If You Have 1 Day -- Spend the morning exploring the Barri Gòtic. In the afternoon visit Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Família, before returning to the heart of the city for a walk down Les Ramblas. To cap your day, take the funicular to the top of Montjuïc or Tibidabo, the two mountains overlooking the metropolis, for a panoramic view of Barcelona and its harbor.

If You Have 2 Days -- On Day 2, visit the Museu Picasso then stroll through the surrounding district, La Ribera, which is filled with Gothic mansions and is the site of the gorgeous church Santa María del Mar. Pick up a knick-knack to take home in one of the many eclectic shops in the area. Follow this with a ride to the top of the Columbus Monument for a panoramic view of the harborfront. Have a seafood lunch at the old maritime quarter La Barceloneta and in the afternoon, stroll up Les Ramblas again. Explore some of the museums at Montjuïc such as the Museu d'Art de Catalunya if time remains.

If You Have 3 Days -- On Day 3, spend some time exploring the L'Eixample district and some of the modernista (Art Nouveau) architecture that resides there such as Gaudí's Casa Mila or Casa Batlló. Pop into Vinçon, the city's famed design emporium. Have lunch or dinner in Casa Calvet, a restaurant housed in an early work of Gaudí's.

If You Have 4 or 5 Days -- On Day 4, take a morning walk along the harborfront, finishing at the Vila Olímpica. In the afternoon visit Montjuïc again to tour the Fundació Joan Miró and walk through the Poble Espanyol, a miniature village with reproductions of representative regional architecture, created for the 1929 World's Fair. On Day 5, take another excursion from the city. If you're interested in history, visit the former Roman city of Tarragona to the south. If you want to unwind on a beach, head south to Sitges. Or make a pilgrimage to the monastery of Montserrat, about 45 minutes outside of Barcelona, to see the venerated Black Virgin and a host of artistic and scenic attractions. Try to time your visit to hear the 50-member boys' choir.