I’m simply not sure where to look first. Staring upward at the Sagrada Família’s fantastical façade, I have an odd sensation of tilting — a feeling that I’ve tripped and tumbled down a rabbit hole, or that the rules of gravity changed without anyone bothering to tell me. Sensing an impending lurch, my husband, James, takes my elbow and steers me onto the sidewalk.

Antoni Gaudí has that effect on me. Gazing upon the lacy stonework pinnacles of his seminal — and still unfinished — masterwork, I can’t help but wonder what the Romans, who founded this city as a military camp, would think, given they weren’t shy about leaving behind their own distinctly decorative stamp. A colorful visual feast of sculpted saints, geometric forms that begin as one shape and morph into another, and a forest of spires, the design of the enormous basilica contains oddly contrasting elements: angular bones and figures of tortoises trapped beneath the base of soaring columns, and an elegant and serene interior space.

James, a student of architectural design, considers his answer when I voice my thought. “Perhaps,” he offers, “it’s all very beautiful and undeniably interesting — but what purpose does it fulfill?”

Design is blissfully inescapable in Barcelona, the only city ever awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Royal Gold Medal for architecture since the prize’s inception back in 1848. With eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, economic stability, fabulous weather and world-class dining, it consistently ranks as one of the most popular destination cities in Europe — a mod metropolis straddling the Mediterranean along the Iberian Peninsula, with miles of groomed beaches and a deep harbor often filled with enormous cruise ships.

Here on a design pilgrimage, and in the mood for a walk in the sunshine, we make our way to La Rambla, a popular pedestrian boulevard that runs along the perimeter of the old Gothic Quarter, the Barri Gotic. Three-quarters of a mile long and built atop the remains of the original Roman city, it stretches from the waterfront to busy Plaça de Catalunya. Its tree-lined length overflows with quirky shops, lovely cafés, performance artists, musicians, floral stalls and charming plazas. The Font de Canaletes, the city’s most famous fountain and default meeting point for locals, is also located here. Though a local legend says that anyone who drinks from its waters is guaranteed to return to this city, we decide to quench our thirst with a short break for tapas and cavas, the Catalan variety of sparkling wine, at Cafè de L’Òpera. A city institution, long a popular place for locals to congregate after the curtains closed so the merits of that evening’s featured baritone could be discussed, it still retains a sense of elegance and grace suggestive of a distant era.

Towering above the Barri Gotic is the city’s historic Cathedral of Santa Eulalia —complete with a resident gaggle of white geese. The geese reside in an interior, pooled courtyard aptly called the Fountain of the Geese and are said to be descendents of geese originally kept by Roman soldiers to act as sentinels, making a strident ruckus whenever intruders or would-be marauders approached.

We head a few streets away to the Passeig de Gràcia, the location of two residential structures designed by Gaudí. Fish-scale roofline and masked, skull-like balconies front Casa Batlló, commissioned by Spanish aristocrat Josep Batlló, and give the building the appearance of watching the crowds below, instead of the other way around. Not far away is La Pedrera, also known as Casa Milà. The roof of this building is the area that fascinates us the most, with ventilation towers fashioned to resemble swaying, armored figures and chimneys that stand like small groups of otherworldly beings. As with Gaudí’s other works, the complex decorative elements take both Gothic and Art Nouveau styles to new limits.

Gaudí, of course, hasn’t been the only architect to leave his mark on Barcelona, and our exploration leads us toward the waterfront. Here, the gigantic glinting copper fish sculpture known as Peix, designed by Frank O. Gehry for the 1992 Summer Olympics, rests at Port Olimpic, facing the sea but forever trapped ashore. We stroll the waterfront, heading for the cable car. Walking — punctuated with rides on the straightforward Metro system — is unquestionably the best way to soak in Barcelona’s multitude of charms, but an aerial view is irresistible. At Sant Sebastia Station close to Barceloneta Beach, we catch the car and glide across the bay, heading to the top of the rocky hill known as Montjuic and its old fortress, the Castell de Montjuic. Constructed in 1640 during the war between Spain’s King Felipe IV and Catalonia, it later gained infamy as Franco’s depository for political prisoners. For the journey back, we take a different cable line, pausing halfway down to wander out onto the observation deck at Mirador del Alcalde.

