Stories

Mas Miró, a glimpse into Joan Miró’s life and work

For 65 summers, Joan Miró was a regular in the village of Mont-roig, which inspired the famous painting La Masía and the rest of his work. There, at the farmhouse that his family bought, he also received visits from his friends Ernest Hemingway, Alexander Calder or Josep Lluís Sert.

Parabolic wonders. The wine cathedral of El Pinell de Brai

No wonder they call it the wine cathedral. This cellar in Pinell de Brai, Terra Alta, is the work of architect Cèsar Martinell i Brunet, and was built between 1918 and 1922. The entire interior of the winery is divided by wide-span, roof-bearing parabolic arches, which make the entire space look indeed like a cathedral.

A Route of Jean Nouvel’s Barcelona

A tower, a park, and a restaurant – they all have in common the name of the architect, French-born Jean Nouvel. For contemporary architecture lovers, these are some destinations not to be missed.

Can Manyer, a Modernist puzzle

The entire first floor of this library in Vilassar de Dalt, one hour away from Barcelona, is a maze of tiles, spread on hundreds of square meters.

The house of lilac shutters. Casa Jeroni Granell

A sgraffito depicting wine plants, stained glass windows with floral motifs, and a surprising choice of colours, especially of the shutters, make this work of Modernist architect Geroni Granell one of the most original designs of Eixample.

Inspired by poetry. Plensa / Estellés

“The beginning and the end are the same thing” Estellés writes. “It was a discovery, Plensa says. There were very short and simple poems but at the same time very intense and sensual, about sex, love, death and solitude”, which made Plensa see “an extraordinary poet, one of the best in explaining the relationship between…

Books and the City. Ona Llibres

“There are books so delightful that I’d like to stay and live there” said Catalan journalist Emili Manzano i Mulet. There are also bookstores – as charming as the books, I’d add.

Camelia Art Café. Plant Oasis

Camelia is cozy and chic, and it’s definitely an oasis to escape the mundane world outside. Close to Sagrada Família, this café has one of the best specialty coffees in the area. And a lot more.

Enjoying JOYA

An array of delicate visual stories, JOYA Barcelona is an annual event, now ongoing in several places of the city. I visited one of the exhibitions, and here are the designs I simply fell in love with.

Tossa de Mar

A fully preserved medieval jewel surrounded by sandy beaches and rugged cliffs, Tossa de Mar is one of the most beloved destinations in Costa Brava.

Mediterranean Charm. Sant Pol de Mar

Sant Pol de Mar is at about 40 minutes by train from Barcelona, on the coast of Maresme. The place has a bit of everything: narrow winding streets, medieval churches, Modernist mansions, places with good food, pine-covered hills and, above all, ten beaches to its name.

Flors de Gràcia

Let’s take a stroll in Vila de Gràcia and stop by some of the most original Modernist designs in the area.

My Barrio. Carrer de València

I am fortunate to live close enough to some of the architectural wonders of the city. These ones are actually on my street, just a few blocks away, so here is a glimpse into my post-confinement daily walks.

Impression, Immersive Gardens

It’s blossom season, and the wild roses, the yellow jasmines, and the Spanish brooms turned all parks into wonderlands, making me feel like walking into one of Claude Monet’s floral scapes.

Casa Mas de Miquel

It was known as the big house or the Rothschild house, and is defined by a splendid interior patio.

Montserrat

There are many reasons to go to Montserrat, this mountain is unique – almost strange in its uniqueness.

Afternoon Tea at Sant Lluc

I don’t think there any other place in Barcelona where you can have your tea while admiring Joan Mirós or Subirachs drawings on the walls, plus a poster by Alexandre de Riquer, a model of one of Sagrada Familia’s windows…

Umami and Other Tastes of Honest Greens

Translated from Japanese as yummy, deliciousness or a pleasant savoury taste, umami is actually a taste: the fifth taste, the one besides sweet, sour, salty and bitter. It is present in a vast array of veggies as well as in most fermented foods, and it’s also one of the tasty bowls of Honest Greens.

