Mercat de la Boqueria
Barcelona’s biggest, oldest, and best market. Present building dates to 1840, but the open-air markets on this site date to the Middle Ages. Fish, meat, fresh produce, and preserves; 265 stalls selling over 20,000 different products. Tip: Lorenç Petras, at Fruits del Bosc (stall No. 867 in the back), sells wild mushrooms and herbs, edible [...]
Museu d’Història de la Ciutat
Descend 2,000 years to the sprawling remains of the Roman settlement under the Barri Gòtic quarter, and exit at the Saló de Tinel—the audience hall of the Royal Palace, where Columbus reported his discoveries to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1493. P
Templo de la Sagrada Família
Gaudí’s masterpiece, the city’s iconic building, still in progress. Fascinating to see how the parts built when he was still alive—all rippling curves and motifs of plants and animals carved in stone that seem to flow down the walls like melted candle wax—contrast with the recent work.
Santa Maria del Mar
“The most elegant of all Barcelona’s churches.”—George Semler, author, Barcelonawalks. A 14th-century Catalan Gothic masterpiece of stunning, elegant simplicity. Tip: Visit Saturday morning when a well-connected Catalan family might be having a wedding. Choral or orchestral performances here are breathtaking; check weekly listings.
Montjuïc
The hill overlooking Barcelona from the southeast, main site of the 1992 Olympics. Acres of parks and sculptured gardens, sweeping views of the city. Don’t-miss attractions on Montjuïc include the Fundació Joan Miró (Avingudade Miramar; tel. 34 93 443 9470), the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya with its unique Romanesque and early medieval collection (Mirador [...]