You couldn’t come to Barcelona without squeezing in a visit to this masterpiece. The life’s work of Catalonia’s famous son, architect Antoni Gaudí, still isn’t complete after 140 years (and probably won’t be for another decade), but that constant evolution is a key part of its appeal. Though just walking past will fill you with wonder, you’ll definitely want to head inside too. The stained glass is the definition of ‘trippy’. The sculptures are brilliantly garish. And the crypt? Truly, haunting.

There are several Picasso museums across Europe, but if you really want to get to know the young Pablo, Barcelona’s is king. With a strong collection of nearly 4,000 artworks, this charming space homes in on the artist’s formative years, exploring how his style so dramatically evolved between 1890 and 1904. You’ll find everything from his drawings as a student to rough landscapes and his early forays into cubism. The temporary ‘Sketchbooks’ show (from December 18) will no doubt prove a big hit.

Marlowe was named the best bar in Spain at the 2019 International Fair of Cocktail Bars – and it’s very tempting to agree. What was once a four-decades-old bar called Gimlet has been transformed into an uber-cool hangout whose name and décor are inspired by Raymond Chandler’s private detective Philip Marlowe. Opt for a Gimlet, just like Marlowe drank, or a perfectly balanced spin on the Gold Standard, served in a chilled martini glass.

Your senses could well be overwhelmed at Barcelona’s best-known market – by the colours of the fresh fruit and veg; the smells wafting from open kitchens; the hollers of the garrulous vendors; and, no doubt, the taste of pretty much everything you get your hands on. Come early in the morning to avoid the crowds. And if you fancy eating in situ, elbow up to the bar at El Quim de la Boquería or Pinotxo for a meal that’s as fresh and fragrant as they come.

Finding decent paella may be a struggle in central Barcelona, but the seafront Barceloneta area is home to several chefs that get it right. La Mar Salada, in particular, has positioned itself in recent years as one of the city’s leading seafood restaurants, with its signature dish of arroz del senyoret with razorfish, monkfish and prawns. The dining room is run with friendliness and flair, and most of the produce is caught just a few hundred metres away in the Med.

Catalonia’s national museum offers a complete overview of Catalan art from the twelfth to the twentieth centuries. The highlight is probably its Romanesque section, with one of Europe’s biggest collections of paintings on wood, but the whole building is worth a mooch. The modern art floor reopened after renovation in 2014 and is now filled with sculpture, painting, photography and video works. The spectacular views from this side of the Montjuïc hills make the climb doubly worth it.

What’s referred to locally as ‘vermouth hour’ has long been Barça tradition, though it’s seen a surge in popularity in recent years among young people. Hundreds of bars now serve their own homemade variety with the usual snacks of sardines, olives, crisps and the like to whet your appetite before lunch. At contemporary vermuteria Tano, you’ll enjoy excellent vermouths from across the Emporadà region. When you’re feeling peckish, choose from the quality ‘conservas’ – tins of seafood and veg.

Designed by Leandre Albareda in 1880, this majestic necropolis sits at the side of the motorway – a daily reminder to commuters of their own mortality. The cemetery was originally split into four sections: one for Catholics, one for Protestants, one for non-Christians and a fourth for aborted foetuses. It now stretches over the south-west corner of the mountain, with family tombs stacked five or six storeys high. Many, especially those belonging to the Traveller community, are a riot of colour.

This scenic hilltop is home to an anti-aircraft battery built in 1937, when Barcelona was the target of hundreds of bombings a day during the Spanish Civil War. Known as ‘the bunkers’, the Turó de la Rovira area has since become a symbol of Catalonia’s fierce resistance to Francisco Franco’s forces and is now a protected national monument. Once you’ve had a look around, be sure to take some time to kick back and soak up the city-wide views.

One of two Gaudí wonders, originally built to house apartments, on Passeig de Gràcia in the city centre. Opinions differ on what the building’s remarkable façade represents, particularly its polychrome shimmering walls, its sinister skeletal balconies and its scaly humpbacked roof. Some say it’s the spirit of carnival, others a Costa Brava cove. Go to admire the dazzling colours, the gorgeous rooftop terrace and a very good augmented reality tour.

Once you’ve taken the necessary time to appreciate Fermín Vázquez’s undulating reflective roof, you’ll want to get straight down to the business of shopping at Encants, one of Europe’s oldest flea markets. There’s a seemingly endless array of stalls here, and it’s certainly worth spending a couple of hours exploring everything on offer: expect both esoteric knick-knacks and more functional things like bicycles and sewing machines.

In the middle of Ciutadella Park, you’ll find a gorgeous feat of nineteenth-century architecture that’s usually free from the park’s crowds. The Umbracle, a modernist building designed by Josep Fontserè and built between 1883 and 1887, has towering brick columns and a cage-like iron exterior in the classic Victorian style. Used as a huge party space for the 1888 International Exposition, it now houses a conservatory where plant species from nearly two dozen countries flourish under the arches.

Light, airy and welcoming, these white walls and arches house a collection of more than 225 paintings, 150 sculptures and all of Joan Miró’s graphic work, plus some 5,000 drawings. The building was built expressly to house Miró’s work and makes for a near-perfect fusion of art and architecture. The permanent collection highlights the Catalan artist’s trademark use of primary colours and simplified organic forms symbolising stars, the moon, birds and women.

Everyone knows Barcelona has beaches, but don’t forget about the mountains. For the most exceptional views, you’ll want to climb up to Tibidabo to take in the sprawling cityscape below. And don’t worry, when we say climb these mountains, we mean via funicular. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the hilltop amusement park, which holds a house of horrors, bumper cars and an 80km-per-hour rollercoaster. The Expiatori del Sagrat Cor basilica is – whisper it – almost as impressive as Gaudí’s Sagrada.

At Barceloneta institution La Cova Fumada, they don’t concern themselves too much with interior design or style. You shouldn’t either: here all the focus is on the quality of what comes out of the kitchen. Their former chefs claim to have invented the spicy potato and mince bomba – that’s up for debate, but they also serve moreish grilled sardines, cod fritters and all manner of other seafood. Everything’s great. Come early to bag a table, and settle in for a hearty, generous meal to remember.