

This street has the biggest collection of Gothic houses in Barcelona. In amongst these houses is the Picasso Museum, which is definitely worth a visit. There are also smaller museums along the street, and many tapas restaurants though they may be more expensive on this street.