What to do in Caldes de Montbui

The Sagrada Familia is Barcelona’s most famous landmark. The huge basilica was designed by architect Antoni Gaudí. Its eight distinctive towers can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Thousands of visitors come here daily to admire the architecture and to take in views of the city from the top of the towers.

Las Ramblas are a series of streets in the heart of Barcelona. The main pedestrian-only boulevard is lined with trees. Smaller streets crammed with shops and cafés branch off either side. Tourists and locals flood restaurants and cafés that have their tables on the pavement. There are flower stalls, kiosks hawking souvenirs and markets dotted among the eateries. Street performers give the area a lively atmosphere. Come at any time of the day or night to wander the 0.75-mile (1.2-kilometer) boulevard and explore the surrounding area.

Plaça de Catalunya marks the heart of Barcelona’s city center. Surrounded by shops and peppered with monuments, this grand square is where the Ciutat Vella (Old City) and the modern 19th-century district of L’Eixample converge. King Alfonso XII unveiled the square in 1927 on the site of the former gates to the old city walls.

Running along Barcelona’s Mediterranean coastline and just a short walk from La Rambla is Barceloneta Beach. It’s the focal point of the Barceloneta neighborhood and a place where locals and travelers alike come to experience a classic Mediterranean ambience.

Casa Batlló is another of Gaudí’s masterpieces, one of two private homes that are now open as museums. The modernist façade is decorated with oval windows, bone-like columns and colorful mosaics. The inside has been restored to its original condition with built-in fireplaces, arched ceilings and stained glass. The house is in Eixample, a neighborhood just north of the city center.

The Barcelona Cathedral is a classic Gothic-style cathedral dating back to the 13th century. Visitors come to watch traditional mass under huge vaulted ceilings. Decorative arts from the 1300s and onward are displayed throughout the cathedral, and a cloister, or courtyard, houses a fountain and geese. The rooftop offers views across the city. The cathedral is also known as “Le Seu,” and was named after Saint Eulalia, the patron saint of Barcelona.