Passeig de Gracia (Gracia Avenue), Barcelona (must see)

Formerly known as Camí de Jesús (or "Jesus Road"), this wide, tree-lined avenue originally connected the Old City and the former village of Gràcia even before Barcelona's ancient walls were torn down. The urban development project initiated in 1820 provided impetus for Gràcia Avenue into the vibrant boulevard it is today. By the early 1900s, it had already become Barcelona's most fashionable boulevard.

Aside from the beautiful wrought-iron street lamps installed in 1906, one can also notice here the greenish-gray pavement tiles designed by Antoni Gaudí, depicting abstract sea creatures which add a great deal of uniqueness to the area.

Delightful for strollers, this avenue is now home to many of the city's upscale stores, comparable to Paris's Champs-Élysées or New York's 5th Avenue. While dining here can be a bit pricey, there are affordable options tucked away in the side streets, offering a diverse range of cuisines, from Syrian and Ethiopian to innovative Asian fusions.

More notably, this is also the top place for Modernist architecture, concentrated along the main street and some of the adjacent streets as well. Buildings, balconies, stained-glass windows and carved doors are all within sight, including major highlights like Gaudí's La Pedrera and the Block of Discord ("Manzana de la Discordia"), showcasing the works of the world's top Modernist architects. With the most mansions here belonging to Barcelona's wealthiest citizens of the late 19th to early 20th centuries, there's no shortage of richly and tastefully decorated facades to behold. Day or night, Gràcia Avenue offers a fantastic opportunity for architecture buffs to crane their necks admiring Barcelona's urbanism.

Tip:
This boulevard is particularly magical in summer when the locals compete between themselves decorating the streets as part of the Gràcia Festival, which, together with the live music played everywhere, makes it a really fun place to be.