We will be in Barcelona in August, arriving midday on a Wednesday and departing midday the next Saturday. So we are there for 3 days total, but on 4 different days. Top priority is lots of Gaudi and we also need to include the Picasso Museum. We are trying to figure out how to get the most Gaudi for the least money and are a little overwhelmed by the various pass options. Does anyone have any tips on which pass or combo of passes is best for our situation? Also, interested to hear any other Gaudi advice. Tips on best (or worst) days, times, etc. for the various sites? Hacks for minimizing crowds and lines? Cool things that aren't as well known?
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Washington DC
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I would not assume any pass will save you money on the specific sights you want to see. Maybe yes, maybe no. You have to do the math.
You'll need to prebook timed entry tickets for all the major Gaudi sites as well as the Picasso Museum. It gets tricky, because you have to guess how much time you'll want to spend at the first stop of the day, how long it will take you to get to the second stop, whether you'll get inside the second site at the time shown on your ticket (you may very well need to wait), when you'll want to have lunch, how long lunch will take, etc. Slotting one of the time-specific sites first thing each morning will help you reduce the scheduling complexity. If your personal schedule fits with getting first-time-slot tickets, some sites will be a bit less busy.
All the Gaudi sites will be very crowded after a few timed-entry groups have been admitted. The Picasso Museum was a nightmare for me back in 2016 in the mid-afternoon, but others haven't had that experience; it seems I was unlucky.
The Sant Pau modernista site (Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau) was designed by a different architect but is also lovely--and never crowded. You can walk right up and buy tickets for immediate entry. It's a multi-building complex (a former hospital), so not quick to see. The Palau de la Musica Catalana is also beautiful. That one you should prebook because the English-language tours are very popular. But you won't be in sardine-can conditions inside the building.
The large art museum MNAC has a good modernisme collection that includes things like furniture, jewelry and decorative arts. There are also large medieval frescoes rescued from churches in the Pyrenees.