Museo Nacional de Arte de Cataluña

1,000 years of art in the magnificent Palau Nacional building
Word to the wise: If you don't have time to get here, head online where you can see nearly 2,000 of the museum's works.

Montjuïc, a hilly park overlooking the port, is known locally as 'the mountain of museums' due to the multitude of art and cultural institutions clustered around it. Perched at the top is one of the most notable: the Museo Nacional de Arte de Cataluña (MNAC), which chronicles the artistic history of the Catalonian region from the 10th to the 20th centuries.
The collection includes sculptures, paintings and drawings, engravings from heavy-hitters such as El Greco, Zurbarán, Velázquez, Gaudí, Casas, Dalí and Picasso, as well equally fascinating unknown artists. The building itself, the Palau Nacional, is special, too: built for the 1929 International Exhibition, it servies as a gateway to the other museums on the hill. Once you've gotten your fill of art, step outside for stunning views from above of Plaça d'Espanya and the city centre.