Antoni Gaudí died on 10 June 1926, after being struck by a tram on the Gran Via, and since this year marks the centenary of his death, Barcelona has been in a mood of homage. The seven works of his that UNESCO lists as a group, among them the crypt of the Colònia Güell, a few kilometres outside the city, form one of the most distinctive bodies of architecture in Europe. They include the Sagrada Família, which he began to direct in 1883 and which is still being completed, the Casa Batlló and Casa Milà with their rippling façades, the Palau Güell on a narrow street off the Rambla, Casa Vicens in Gràcia, and Park Güell.
What links them is a fascination with nature. Gaudí studied plants, bones and rock formations, and he turned them into structure: columns that branch like trees, vaults that follow the curve of a hanging chain turned upside down, roofs that ripple like waves. He worked with ceramicists, ironsmiths and glassmakers to cover surfaces with colour, and he used a technique called trencadís, which makes mosaics from broken tile. The result looks playful, but it rests on rigorous geometry.
The ride to the city from the south or north is fairly unglamorous, since the coastal road and motorways are busy. What improves it is the hinterland. Montserrat, the serrated mountain to the north-west, has a famous monastery and some twisting approach roads, and the Garraf coast to the south has a winding cliff road with sea views. Inside Barcelona, motorbikes are a normal sight, and parking is allowed on the pavement in designated areas, though thefts are a risk and a good lock is essential.
Fuel is available all over, and the area near Park Güell, in the Gràcia district, is full of cafés. The most popular buildings are often sold out, so book timed tickets in advance, and pay attention to the weather: the mosaics and ironwork are slippery in the rain. Evenings are the nicest time for walking, when the buildings are lit and the heat has gone out of the day.