Barcelona Travel Guide 2026: Gaudí, Tickets & Tips

Gaudí took over the basilica in 1883 and worked on it for 43 years, until he was hit by a tram in 1926. He knew he would not finish it: "My client is not in a hurry," he said. Construction is still funded by tickets and donations. The central Tower of Jesus Christ, planned to be 172.5 m and make it the tallest church in the world, is being completed for the 2026 centenary. Inside, the columns branch like trees and the stained glass fills the nave with colour.

Price: from €26 (basic), about €30 with audio guide, about €40 with a tower; a temporary centenary surcharge of €2–5 applies from June to December 2026 · Time needed: 2 hours · Tip: book weeks ahead and pick a late-afternoon slot for the best light through the west windows.

Planned by Eusebi Güell and Gaudí between 1900 and 1914 as a luxury housing estate that failed (only two houses were sold), it became a public park in 1926. The Monumental Zone has the mosaic dragon, the wavy tiled bench and the gingerbread-style gatehouses.

Price: about €18 for the Monumental Zone (timed tickets) · Time needed: 1.5 hours · Tip: the rest of the park is free; walk up to the Turo de les Tres Creus for a view.

Two Gaudí houses on Passeig de Gràcia. Casa Batlló (renovated 1904–1906) has a roof like a dragon's back and balconies like skulls. La Pedrera (1906–1912) is a wavy stone building with a rooftop of chimneys that look like warriors.

Price: Casa Batlló from about €35; La Pedrera from about €28 · Time needed: 1 to 1.5 hours each.

The medieval heart of the city, with narrow lanes, the Roman walls and the Gothic cathedral, whose cloister is home to 13 white geese (one for each year of the life of the martyr Saint Eulalia). Don't miss the Plaça del Rei and the bridge on Carrer del Bisbe.

Price: cathedral free at certain hours, otherwise a fee with roof access.

A trendy area of boutiques and tapas bars around the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, built in just 54 years (1329 to 1383) by the people of the port, a masterpiece of Catalan Gothic. The Picasso Museum is nearby.

Price: church small fee at tourist hours; Picasso Museum about €15.

The famous 1.2 km boulevard from Plaça de Catalunya to the sea. On the way is La Boqueria, a covered market since 1840 with fruit, ham, seafood and juice stalls.

Price: free · Tip: prices are high at the front stalls; walk to the back. This is the main pickpocket zone.

The hill of the 1929 Exhibition and the 1992 Olympics, with the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC), the Olympic Stadium and the Montjuïc Castle. The Magic Fountain hosts free light and music shows on some evenings.

Price: fountain free (check the schedule; shows can pause in droughts); MNAC about €12.

The old fishermen's quarter with seafood restaurants and the city beach, a long strip of sand created for the 1992 Olympics.

Price: free · Tip: order paella at lunch, never at dinner, like locals.

A monastery on a jagged mountain, home of the Black Madonna (La Moreneta) and a famous boys' choir.

Getting there: train from Plaça d'Espanya, then rack railway or cable car, about 1.5 hours.