Parc Güell

Let's be clear: Parc Güell is not a quiet escape. With 12 million visitors a year, you'll be sharing those mosaic benches with plenty of company. But go early — before 10am if you can manage it — and you'll catch the park at its most magical, when the light hits the trencadís (broken-tile mosaic) and the city stretches out below you in the morning haze. The monumental zone, which requires a ticket (€13), is where Gaudí's genius really shines: the Dragon Stairway with its famous salamander, the Hypostyle Room's forest of columns, and the undulating bench on Plaça de la Natura that's somehow both sculpture and seating.

The free areas outside the monumental zone are worth exploring too — the pine-shaded paths, the Austria Gardens, and the viaducts that wind through the hillside. If you're on a budget or the timed tickets are sold out, you can still enjoy a good chunk of the park without paying. The Gaudí House Museum (Casa-Museu Gaudí), where the architect lived for nearly 20 years, is a separate €5.50 entry and worth it if you're already deep into your Gaudí pilgrimage. Wear comfortable shoes — the park is hilly and the paths are uneven — and bring water. There's little shade in the monumental zone itself, so a morning or late afternoon visit is far more pleasant than midday in summer.