One of the highlights on our 2-week trip to Spain and Portugal. Gaudi's grand masterpiece in the…read moreresidential Eixample neighborhood is an icon of the city. It boasts bold, wildly creative, unmistakable organic architecture and décor inside and out - from its melting Glory Façade to its skull-like Passion Façade to its rainforest-esque interior. Really spectacular! We came at the end of the day, and the light was flooding through the stained glass window. We also did the Bell tower which has gorgeous panoramic views of the city. You take the elevator up and then down about 300 stairs down a narrow, winding staircase. Note: Buy timed entry reservations in advance, and make sure you book on the official website: www.sagradafamilia.org. I initially got scammed by Feel the City and paid €340, instead of €140. I hate that; the scammer sites are very official looking.

No matter how many photos you've seen, nothing really prepares you for seeing Basílica de la…read moreSagrada Família in person. Gaudí's masterpiece is breathtaking from every angle, and the level of detail on both the exterior and interior is incredible. As sunlight shines through the colorful stained-glass windows, the entire basilica fills with vibrant colors, creating a peaceful and unforgettable atmosphere. We took our time to appreciate all the little details rather than rushing through. The audio guide helped us understand the symbolism behind the design. Booking tickets in advance is highly recommended, especially during the busy season, as entry times often sell out.

The Gothic Quarter is exactly my kind of architecture. This is where the Catedral de Barcelona…read moresits, and it was so beautiful in person. I wish I had more time to actually learn about the cathedral and its history. Great place to take pictures obviously. Even though there were a lot of people around, we were still able to get shots without anyone in the background. Probably because we went there around evening, but it was still rather bright at night. Highly recommend!

The Cathedral of Barcelona, which is also called the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia,…read morewas built in the Gothic style from 1298 to the 15th century. It is an active church that provides masses, confessions, and other sacraments. It also provides tours for 16 euros and up (as of the time of this review). I understand that some people think that a church should be free to enter, but I also understand that many tourists are not practicing Catholics and that the church needs to bring in revenue to pay its bills. My tour guide took my husband and me to the exterior of this church and explained its architecture and history. We did not pay for an interior tour. It is a lovely church to see.

Stun-ning. No other word for this hidden gem of an architectural site that was once a hospital when…read moredesigners cared about the aesthetics of a hospital and not solely function. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site for good reason. The campus alone is one example after another of exquisite brickwork, mosaics, color, and Catalan ingenuity. If you loved Casa Battlo and Parc Guell, and you didn't know about this heritage site, do yourself a favor and swing in for even half-an-hour to buzz through and photograph the exquisite buildings collected herein. 10 min walk from Sagrada Familia. Mamma mia. Jaw dropping inside and out. How wise of Spain to recognize -- and preserve, and share -- this breathtakingly artful site.

In a city more known for Gaudi as the modicum of architecture, it was quite a pleasant surprise to…read morevisit this hospital as it represents the modernist style of Lluis Domenech. It's also a UNESCO site now. For a while, this used to be a fully functioning hospital. Now, people can come and visit several (I think 8) of the pavillions connected by underground galleries. I don't think everything is open but you can see a lot of the history in what is. I enjoyed the courtyard where you can see all the buildings and their architecture from the outside. It's quite mesmerizing to see. You can learn a lot about the history behind the hospital. At 17 EUR, it wasn't cheap, but it's worth the price. It's also about a 10 min walk away from La Sagrada Familia so it can be planned accordingly.

Casa Batllo is one of Gaudi's beautiful architecture designs. I purchased the tickets online and…read morewas instructed to download the app. Within the app there is access to the tickets and the audio tour once you arrive that describes the different sections. The exterior is so beautiful and resembles a sea creature. He was known to get his inspiration from nature and it shows throughout Casa Batllo. The tour took about an hour. We went early in the day to avoid a long wait time. There are some gift shops in different sections throughout the tour and they also had an option to take a photo on the balcony which was available for purchase. Overall it was a nice experience!

You get a discount for purchasing tickets online, which I did, but then I had an issue accessing…read morethem, so they helped me at the box office without an additional charge. It was a bit crowded when I was there midday so it could be hard to get pictures without people, but it wasn't too bad. It is a beautiful building and I think well worth a visit. I did the audio tour which I thought was good.

