Must-see in Barcelona: a first-timer's guide

A brief history Barcelona began as Roman Barcino, became the maritime capital of the Crown of Aragon, and industrialised early in the 19th century. Catalan cultural revival funded Gaudi and the modernista architects, and the Eixample grid expanded the city beyond its walls. Repressed under Franco, it reinvented itself for the 1992 Olympics by opening its long-neglected waterfront and is now a fiercely Catalan Mediterranean capital. 10 must-see attractions 1. Sagrada Familia — Gaudi's unfinished basilica, a forest of stone columns and coloured light. 2. Park Guell — mosaic terraces and gingerbread pavilions overlooking the city. 3. Casa Batllo — a townhouse remodelled by Gaudi with bone-like balconies and a dragon roof. 4. La Pedrera (Casa Mila) — a wave-fronted apartment block with surreal rooftop chimneys. 5. Gothic Quarter — Roman walls, medieval alleys and the cathedral cloister with its geese. 6. La Boqueria market — jamon, seafood counters and fruit juices off La Rambla. 7. Picasso Museum — his early work, held in five linked medieval palaces. 8. Montjuic — castle, gardens, the Miro Foundation and the magic fountain show. 9. Barceloneta beach — city sand, seafood paella and a long boardwalk. 10. Camp Nou and the FC Barcelona experience — the club's stadium and museum. Tip: book Sagrada Familia and Park Guell online; both cap daily entries.