The next day after breakfast, we take a leisurely walk through the orderly streets to the Parc de la Ciutadella, one of the city’s earliest dedicated green areas, and on to the plaza at the Arc de Triomf to admire the friezes festooned with lovely angels. From here, our destination is the Palau de la Música Catalana, designed by Lluis Domènech i Montaner, a contemporary of Gaudí who served as the director of Barcelona’s school of architecture, the Escola d’Arquitectura. James is interested in comparing Montaner’s interpretation of the Catalan Modernista style with Gaudí’s work. As we tour the ornately decorated spaces and breathtaking stained-glass concert hall, James explains the financial patronage that so often kept artists and designers within certain boundaries of cultural acceptability is more apparent here, and that while the classical elements that lend so much beauty to the building reflect the curved and sensuous lines that help define the style, it lacks the sense of independent creativity marking Gaudí’s works.

Bearing that in mind, we descend upon the last design address on our list, Park Güell. The park was originally intended to be the site of an upscale housing development, meant to make use of a dismal, rocky hillside that earned the name Bare Mountain. Here, Gaudí let his imagination and obsession with the natural world have free reign. I immediately fall in love with the giant birds’ nests integrated into the tree-like walls of the terrace and the colorful mosaic lizard fountain greeting us at the entrance, strategically positioned between tiled stairways. Gaudí himself lived here 20 years, and his former home is now a museum with displays including furniture he designed, models and architectural sketches. Though he didn’t design the house itself, it’s filled with details that were archetypes for his major projects, including Sagrada Família and Casa Batlló.

Gaudi’s work has been described as his personal expression of his devout Catholic faith, manifested in architecture and design. After spending a few days in this gorgeous city absorbing his exuberant and joy-filled creations, James and I fail to reach a consensus on a favorite structure. What we do agree on is that Barcelona is breathtaking — and beauty is always perfectly sufficient as its own reward.

Lodging

Hotel Claris Barcelona
Elegance and comfort dominate this centrally located boutique hotel with classic architecture, modern design elements and an impressive collection of ancient Egyptian art. Pau Claris 150 $$$–$$$$

Mandarin Oriental Barcelona
A worthy tribute to the City of Design, this stunning property also boasts a spa and excellent business facilities. Passeig de Gràcia 38-40 $$$$

Neri Hotel
Deep in the Gothic Quarter, this small design hotel’s 22 guestrooms are housed in two medieval buildings joined together above Roman ruins. Carrer de Sant Sever 5 $$$–$$$$

Dining

L’Arròs
For traditional paella, you can’t go wrong here. Try it with sea urchins, prawns and cockles; or fresh tuna, green garlic and peas. Passeig Joan de Borbó 12 $$–$$$

Café Emma
At this French bistro run by Michelin-starred chefs Romain Fornell and Michel Sarran, choose the garden terrace for people-watching or the dining room for quiet. Carrer de Pau Claris 142 $$–$$$

Fonda Gaig
Authentic Catalan cuisine, with an emphasis on seafood, is prepared with flair by Chef Carles Gaig. Closed Sunday evenings. Carrer de Còrsega 200 $$–$$$

Info to Go

Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) is about eight miles from city center, but traffic can be intense. A commuter rail station is located in Terminal 2; trains run every half hour with stops at main city stations, all offering transfers to the Metro. Aerobus service runs between the airport and Plaza de Catalunya (about $7). In the city, green trams (El Tram) are easy to use (about $2.60). Validate tickets at machines before boarding, as steep fines accompany noncompliance. A Barcelona Card provides unlimited use in Zone 1 along with discounts for select museums and shows.

Links

• Barcelona Turisme
• Cable Cars
• Cafè de L’Òpera
• Casa Batlló
• Castell de Montjuic
• Palau de la Música Catalana
• Park Güell
• Sagrada Família