Sagrada Família

Antoni Gaudí devoted the last decades of his life to the Sagrada Família, and work on it has continued since 1882. Its spires, carved façades and tree-like columns make it unlike any other church in the world, and it was consecrated as a basilica in 2010.

Inside, light pours through stained glass in cool blues and greens on one side and warm reds and oranges on the other. The Nativity façade, built largely under Gaudí's own supervision, is covered in sculpted figures, and a lift takes you up one of the towers for views over Barcelona.

Entry is by timed ticket and sells out, so we book ahead. Late afternoon is when the west-facing windows glow most strongly. Shoulders and knees should be covered.