Best of Barcelona

Las Ramblas The Rambles (Catalan "Ramblas") is the principal thoroughfare in the city center. The area around the Catalunya Place, including the city's historical center includes the Passeig de Gracia, the Rambla de Catalunya and the upper half of the Diagonal avenue is the main commercial area of the city. "Las Ramblas" begins at the Pl. Catalunya and continues down towards the Mirador de Colón, Columbus Monument, in the harbour. The 1,180m/1,290yds long section to the Plaça de Catalunya is lined with plane trees; with its wide pedestrian zone flanked by a narrow road on each side it is a favorite place for a stroll, and is one of Barcelona's main attractions.

Fundació Joan Miró Hours: Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat 10:00am-7:00pm, Thu 10:00am-9:30pm, Sun & holidays 10:00am-2:30pm Plaça de Neptu 08038 Tel: 93 443 94 70 (info) Web: http://www.bcn.fjmiro.es Email: fjmiro@bcn.fjmiro.es The works of Joan Miró are found in the museum of the Fundació Joan Miró, together with guest exhibitions from other museums around the world. This museum is located in a good modern building from Sert.

Parc d'Atraccions Aug 12:00pm-12:00am Plaça del Tibidabo Tel: 93 211 79 42 (info) In "el Tibidabo", there's a an old fashioned and decadent Atraction parc (but one of the top 5 in the world according to Lonely Planet). There is an excellent panoramic view of the city from the top of "el Tibidabo". Tibidabo is the highest point of the Serra de Collserola hills, an extensive woodland area that has been converted into a metropolitan park 500 metres above sea level.

La Font Màgica Hours: Jun-Sep: Thu-Sun every half hour between 9:30pm-11:30pm Plaça del Marqués de Foronda Leading up to the Palau Nacional is the Magic Fountain. From June through September the site is a spectacle of light, water, color, and music. The magic fountain of Montjuïc's first performance was on May 19, 1929 during the Great Universal Exhibition. The designer Carles Buigas submitted his plans one year before the exhibition and many thought that the project was too ambitious to be created, let alone completed on time.

La Pedrera Carrer de Provença 261-265 08008 Tel: 90 240 09 73 (info) Hours: mid-Jun-late-Jul: Fri-Sat 9:30pm-12:00am; Aug-early Jun: 10:00am-8:00pm Web: http://www.fundaciocaixacatalunya.es The Casa Milà, situated on a corner site at the crossing of the Passeig de Gràcia with the Carrer de Provença, is the last and most famous secular building of Antoni Gaudí. This undulating beast is another madcap Gaudí masterpiece, built in 1905. This building resembles a piece of sculpture rather than a functional building. Today, on the ground floor there are offices of the Caixa de Catalunya, which is responsible for the conservation of the building, and some shops. The interior of the building is not open to the general public.

L'Aquàrium Moll d'Espanya 08039 Tel: 93 221 74 74 (info) Hours: Oct-May: Mon-Fri 9:30am-11:00pm, Sat & Sun 9:30am-9:30pm; Jun & Sep: daily 9:30am-9:30pm; Jul & Aug: 9:30am-11:00pm Web: http://www.aquariumbcn.com Email: info@aquariumbcn.com This modern aquarium is a marine leisure and educational centre on the moll d'Espanya del Port vell, by the sea. This ultra-modern aquarium is one of Europe's biggest and has almost 11,000 animals in 35 tanks and 450 different species representative of the Mediterranean.

La Sagrada Família Carrer de Mallorca 401 Tel: 93 207 30 31 (info) Hours: Apr-Sep 9:00am-8:00pm; Oct-Mar 9:00am-6:00pm Web: http://www.sagradafamilia.org The Sacred Family (Sagrada Família) church is the most famous sight in Barcelona and also one of Europe's most unconventional churches. Dominating its surroundings, this awesome church stands in the northern part of the city. These days, the Sacred Family (or the "Church of the Poor") remains just a shell, and nobody knows whether and when it will ever be completed.

Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) Plaça dels Àngels 1 Tel: 93 412 08 10 (info) Web: http://www.macba.es The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA - Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona) was dropped on El Raval in 1995. Next to the MACBA, the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB) hosts temporary exhibitions, a cinema, concerts and other cultural events.

Museu Picasso Carrer de Montcada 15-23 08003 Tel: 93 319 63 10 (info) Hours: Tue-Sat & holidays 10:00am-8:00pm, Sun 10:00am-3:00pm Web: http://www.museupicasso.bcn.es Email: museupicasso@mail.bcn.es Museu Picasso is Barcelona's most visited museum. This museum shows numerous works tracing the artist's early years. It's located in a medieval palace on Montcada Street, 15-23 in the Gothic area. The entire collection of over 3,500 works include 24 masterpieces such as "Man in a Baret", "The Divan", "Margot or the Period of Waiting", and "Blanquita Suarez" among others.

Palau Güell Carrer Nou de la Rambla 3-5 Tel: 93 317 39 74 (info) E-08001 Barcelona Hours: Jun-Sep: Mon-Sat 10:00am-6:15pm, Oct-Apr: Mon-Sun 10:00am-4:15pm In 1886 Gaudí was instructed by his patron, Eusebi Güell, to build an upper-class residence on a plot of land measuring only 60 x 73ft, on the Carrer Nou de la Rambla, a narrow street in the old town. In the Palau Güell, perhaps more than in any other building, we see the ostentatious imagination of the master builder. However, this building is closed for renovation until 2007.

Passeig de Gràcia to Gràcia A fully fledged suburb since the end of the 19th century, Gràcia is the most elegant street in town with the most expensive shops. Gràcia is home to a combination of artists. From Plaça Catalunya walk up Passeig de Gracia to the bohemian neigborhood of Gracia.