On the shores of the Mediterranean, the Catalan capital boasts one of Europe’s largest, best-preserved medieval quarters and the finest collection of Modernista architecture anywhere. It also has exciting contemporary design, world-renowned cuisine and a buzzing nightlife. With Eyewitness Top 10 Barcelona, it’s yours to explore.
For all its apparent big-city bustle, Barcelona is a place to linger, whether on the palm-shaded seafront, over coffee in a medieval square or picnicking at Parc Güell or in a Montjuïc garden. The best way to experience the city is on foot, getting lost in the stone labyrinth of Barri Gòtic or taking time to notice the details – ceramic garlands, wrought-iron balustrades, vibrant tiles – on the Eixample Modernista mansions. The streets are full of public art, from Haring murals to Lichtenstein sculptures, and there are a host of fantastic museums dedicated to Picasso, Miró, contemporary art and more.
Modern Catalan cuisine is innovative and daring, and alongside molecular gastronomy in award-winning restaurants, you’ll find places serving fabulous local produce the way they’ve done for generations. At the colourful local festivals you’ll get an insight into what makes Barcelona so different from the rest of Spain. Instead of flamenco dancing, you can admire the locals as they build towering castells or dodge fire-spitting demons and dragons in the correfocs.
Whether you’re coming for a weekend or a week, our Top 10 guide brings the best of everything that Barcelona has to offer, from Gaudí’s greatest masterpiece, the Sagrada Família, to the 18th-century maze in Parc del Laberint d’Horta. The guide has useful tips throughout, from seeking out what’s free to avoiding the crowds, plus nine easy-to-follow itineraries, designed to tie together a clutch of sights in a short space of time. Add inspiring photography and detailed maps, and you’ve got the essential pocket-sized travel companion. Enjoy the book, and enjoy Barcelona.