Antoni Gaudí was in his thirties when Eusebi Güell asked him to build a town house just off the Ramblas, and he gave his patron a palace that looks plain on the street and wild inside. The Palau Güell, built between 1886 and 1890 for the industrialist who became Gaudí's greatest supporter, stands in the Raval, a narrow street in what was then a respectable neighbourhood and is now one of the most multicultural districts of Barcelona. The front has two huge parabolic arches of wrought iron, with a pattern of whiplash lines in the gates, and the interior has a central hall that rises through the building to a dome pierced with small holes, so that on a sunny day the ceiling is spotted with starry light.
The roof is the part that people remember. A forest of chimneys covered in broken ceramic and glass tiles, each different in shape, stands against the sky, and it is the first sign of the later Gaudí who would build the Casa Batlló and the Sagrada Família. The palace is part of the UNESCO listing of Gaudí's works in Barcelona, from 1984 and extended in 2005, and it has been restored and is open to visitors. Check the opening days and book ahead for busy periods.
Riding in this part of Barcelona is a challenge. The streets are narrow, many are pedestrian, the traffic is dense and parking is limited, though motorcycles are a common sight in the city and there are designated bays. Be careful of pickpockets in the crowded Ramblas area, and leave nothing on the bike. A better way is to leave the bike in a secure garage and walk. The nearby harbour and the Montjuïc hill offer pleasant riding and good views over the city.
Fuel stations are around the edges of the city, and the Ronda del Litoral ring road is the usual way to reach them. Food is a pleasure: a plate of jamón and bread rubbed with tomato, a coffee at a café on the Ramblas, or a longer meal at one of the old restaurants in the Raval. The Boqueria market, close by, is full of colour and smells, with fruit stalls, seafood and cured meats. Early morning is a good time for the palace and the market.