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Barcelona
Barcelona has a skyline like no other. While every other metropolis has skyscrapers, Gaudi’s city has Sagrada Familia’s towers reaching up to the blue skies of this seaside destination. Unfinished even after 100 years – Gaudi is supposed to have remarked on the subject of this extremely long construction period – “My client is not in a hurry.”
12th century Catalunian palazzos jostle with Gaudi’s Casas. The Sagrada Famillia casts its graceful shadows on the Picasso Museum. Tapas comes to you artistically plated. There are flamenco shows and music concerts, street art and ancient frescos. Even the Mediterranean Sea looks too perfect to be true when it laps at the shores of Barcelona.
The home of Miro and Gaudi is one of the most visited places in Europe, and for good reason. With glorious architecture and a blend of modern and art nouveau design, the city is a canvas waiting for you to explore it.
If you’re not already at a café designed by Gaudi, head to the Casa Battló and La Pedrera, a 5 minutes walk from Passeig de Gràcia, one of Barcelona’s most upscale streets and probably where your hotel would be.
El Paradiso, or “Paradise” may seem like a regular pastrami sandwich shop from the outside, but as many things, there’s more than meets the eye. Beyond the white refrigerator of this pastrami shop lies an elegant speakeasy-style cocktail bar. Get lost in the unfamiliar flavours of the creatively crafted cocktails, vibrant and garnished with fresh herbs. Awarded the world’s best cocktail bar in the world in 2022, El Paradiso lives up to its reputation, giving you a night you won’t forget; or will.
Three words that get your gastric juices going even as the waiter sets down a sublimely plated meal in front of you. Paris is a city made for love – and tempting you into throwing your diet to the wind. From Septime to Les Climat, The Collective recommends you indulge in some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, Take five hours out, because the French treat their dinner very seriously. Last Word: Ever wonder how Parisiennes stay so slim even as they enjoy their 6 course dinners? But lets not worry about that – Bon Appetit!
When it’s summer, there is only one place in Barcelona where you should be. The Sub-Zero Beach Bar. Located on the scorching hot sands of Barcelona’s beaches, this Ice beach bar maintains a temperature between -5 to -10 degrees Celsius all year round. Stare in awe at the carved ice statues of Barcelona’s architectural treasures like La Sagrada Familia as you sit on ice bar stools and take a shot from an ice shot glass. It’s the coolest place in town. Literally.
This summer, Barcelona puts on two stunning shows running all season: the “Carlos Pazos: bad painting?” at Can Framis and the “Century of the Portrait in the Museo del Prado” at Caixa Forum-XIX. Both give you a chance to look beyond the Picasso and Miro Museum to view rare treasures from the Madrid’s Prado.
Or dive into the culture of Barcelona’s performing arts with a Flamenco show. It takes you only five minutes to snap your fingers and say Ole like a local.
Before you jet off to Barcelona, drop by and well help you style looks for this wonderful city. Hint: Go for summer looks, but do carry a light layer, it does get nippy in the evening.