For 140-odd years, Antoni Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia wore its incompleteness like a badge. Then in February this year, a 100-tonne cross was hoisted onto the Tower of Jesus Christ, making the basilica the tallest church in the world at 172.5 metres — and, officially, no longer unfinished. Work continues into the 2030s (the Glory Facade will eventually become the main entrance), but the world's most famous construction site has crossed its biggest milestone. Coming as Barcelona marks the centenary of Gaudi's death in 1926, there's arguably never been a better moment for a first visit or a return trip.
The basilica itself remains the headline act. Inside, 75-metre columns branch like trees under a stained-glass-lit canopy — crowds are inevitable, so book ahead and aim for the earliest slot of the day, then walk the perimeter to take in the facades.
Beyond the big church, the city rewards repeat visitors. Gaudi fans can pair Park Guell, the 17-hectare UNESCO-listed park on Turo del Carmel, with street-level views of Casa Batllo, Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and Casa Vicens — all free to admire from outside. Barcelona's car-lite "superblocks" (Sant Antoni, L'Eixample, Poblenou) have turned grid squares into pedestrian-friendly hangouts where you can mingle with locals away from the Gothic Quarter crush.
Food is a genuine reason to come back. The old guard still trades: Bar La Plata (1945) fries anchovies, Quimet y Quimet (1914) stacks tinned seafood on bread, and Can Sole has served port-side seafood since 1903. At the modern end sits Disfrutar, a three-Michelin-starred former World's 50 Best number one, but the mid-range scene is the real story — think grilled seafood at Ultramarinos Marin, small plates at Berbena, natural wine at Masa Vins, plus excellent Mexican and Japanese options clustered around L'Eixample, Passeig de Gracia and Sant Antoni.
Skip La Boqueria on a second visit and hit Santa Caterina, the renovated 19th-century Sant Antoni market, the flower-filled Mercat de la Concepcio, or seafood-heavy Mercat de la Barceloneta instead. Shop indie in El Born and Gracia, swim at Barceloneta or quieter Bogatell and Mar Bella, and catch an FC Barcelona match in the partly rebuilt Camp Nou — or cheaper Espanyol and EuroLeague basketball games.
And if you've done the city before, the source points just outside: Penedes cava country and calcot season. Barcelona has shed much of its edgy reputation and overtourism friction, and with its defining building now standing complete, the Catalan capital is pitching itself squarely at travellers who think they've already seen it.
