As you head west of Gràcia, climbing into the foothills of the Collserola, the neighbourhoods become more exclusive.
Although now filled with hospitals and universities, Pedralbes has a lingering whiff of royalty in its two star attractions, the Gothic Monastir de Pedralbes, founded by Queen Elisenda, and the Palau de Pedralbes, built by the Güell family as a home away from home for the kings of Spain. Near its delightful gardens, Barcelona's own 19th-century merchant prince, Eusebi Güell, had a rural estate out here, now known as the Pabellones Güell, adorned with some early imaginative work by Gaudí.
metro: Palau Reial
Image by Jordi Hernandez