Barcelona & Catalonia
Barcelona is where most first-time visitors land — and it earns its reputation. Gaudí's work (the Sagrada Família, still under construction nearly a century after his death; Casa Batlló; Park Güell) is the obvious draw, but the Gothic Quarter and the Eixample grid reward slower exploration too.
Note that people here speak Catalan as much as Spanish — a small thing to know before you arrive. Beyond the city, the Catalan coast and the wine country of the Penedès are easy half-day escapes.





