Some notes toward my personal “Highlights of Barcelona”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona):

At the Cathedral complex:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_Cathedral)

- the church itself (art and architecture)
- the cloister garden (with pond, geese, and turtles)
- the plaza in front of the church

Antoni Gaudi and his architecture:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaudi)

- Casa Batllo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Batll%C3%B3)
- Sagrada Familia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagrada_Familia)
- Parc Guell and home within park where Gaudi lived (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Guell)

Surviving traces of the Romans, Middle Ages, and Renaissance:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciutat_Vella)

- section of Roman aquaduct by cathedral
- walls, gates, and buildings of the cathedral complex 
- the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barri_G%C3%B2tic)

Double-decker city-bus tours, especially:

- Montjuic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montju%C3%AFc)
- mountainside gardens
- Agbar Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Agbar)
- green parrots nesting in the palm trees

At the Placa Catalunya:

- terrific little ice-cream shop
- El Cortes Ingles department store
- "The Rambles" between the plaza and the harbor

How important “the basics” are:

- comfortable hotel with air-conditioning (!)
- good restaurants (Catalan, Spanish, Italian)
- pleasant little coffee shop across from the hotel

Things I never expected to find:

- street/music fest in a non-tourist neighborhood
- antique market held in the cathedral plaza
- pet shop with Bengal kittens for sale (!)

(Photo, aerial view of Barcelona from: http://www.galeon.com/formulasana/index.htm)