©Esme Fox/Lonely Planet
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 fact, a giant public contribution by Picasso from 1962. The artwork, which represents Mediterranean festivals (including Catalonia's castellers), was much ridiculed by the local press when it was unveiled.
Inside the building is a small tourist office.
1.31 MILES
The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) is considered to be the symbol of Barcelona by many residents, and the…
2.31 MILES
Visitors and locals alike love Park Güell. The waving balcony and the colorful Guard’s House, with the imposing Barcelona skyline and sea in the…
0.73 MILES
One of Europe's strangest residential buildings, Casa Batlló (built 1904–6) is Gaudí at his fantastical best. From its playful facade and marine-world…
1.02 MILES
In the top tier of Gaudí's achievements, this madcap Unesco-listed masterpiece, with 33 balconies, was built in 1905–10 as a combined apartment and office…
0.23 MILES
Barcelona's most central fresh-produce market is one of the greatest sound, smell and colour sensations in Europe. It's housed in a packed-out Modernista…
0.31 MILES
Located along the grand, medieval street of Carrer de Montcada, the Museu Picasso is dedicated to one of the world’s greatest artists, Pablo Picasso. Born…
1.35 MILES
Joan Miró was a Catalan painter and sculptor born in Barcelona who combined abstract art with surrealism. He is considered one of the most influential…
0.29 MILES
La Rambla is a tree-lined boulevard featuring a wide array of architectural delights, beautifully decorated flower stalls and particularly talented (and…
0.04 MILES
The 16th-century Casa de l’Ardiaca has housed the city’s archives since the 1920s. Stroll around the supremely serene courtyard, cooled by a fountain and…
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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…
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There's been a fountain on this spot since 1356, making Santa Anna the oldest in city. The colourful ceramics were added in 1918 by Catalan artist Josep…
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Barcelona’s central place of worship presents a magnificent image. The richly decorated main facade, dotted with gargoyles and the kinds of stone…
5. Gaudí Exhibition Center/Museu Diocesà
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Next to La Catedral, the Diocesan Museum hosts insightful exhibits on Gaudí including fascinating documentaries on his life and philosophy and the…
0.07 MILES
Graced by leafy acacias, a trickling fountain and a baroque church, this small square still bears signs of the destruction it suffered during a 1938…
7. World Begins with Every Kiss Mural
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Created by Barcelona photographer Joan Fontcuberta for the 300th Diada Nacional de Catalunya (2014), this seductive mural depicts a kiss between two…
0.08 MILES
The wealthy Catalan sculptor, traveller and obsessive collector Frederic Marès i Deulovol (1893–1991) amassed one of the wildest collections of historical…