Worth a stop. I am a fan of arches. We happened here as walking around the town. I don't know the…read morehistory of the arch nor did I care our tour gave us so much history I was glad you just walk around and explore on my own . Don't know if it was somehow trying to copy the arch in Paris either way it was cool . There's a very interesting part very close by with fountains and parakeets and all kinds of cool stuff so if you come to the arch definitely check out that Park beside the zoo . This was Popular location lots of people ... tourists and street performers. Popular photo spot.

This is one the most recognizable landmarks in Barcelona and it was built as the main entrance to…read morethe 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition. One interesting fact about this arc is that unlike many triumphal arches that celebrate military victories, this one was designed as a symbol of progress and welcome. The red-brick architecture stands out beautifully, and the wide pedestrian promenade leading to the arch is lined with palm trees; suitable walkway. The atmosphere around this landmark is very lively. Locals and visitors gather here to walk, cycle, relax, and enjoy street performances, giving the area a lively but laid-back feel. It's also just a short walk from Parc de la Ciutadella, so it's easy to visit both at the same time.

The Gothic Quarter is the oldest section of Barcelona. My husband and I hired a guide to take us on…read morea private tour of Barcelona, and one of my favorite parts of our tour was walking around the Gothic Quarter. We enjoyed seeing the remains of a Roman wall, the Barcelona Cathedral, the Mercado de La Boqueria, the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, cobblestone alleyways, public squares, stores, restaurants, and more. If you are planning a vacation for Barcelona, then I highly recommend that you stroll through the Gothic Quarter.

Most of my adventures through the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona were of historic buildings and…read morechurches which are surrounded by retail shops and unique tapas and cafe eateries. The wife and I got the pleasure to take a four hour food and wine tour throughout the Gothic Quarter providing us the opportunity to taste true Barcelona at four different locations. The area has a dark, wet and slightly unsettling gloomy atmosphere with lots of unsanctioned wall graffiti, although gave it added character to the area.

Easy to walk to, check the website for dates and showtimes. Great sight to see when in Madrid!read more

We heard it was cool fountain with lights and music similar to Balagio fountain in Las Vegas. We…read morewalked a longggggg way to see only to find its not every night and we had passed through some areas we thought questionable sketchy. So the next night we took taxi to and from. Lots of people but we could still see and enjoy. Later several left and we crossed the street to be close and found spots right upfront. I loved it. Beautiful. Fun watching children play there and enjoying the music.

Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera, is Willy Wonka but an architect now. Designed by Antoni Gaudi,…read moreit looks like a building was made of melted wax amongst the Gothic landscape. The balconies curl, none of the walls are straight, and even the roof has weird shaped chimneys. I'd call this modern architecture. Who knows! This is the most chaotic architecture I've ever seen but in the best way possible. Even if you don't go in, just standing across the street and looking up is amazing!

I felt like stepping into another world by walking into Casa Milà. It's designed by Antoni Gaudi…read moreand every room has its own character, from the flowing shapes and colorful details to the clever use of natural light. We took our time exploring the apartments, courtyards, and attic, and it was fascinating to see how far ahead of its time the design was. Even if you're not an architecture enthusiast, it's easy to appreciate the creativity behind every corner. My favourite part was the rooftop; the famous chimney sculptures and panoramic views over Barcelona were beautiful and there were plenty of photo opportunities. The audio guide was helpful and explained the history and design very carefully and clearly. If you're planning to visit, booking your tickets in advance is a good idea since it gets quite busy, especially during the summer.

Plaça d'Espanya, which means Plaza of Spain, is a public square that was built for the Barcelona…read moreInternational Exposition in 1929. A tour guide briefly took my husband and me to this plaza, and he told us a little about its history. The plaza is located at a roundabout junction of major roads, and during our visit, some construction was occurring on the roadside, but the former bullring that is now a shopping center looked quite impressive. We also enjoyed seeing the two tall towers and a fountain.

Other reviews have mentioned the history of this roundabout, the monumental fountain and the…read morebuildings adjoining the square. Aside from the aforementioned joining of roads, I'll just add that it's a an impressive joining of public transit routes for both bus lines, the metro, and around a 13-15 minute walk, a short bus ride or two stops on the metro over to Sants station (Pl. Espana stop to Sants Estació stop), which is the main train station in Barcelona. Additionally, airport shuttle buses (Aerobus) stop at Plaça d'Espanya about once every 20 minutes or so. You can buy a ticket on the bus (used to be cash only but I believe they take card now). The neighborhood directly around the square is a mix of residential and commercial, there is a good mix of casual mom and pop restaurants and mostly smaller establishments though that's just from some very cursory strolling in the area.