10 Modernist Buildings You Should Know. And Why You Should Know Them

As you already know, I am passionate about architecture and styles, in general. Plus, since I’ve moved to Barcelona I fell head over heels in love with the Modernist current, especially as I have so many buildings in this style, on my daily route. When I first visited the city, back in 2005, I didn’t…

The Heart of Trees & Other Stories. Jaume Plensa at MACBA

“Sculpture is the best way to pose a question” says Jaume Plensa, artist born in Barcelona in 1955. His solo exhibition at MACBA runs until April 22nd so these days are a great opportunity to see it, that if you haven’t already.

Etnia Barcelona

Made in Barcelona and inspired by the city and the Mediterranean lifestyle, Etnia Barcelona rely on vanguard art, top materials and bold design in order to tell a unique story about high-quality eyewear.

Espai Joliu

A cool cafeteria filled with plants, lifestyle magazines, locally designed pottery and prints: that’s Espai Joliu, or the Nice Space of Poblenou.

A Shopping Guide of El Born. Meet the Artisans

A staple of bohemian and historical Barcelona, El Born has a six-centuries-long-established tradition of craftsmanship and its spirit of creating unique pieces of fashion, jewellery, bags or household items has remained intact.

Fusion Tapas at Telefèric Restaurant

This is one of our favourite foodie stories: a feast for the eyes and the taste at Telefèric restaurant, with their new menu featuring plenty of fusion tapas.

City Layers

Can you catch the entire atmosphere of a certain place – in a single image?

Rock Your Mind

It’s all about perception and how things can change when seen from a different angle or point of view.

Eixample or the Expansion of Modern Barcelona

Eixample district is probably the most iconic in Barcelona and also the most diverse in terms of shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Its grid-like layout is the symbol of the modern Barcelona we know today.

M & Co

They are MoMu & Co located in El Born and everything in this store for bags and accessories is handmade in their workshop here in Barcelona.

The Mosaics of Barcelona

Barcelona has its own style of mosaic used to cover the floors of so many shops, bars, restaurants and apartments here.

Mediterranean Vibes: Octaevo

“If yesterday is a story already lived, tomorrow is a voyage still to be explored. Let the journey begin.” (the story of Janus)

MACBA

MACBA or the Contemporary Art Museum of Barcelona is the place to see vanguard art in the museum and enjoy great views of neighbourhood from above while you go up and down a 3-storey ramp. It’s square is one of the favourite places of the city’s skaters and its surrounding tapas bars are definitely worth…

Teresa’s Stairway

A fast bar for slow food, Teresa’s Stairway addresses the street with a colourful display of their selection of activated h2o-s and cold-pressed juices. The menu includes fish burgers and salads and many vegetarian options plus some delicious sweet indulgences. The choices at Teresa’s Stairway can be described as flexitarian, or semi-vegetarian, thus mainly plant-based…

V01D at Offf

An audio reactive projection, V01D was created for the Offf festival in Barcelona…

The Tapas Plan | at Catacroquet

At Catacroquet in Poblenou things are quite simple: you can choose from the menu either croquettes or “no croquetables”. My advice is to go for a mix of 6 croquettes and as many tapas as you feel you can share with your friends. Everything is tasty and worth trying. We started with the strong point…

Barcelona Seen By | Nicanor García

If you like Instagram, then you are probably already following him. And you already saw these pics. Still, if in Barcelona, go see his exhibition, it’s fantastic. And runs until May 24th. This photographic exhibition by Nicanor García is a great visual reflection of the city space through different moments and the most original angles.…

World Press Photo 2018

World Press Photo 2018 displays 137 winners of contemporary journalism photography. That’s how our world looks, today. From all the entries, here is one of the very few focusing upon the bright side of life. Photographer Carla Kogelman created a long term project documenting the life of two sisters living in a bioenergy village in…

