A quick-fire guide to Barcelona's iconic architecture, from Gothic to Gaudí

From its medieval roots to its modern-day marvels, Barcelona is home to a treasure trove of buildings that don’t look like anything else in the world. But it wasn’t always that way. The city’s historic walls didn’t come down until the middle of the 18th century when the industrial revolution made it necessary for the Catalan capital to grow beyond its old city limits. The result? An urban plan designed by Ildelfons Cerdà known as the Eixample (“expansion” in Catalan) that cemented the city’s place in architectural history.

Since then, countless memorable buildings have filled Barcelona’s streets—elaborate structures that go beyond Gaudí and other typical tourist attractions. To scope out the architectural marvels yourself, plot your route with some suggestions below. While no means a full list of what Barcelona architecture has to offer, you’ll come away with some new ideas, a new appreciation for diverse designs in the city, and a folder of amazing snapshots.

And if you’re looking for a sage guide to help you navigate, consider booking an architectural walking tour through Barcelona Architecture Walks, which offers a variety of three-hour excursions through the city’s streets.

Pay homage to Barcelona’s Roman roots with a quick visit to Temple d’August. Tucked away in the Barri Gotic, or Gothic Quarter, these columns date back to the first century BCE, when the city was then known as “Barcino,” and they were rediscovered in the early-20th century. (Pro tip: building buffs might also want to check out the Catalan College of Architects, Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya, which is a three-minute walk away and has a restaurant, gift shop, and an exterior frieze by Picasso.)

Fast forward some 10 or so centuries and the Old City began filling up with Romanesque and Gothic structures. Unlike embellished cathedrals like Notre Dame, the Catalan Gothic style is known for its simplicity—and the Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar is a prime example of that. Constructed in the 14th century CE and backed by commoners instead of the nobility, the cathedral stands tall and majestic and offers free admission after 6 p.m. as well as Sunday mornings. Plus, you get terrific views of the city if you check out the rooftop, though it’s recommended to pay in advance for a timed ticket to reserve your spot for a bird’s eye view visit.

Cerdà’s Eixample plan helped lay the foundation, literally, for many of the elaborate “Modernisme” structures from the likes of Antoni Gaudí, such as Sagrada Família, and Casa Milà. While in town, travelers might enjoy taking a tour of Casa Vicens, Gaudí’s first major project, which reopened to the public in 2017. It’s characterized by an unexpected mix of Moorish, Gothic, and traditional Spanish architecture styles and its intricate ceramic tile façade, which laid the groundwork for the trencadís ceramic tile style he’d later bring to his work. But there were other important architects around the same time as Gaudí whose works also shape the city, and you don’t need to take an architectural or museum tour to experience them.

For example, sip on an elaborate cocktail in the coppery first-floor lounge of Casa Fuster, which was designed by Lluís Domènech i Muntaner and is now a five-star hotel that crowns the top of Passeig de Gràcia. (It’s got a top-notch rooftop bar, too.) Or take in an exhibit or two at CaixaForum Barcelona, an old textile factory designed by Josep Puig i Cadalfarch that’s now a first-rate cultural center near Plaça Espanya.

Noucentisme was a cultural movement that emerged in the early 20th century as a reaction against the exuberance of Modernisme. The campus of Barcelona’s original industrial trade school, Escola Industrial de Barcelona, is a great embodiment of the movement’s rational approach to design, emphasizing clean lines and symmetry. Roam the grounds, which take up an entire block in the Eixample neighborhood, and visit the iconic chimney and spectacular salas (halls).

Another small but memorable architectural work of that era is the Barcelona Pavilion, designed by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich for the 1929 International Exposition. This small but mighty structure is forged from different kinds of high-grade marble that will make you wonder how the heck they schlepped those huge and heavy slabs thousands of miles to Barcelona.

In part thanks to the 1992 Olympic Games, the mid- and late-20th century saw the construction of many new buildings that are now indelible parts of the Barcelona skyline. Head up to Montjüic, Barcelona’s mini mountain on the seaside to stroll around Anella Olímpica, with its Dune-like promenade and Star Wars–like tower designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. It’s especially magical around sunset, so bring a late afternoon snack, sit on one of the steps or benches, surrounded by joggers and the inevitable influencers, and soak up the sorbet sky.

During the dot-com boom, many of the former factories in the city’s Poblenou neighborhood were repurposed into innovation and technology centers, which come together to form what’s called Barcelona’s 22@ district. (The name plays on the area's former industrial zoning code, 22a.) There you can visit Barcelona’s Design Museum, shop for vintage finds while you try to find your reflection in the angular mirrored roof of Mercat dels Encants, and look out from the new observation deck at Torre Glòries. The entire area used to be dominated by a huge rotunda for cars but is now home to a large park and playing grounds that would make Cerdà proud.