Last Fall, Marigross sent a wonderful message under the title of Top Ten Things to do in Madrid. The suggestions were WONDERFUL and we used the list when we headed to Madrid in October, I have since passed it on to several friends. Thanks MArigross. Now, I'm heading to Barcelona and would love it if Marigross would submit another list recommending the Top Ten Things to Do and See in Barcelona. I look forward to hearing from her and others - and thank you in advance.

If you like museums, then you cannot miss Picasso's Museum, Miro Foundation and (even if it sounds strange) the FC Barcelona museum at the Nou Camp, it's and art museum too , not just a football one and the second most visited in Catalunya.
If you like sports, then visit the rest of the Nou Camp too and the Olympic Stadium. (Montjuic)
Parc Güell (Gaudi's Park) it's a must.
La Sagrada Familia outside. Unless you are very much into art..don't pay to see inside , it's almost everything still in works.
Palau de la Musica Catalana..a jewel.
If you like food markets, La Boqueria is paradise, and it's just at the Ramblas.
These are the first things that come to my mind right now !

In no particular order:

1) La Pedrera (Casa Mil&agrave by Gaudí. Visit the attic and go inside the apartment.
2) The walk from Plaça Catalunya to Diagonal, then up to Plaça Francesc Macià. It is a long walk (around 3 miles) and worth every step. It is a great way to see Barcelona's newer side, which is often overlooked.
3) Croissant and hot chocolate at Escribà pastisería on the Ramblas (favorite breakfast).
4) Dinner and drunken revelries at the Champañería in the Barceloneta.
5) Visit the inside of the old Universitat. Go to the cloisters and go upstairs and walk the halls.
6) La Concha- best bar in the city (on carrer de la guárdia off of Nou de la Rambla. . . sketchy hood but wonderful bar)
7) Seeing the city on bike.
8) The light show at Plaça Espanya
9) The Museu de la Ciutat de Barcelona (underground excavations near plaza St. Jaume)
10) Drinks at the Mirablau at Tibidabo mountain.

Do those things and you will really have seen Barcelona.

Sorry cannot help you with this one....I have not been to Barcelona

Maybe Cova can help you a lot better than I can.

Check out Maribel's Guide to Barcelona http://www.maribelsguides.com. I used the one she published for Madrid and Northern Spain to find all those wonderful places...

IMO Laclaire has given you an excellent list.

I would suggest that you definitely at least walk Las Ramblas to see the bird sellers, the "living statues" and all that goes into the swirl of humanity starting at Placa Catalunya and working your way down.

Ignore the naysayers: this IS as much a part of Barcelona as anything else. For better outside but similar dining you can venture in the other direction of Las Ramblas Catalunya for a quieter atmosphere.

The gothic cathedral: coverd in scaffolding or not, is worth a visit; the Sunday folk dancing in front is worth a look also if you are there.

Sagrada Familia..like ir or not it is more or less "the" Gaudi work; the apratment buildings, Parc Guell, etc., are all wonderful and worth seeing but yes, you should dive into this mass of tourist magnetism; people flock there for good reason.

I'll defer to Laclaire in terms of the club/bar scene since my tastes differ.

Finally, another "top ten" thing to do is be careful of the sometimes pickpockets on the Metro.
Have a great trip.

barcelona is wonderful. regarding the naysayers, i couldn't disagree more about las ramblas. everyone said the same thing "noise, noise, noise"...i didn't feel it was overly noisy at all, the whole week. our hotel was on las ramblas. (perhaps i didn't notice, coming from nyc, where i feel it is overly noisy) however, the pick pocket thing is true. be careful!

My top 10:

1) Walking in the Rambla Catalunya (not the Ramblas) in the evening.
2) The wonderful Plaça del Rei
3) The hidden Plaça Sant Felip Neri
4) The fantastic gothic church of Santa Maria del Mar
5) The Barri Gòtic and its old books shops and art galleries (carrer de la Palla, Petritxol, Plaça del Pi,...).
6) L'Eixample in general and its modernist houses.
7) The XIX-XX century Catalan paintings in the museum MNAC (Ramon Casas, Rusiñol, Gimeno,...)
8) The old-fashioned Restaurant Ponsa in Enric Granados Street (all the street is charming)
9)The bookshop La Central (in Mallorca street)
10) The RCD Espanyol football (soccer) team.

The things I dislike of Barcelona:

1) The hot weather in summer
2) The Ramblas (horrible shops, horrible food, full of people, touristy, pickpockets,...)
3) The Plaça Catalunya
4) The traffic
5) The increasing prices
6) FC Barcelona football team
7) The mayor and his policy
8) The nice shops, bars, cinemas that are closing
9) The 90% of "tapas bars" and "italian cafés"
10)The unsafe places

I salute Alex's top ten. However. . .

the best la Central bookstore is on Elizabets Street (from the Ramblas, take a right on Bonsuccess, which is the 3nd down from Pza. Catalunya) and keep going straight. It becomes Elizabets and the Central is on your right). It is located in an old church that the owner (a genius business man who dominates the BCN book market) reformed for the purpose. This is by far the best bookstore in Spain and one of the best in the world.

Alex. . . molt mal, eh! Visca barca, forca barca!

and I can't believe he told you all about Sant Felip Neri. . . it is my magical place.

Come-on Claire, Spill the beans.
Where exactly is Sant Felip Neri?
And where can we find Escribà pastisería on the Ramblas?
We will not tell a soul.....
pete
PS: In 3 weeks we will be doing that 3 mile trek of yours, through the heart of your city!

Sant Felip Neri is in the Barri Gotic and is a magical place, but only if you pay very close, subtle attention. And I kid you not, if you tell everyone then it will be ruined! Actually, though, it is so hard to find that I don't think I am in any danger.

Escriba is on your right if you are headed towards the port from Pza. Catalunya. It is very near the Palau de la Virreina and they have fabulous chocolate.