"This museum’s name, National Art Museum of Catalonia, gives you a sense of the region’s separatist aspirations. While it’s no Prado, it does have an impressive collection of classical art. The location of this building, unabashedly called the Palau Nacional (National Palace), does beat that of Madrid’s big museum. Sitting atop Montjuïc, it offers a view back toward Barcelona and Tibidabo mountain that you don’t get from many other vantage points.Pedralbes Monastery -– This 14th-century monastery in the leafy Pedralbes neighborhood has beautiful grounds, medieval murals, and a museum with European art from the 16th to 20th centuries. You can get here on public transportation, but it’s far enough from the center of town to never get too crowded. Behind the monastery, you can find a trail that leads you up to Carretera de les Aigües." - MATADOR_NETWORK
