A day in Sagrada Família

Sagrada Família, Spain

Dawn - Sagrada Família basilica

Cool air touches the stone while the spires catch the first light. I look up at Antoni Gaudí's soaring organic spires and intricate stone façades. Sagrada Família is Barcelona's most visited landmark, a modernist basilica whose branching columns make the interior like a stone forest.

Morning - Casa Batlló, Passeig de Gràcia

Shimmering mosaic brightens the morning along the famous Passeig de Gràcia. I follow the skeletal balconies of Casa Batlló, the residential masterpiece Antoni Gaudí redesigned in this part of Barcelona. The interior is entirely devoid of straight lines or right angles and offers a remarkable journey into modernist design.

Midday - Casa Amatller facade

Delicate ceramic tile sits beside carved stone in the strong midday light. I stop at Casa Amatller, the striking modernist townhouse adjacent to Casa Batlló. Josep Puig i Cadafalch designed its stepped gabled façade, inspired by traditional Flemish architecture, with delicate tile work and intricate sculpted stonework throughout the exterior.

Afternoon - Fundació Antoni Tàpies

A wire sculpture cuts the afternoon sky above a former publishing house. I go into Fundació Antoni Tàpies, the cultural centre and museum in the district. The renowned Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies established it to promote contemporary art studies and exhibitions.

Afternoon - Eixample neighbourhood bar

The smell of toasted bread and fresh tomato fills a traditional bar in the Eixample. I order pan amb tomàquet with local cured ham and artisan cheeses. These Catalan tapas are small plates of local specialities, easily found in bars throughout the neighbourhood surrounding the basilica.

Golden Hour - La Pedrera stone facade

Warm sunlight catches the wrought-iron balconies and the undulating stone facade. I move along the pavement and gaze up at La Pedrera, also known as Casa Milà. This apartment building stands as one of Antoni Gaudí's most eccentric and inventive architectural creations.

Afternoon - La Pedrera courtyard

Soft late light bathes the organically curved stone walls around me. I step into the grand courtyard and look up through the swirling lightwells. La Pedrera, or Casa Milà, has a remarkable rooftop landscape filled with sculpted chimneys above these curved walls.

Afternoon - La Pedrera staircase

Curving plaster and iron railings catch the warm light of the stairwell. I ascend the spiralling staircase inside La Pedrera, also known as Casa Milà. The climb leads towards the remarkable rooftop landscape filled with sculpted chimneys on this eccentric building.

Golden Hour - La Pedrera rooftop

Bread and tomato taste sharp in the cooling air among the chimneys. I sit at a café table on the roof and eat pan amb tomàquet. This rooftop landscape is filled with sculpted chimneys, and pan amb tomàquet is a local speciality in the Eixample.

Night - La Pedrera roof at night

Floodlights wash the sculptural chimneys while city lights glitter beyond the arches. I take a final bite of pan amb tomàquet and look over Barcelona. Come in March to April for pleasant spring weather with fewer crowds, or in November for mild autumn temperatures.