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The enduring symbol of the city and its Modernista legacy is this church, Gaudí’s other-worldly pièce de résistance. Piercing the Barcelona skyline are eight of the twelve planned spires that have so far been built. See Sagrada Família.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, this heady brew of architectural wizardry includes trencadís tiling, a serpentine bench, fairy-tale pavilions, Gothic archways, and the columned Sala Hipóstila (originally intended as a market hall). In true Gaudí style, playfulness and symbolism pervade every aspect of the park. The Casa-Museu Gaudí, where Gaudí lived for 20 years, is dedicated to the architect’s life.

Barcelona’s centrepiece, this 1-km (0.6-mile) long, thriving pedestrian thoroughfare cuts a wide swathe through the old town, from Plaça de Catalunya to the glistening Mediterranean. See La Rambla.

Barcelona’s most famous food market is conveniently located on La Rambla (La Rambla). Freshness reigns supreme and shoppers are spoiled for choice, with hundreds of stalls selling everything from vine-ripened tomatoes to haunches of beef and moist wedges of Manchego cheese. The city’s seaside status is in full evidence at the fish stalls.

For an artist, a wealthy patron spells survival. The luck of young Gaudí turned when count Eusebi Güell recognized his talents. In 1886, Güell commissioned Gaudí to build a mansion that would set the count apart from his wealthy neighbours. The result is the Palau Güell, one of Gaudí’s earliest works. An imposing façade gives way to an elaborate interior of lavish pillars and carved wooden ceilings, while the rooftop has a melange of mosaic chimneys.

Housed in a medieval palace complex, this museum charts Picasso’s rise to fame with an extensive collection of his early works, including numerous masterful portraits painted at the age of 13. See Museu Picasso.

No mere concert hall, the aptly named Palace of Catalan Music is one of the finest, and most exemplary, Modernista buildings in Barcelona. See Palau de la Música Catalana.

Dominating the heart of the old town is this magnificent Gothic Cathedral, with a soaring, elaborate façade and a graceful, sun-dappled cloister containing palm trees and white geese. See Barcelona Cathedral.

Illustrating Gaudí’s nationalist sentiments, Casa Batlló, on La Mansana de la Discòrdia (Modernista Buildings), represents an allegory of the legend of Sant Jordi see Charming Churches & Chapels. The roof is the dragon’s back and the balconies, sculpted in the form of carnival masks, are the skulls of the dragon’s victims. The polychrome façade reveals Gaudí’s remarkable use of colour and texture.

A verdant oasis in the city centre, Barcelona’s largest park is criss-crossed with pleasant paths. It boasts a zoo, two museums, and a lavish Modernista fountain. See Parc de la Ciutadella.

The stately Palau Nacional is home to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), which holds one of the most extensive collections of Romanesque art in the world. The works were rescued from churches around Catalonia in the 1920s. See Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.

Unmistakably Gaudí, this Modernista marvel seems to grow from the very pavement itself. Fluid and eerily alive, its curving façade sprouts writhing wrought-iron balconies. A cluster of mosaic chimneys keeps watch over the rooftop like shrewd-eyed knights (La Pedrera).

The city’s gleaming contemporary art museum and it’s cutting-edge cultural centre have sparked an urban revival in the El Raval area. See Museu d’Art Contemporani & Centre de Cultura Contemporània.

Fancy a splash in the Mediterranean? Trot down to the end of La Rambla, wander along the palm tree-lined Moll de la Fusta, down restaurant-packed Passeig Joan de Borbó, et voilà , the sea beckons. Over four km (2.5 miles) of blue flag beaches stretch north from Barceloneta to Port Olímpic and beyond. Facilities are top-notch, including showers, deck chairs, beach volleyball courts and lifeguards. Convenience, however, means crowds, so finding a spot among the masses of oiled bodies can be a challenge, particularly in the summer.

At the outbreak of war in 1936, Barcelona’s workers and militants managed to fend off Franco’s troops for a while. The city was taken by Fascist forces in 1939, prompting a wave of repression, particularly of the Catalan language which was banned in schools.

Franco’s death in 1975 paved the way for democracy. The Catalan language was rehabilitated and, following the introduction of a new democratic constitution in Spain, Catalonia was granted regional autonomy. The first Catalan government was elected in 1980.

Barcelona was catapulted onto the world stage in 1992 with the highly successful Olympics. Today, the city remains socialist in politics and ready to perceive itself as both Spanish and Catalan.

High-end clothing stores dot Passeig de Gràcia and Avinguda Diagonal. For trendier gear, head to Carrer Portaferrissa and Carrer Pelai. Spain’s success story is the wildly popular men’s and women’s contemporary clothing chain Zara, which is all over town (and all over Europe). Another universal favourite is Mango, targeted towards younger women, which also has branches all over the city. If you’re looking to buy local, there are a number of top-end Catalan designers, including Antonio Miró.