Vermouth, the Official Start of the Weekend

Since I’ve been here in Barcelona, it seems that the midday vermouth is the official start of the weekend. With a nice glass of this aromatic fortified wine, algo para picar and friends, sitting at a terrace or enjoying a live set in a bar, that’s the local way to welcome el finde, the end of…

Barcelona Celebrates Sant Jordi with Books and Flowers

    The whole centre of Barcelona is filled today with people, roses and bookstands. It’s Sant Jordi, Saint George’s day, one of the most beautiful events you can witness in the Catalan capital. Catalunya’s version of Valentine’s day, Sant Jordi is a festivity that combines culture and romanticism. On 23 April, according to tradition…

Mas d’Eroles | Artesan’s Raw Cheese

For cheese lovers, Barcelona is simply heaven. All across Catalunya there are plenty of local producers that create their cheese the artesan way; and, in the city – lots of fairs and events where you can taste them, and let the cheesemakers tell you their story and where you can buy the specialties. One of…

Walk the Barrio. Poblenou, Open Night

Twice a year, a networking event opens the doors of many of the warehouses, workshops, coworking spaces, art galleries and shops in Poblenou.   Known as the creative district of Barcelona, Poblenou now hosts some 80 locations that present their work, bring live music or shows, and build a pop up bar to serve everybody…

Mapping Poblenou | LLUM BCN

During the next weekend, Poblenou is going to be a story of light and video mappings. Follow the routes to see 20 installations and 14 urban spaces put into a different light.

Brunch in a Hammock

Hammock Juice Station has an inviting setup of suspended hammock seats, and it’s place for relaxing and having vegan food, juices and a moment of fun while swinging. No wi-fi. Hammock Juice Station has a menu with tasty toasts with veggies, like this avocado with cherry tomatoes, chia and toasted pumpkin seeds. They also serve…

Sunday by the Sea

There are few things in life that can get better than a sunny day by the sea, in my opinion at least. And if this sunny day is also not when you’d expect it, in the middle of summer, but in the (otherwise pretty chill) early January, well then you simply can’t beat this. Even…

Petit Brot, the Tasty Little Sprout

Petit Brot is an organic cold-press juice bar, just a few steps away from La Boqueria Market, in the area of Raval. They promote a sustainable, ethical and healthy lifestyle, from the menu to the interior design materials.   Local, organic, raw vegan, sustainable, ethical, fair trade, gluten free – that’s how the menu of Petit…

el Turrón

A simple recipe with honey, sugar, egg white and almonds, turned out into the essential sweet of any Christmas meal, in Spain, and into the famous Spanish candy in the world.     While today a number of different varieties exist, and regions have their own special recipes, the history of turrón can be traced back…

Books and the City

Sala Ciutat, translating into the City Room, is the place for books about Barcelona. History, architecture, vintage and contemporary photography, city illustration, customs, secrets, symbols, districts – briefly any topic on Barcelona can be found, here. When browsing through the books it’s easy to find out original stories on Barcelona, especially as most books focus…

The Tapas Plan | La Rubia

Last evening, looking for a place for a tapa and a glass of wine, we stopped at La Rubia. This casual restaurant addresses mostly local people and is specialised in tapas and salads, or platitos, bocadillos y ensaladas de carácter local, that go with their – also local – beers, wines and vermouth. My favourites by…

Slow Food. A Route of Organic Barcelona

Vegetarian, vegan, raw-vegan, eco, of origin, unprocessed and healthy ideas to know, to stop, to taste, to take away, to enjoy and talk about. Blue Project Café, Teresa’s Stairway and Petit Brot.

Blue Project Café: the Raw-Vegan Kitchen of an Art Foundation

An independent platform for contemporary art, Blue Project takes great pride in their gastronomic space that offers 100% organic food and is the first raw vegan kitchen to have opened in Barcelona.   I went to Blue Project in the morning, and what a great start the day it was. First of all, the surroundings are…

Freestyle | a Route for a Day

Art, coffee, a snack, digital nomads in Spain, yoga, swim, relax. Cafeteria at D-HUB, BOX by the Barceloneta beach, Fundacio GASPAR in El Born.

