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5dina.y..s
Ι ndeed, Barcelona is one of those destinations that ticks all the right
boxes as it appeals equally to architecture aficionados, gastronomy
buffs, lovers of contemporary art and Spanish football enthusiasts,
as well as all bon vivants in search of all inclusive experiences.
DAY ONE
I hop on the next AEROBUS from El Prat airport and soon arrive at Plaça
Catalunya, where I take the metro to Diagonal station. I cross the impres-
sive Passeig de Gràcia Avenue and arrive at the striking façade of Hotel
Omm (hotelomm.com). I resist my urge of exploring this member of
Design Hotels™ and head straight to the Mercat de la Llibertat, a mar-
ket in the Gràcia district frequented by locals (mercatsbcn.cat) that also
hosts the annual Festa Major every summer (15-23/8, festamajordegracia.
cat). After a hearty lunch at gastronomic multi-space El Nacional (elna-
cionalbcn.com) and a visit to the Louis Vuitton Boutique I hit the shops
along the famed Las Ramblas boulevard. For dinner I opt for a Michelin
star-awarded restaurant at The Serras, a luxury 5-star boutique hotel
and another Design Hotels™ member (hoteltheserrasbarcelona.com),
while my night comes to close at BLVD club (boulevardcultureclub.es).
DAY TWO
This morning is dedicated to Antoni Gaudi, the architect who has been
forever associated with the city of Barcelona. Admiring the immensity of
the Sagrada Familia from up close is worth the lengthy wait in the queue
(sagradafamilia.cat), while a visit to La Pedrera is also one of the highlights
(lapedrera.com). It is nearly lunch time and the only thing that can take
me away from Gaudi is the idea of a gourmet meal at Moo restaurant in
my hotel, after which I promptly head to the La Boqueria market to expe-
rience Catalan cuisine at its most authentic (boqueria.info). From there I
opt for visiting the Gothic Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
before heading to the Frederic Marès Museum to admire the finest col-
lection of sculptures in the city (museumares.bcn.cat). I then go to the
El Raval district to visit the MACBA, Barcelona’s Museum of Contem-
porary Art (macba.cat). Indulging in delicious Asian cuisine at Dos Pal-
illos is the ideal epilogue to a tiring, but inspiring day (dospalillos.com).
DAY THREE
I request an early wakeup call and head directly to the Picasso Museum,
to admire the greatest collection of the artist’s work in Europe (museupi-
casso.bcn.cat). After making a short, but sweet, visit to the nearby Choc-
olate Museum (museuxocolata.cat), I go to Parc de la Ciutadella, Barce-
lona’s very own Central Park, for a breath of fresh air. The time has come
for indulging in tapas and select Spanish wines at Onofre Tavern (onofre.
net). The Gothic Quarter, the centre of the old city of Barcelona, is one
of the most atmospheric districts in town; after exploring it on foot I opt
for refreshing cocktails and inventive dishes at Grand Hotel Central, yet
another Design Hotels™ member, as I enjoy the views of the city from
the bar-lounge area by the infinity pool (grandhotelcentral.com). I could
stay here all evening, but I have made reservations at the Gran Teatre del
Liceu to watch a performance of “Les Miserables” (liceubarcelona.cat).
DAY FOUR
Impressive in size, as well as in its history, the Camp Nou stadium is my
first stop for the day. I stock up on souvenirs before going to the top of
Montjuic Castle for a panoramic snapshot of the city. Lunch finds me
closer to shore and I indulge in the famed “la bomba” (potato croquettes
50
Ι ndeed, Barcelona is one of those destinations that ticks all the right
boxes as it appeals equally to architecture aficionados, gastronomy
buffs, lovers of contemporary art and Spanish football enthusiasts,
as well as all bon vivants in search of all inclusive experiences.
DAY ONE
I hop on the next AEROBUS from El Prat airport and soon arrive at Plaça
Catalunya, where I take the metro to Diagonal station. I cross the impres-
sive Passeig de Gràcia Avenue and arrive at the striking façade of Hotel
Omm (hotelomm.com). I resist my urge of exploring this member of
Design Hotels™ and head straight to the Mercat de la Llibertat, a mar-
ket in the Gràcia district frequented by locals (mercatsbcn.cat) that also
hosts the annual Festa Major every summer (15-23/8, festamajordegracia.
cat). After a hearty lunch at gastronomic multi-space El Nacional (elna-
cionalbcn.com) and a visit to the Louis Vuitton Boutique I hit the shops
along the famed Las Ramblas boulevard. For dinner I opt for a Michelin
star-awarded restaurant at The Serras, a luxury 5-star boutique hotel
and another Design Hotels™ member (hoteltheserrasbarcelona.com),
while my night comes to close at BLVD club (boulevardcultureclub.es).
DAY TWO
This morning is dedicated to Antoni Gaudi, the architect who has been
forever associated with the city of Barcelona. Admiring the immensity of
the Sagrada Familia from up close is worth the lengthy wait in the queue
(sagradafamilia.cat), while a visit to La Pedrera is also one of the highlights
(lapedrera.com). It is nearly lunch time and the only thing that can take
me away from Gaudi is the idea of a gourmet meal at Moo restaurant in
my hotel, after which I promptly head to the La Boqueria market to expe-
rience Catalan cuisine at its most authentic (boqueria.info). From there I
opt for visiting the Gothic Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
before heading to the Frederic Marès Museum to admire the finest col-
lection of sculptures in the city (museumares.bcn.cat). I then go to the
El Raval district to visit the MACBA, Barcelona’s Museum of Contem-
porary Art (macba.cat). Indulging in delicious Asian cuisine at Dos Pal-
illos is the ideal epilogue to a tiring, but inspiring day (dospalillos.com).
DAY THREE
I request an early wakeup call and head directly to the Picasso Museum,
to admire the greatest collection of the artist’s work in Europe (museupi-
casso.bcn.cat). After making a short, but sweet, visit to the nearby Choc-
olate Museum (museuxocolata.cat), I go to Parc de la Ciutadella, Barce-
lona’s very own Central Park, for a breath of fresh air. The time has come
for indulging in tapas and select Spanish wines at Onofre Tavern (onofre.
net). The Gothic Quarter, the centre of the old city of Barcelona, is one
of the most atmospheric districts in town; after exploring it on foot I opt
for refreshing cocktails and inventive dishes at Grand Hotel Central, yet
another Design Hotels™ member, as I enjoy the views of the city from
the bar-lounge area by the infinity pool (grandhotelcentral.com). I could
stay here all evening, but I have made reservations at the Gran Teatre del
Liceu to watch a performance of “Les Miserables” (liceubarcelona.cat).
DAY FOUR
Impressive in size, as well as in its history, the Camp Nou stadium is my
first stop for the day. I stock up on souvenirs before going to the top of
Montjuic Castle for a panoramic snapshot of the city. Lunch finds me
closer to shore and I indulge in the famed “la bomba” (potato croquettes
50