Cycling & Co.

In Barcelona, you can pair pretty much everything with cycling. Here are 3 of my favorite experiences, so far.

Blai 9

Some pintxos with a twist, in Poble Sec.

Escalivada | Cuines Santa Caterina

Escalivada is a traditional dish from Catalonia, and typically consists of roasted eggplant and bell peppers with olive oil, and sometimes onion, tomato, minced garlic, and salt.

Tortilla de Patatas | Parlament, Cuina de Barri

Tortilla is the diminutive form of torta, cake. This dish is called tortilla de patatas or tortilla española to distinguish it from the plain omelette or tortilla francesa. Tortilla de patatas or Spanish omelette, in English, is widely eaten in Spain and in many of the Spanish-speaking countries. While there are numerous variations, the traditional, classic…

Patatas Bravas | Fàbrica Moritz

Also called patatas a la brava or papas bravas, patatas bravas are a dish native to Spain. The name literally translates to ‘fierce potatoes’ – due to its spicy sauce. Patatas bravas typically consist of white potatoes that have been cut into irregular shapes, boiled for several minutes in salted water, then rubbed dry and…

Tempranillo

Tempranillo is often referred to as the noble grape of Spain. It is a black variety, widely grown to make full bodied red wines that match the very rich dishes of the peninsula. Wine was introduced in the Iberian area by Phoenicians, in the 8th century BC, so it is different from the French varieties…

Stories on Tapas

A tapa (plural tapas) is just one of the ways you can get your food here, around the Iberian peninsula. Usually, the way that food is served, as well as the kind of dish used, determine its name, so you might have plato (dish), racion (portion), tapa (snack), pintxo (food on a stick) or montadito (food on bread).…

Pintxos | the Gildas

Gilda is said to have been the first true pintxo, invented in 1946, the same year that Gilda, the classic film noir starring Rita Hayworth, was released.

Houses of Giants

For any celebration of a saint patron of Barcelona or one of its neighborhoods, els gegantes or the giants (of 4 meters height) walk the city and dance, accompanied by music, fire shows and other Catalan traditions. Here is where you can see the giants, when they are not in the show, and find out…

Stories at the Story Bar

Story is a tapas bar with fresh Mediterranean flavors, nice wines, surprising cocktails and crafted beer, live jazz music every Wednesday night, a nice collection of books to browse through, and walls filled with contemporary artworks. It is located pretty close to the Picasso Museum, in the picturesque area of el Born. the Menu The…

Fàbrica Moritz

Moritz is the oldest and still active beers of Spain. It started on Catalan ground, brought here by an Alsacian, and became a part of the history of the entire country.

The Apple of Discord

Illa de la Discòrdia or Manzana de la Discordia, namely the Block of Discord, is, maybe, the most famous collection of Modernist buildings in the city of Barcelona. They are sharing the same facade and display stunningly different architectural trends of the beginning of the 20th century. There are 5 buildings that form this famous block.…

Tantarantana, a Street in El Born

Tan-ta-ran-ta-na. Carrer d’en Tarantana. A nice and quiet street, off the tourist mainstream, still very close to many well known attractions. Halfway between the Picasso Museum and Arc de Triomf, and heading almost directly to the Cultural Center of el Born, the small street of Tantarantana gathers local taste, as well as local design and city…

Quim de la Boqueria | Market Kitchen

Right in the middle of the most crowded place in Barcelona, las Ramblas, there’s an even more crowded place – la Boqueria market. And right in the middle of the crowded crowd, there’s the heaven of fresh market kitchen taste (la cocina del mercado, in Spanish): el Quim de la Boqueria, a food bar that…

Satan’s Coffee Corner

“No decaf, no wi-fi, no fun for children.” Satan’s Coffee Corner is a pretty cool place. Coffee comes from all parts of the world and is roasted in Barcelona. Breakfast and meals are prepared by a Japanese chef (and artist). Music is at 55dB.

Brunch on Passeig de San Joan

The lazy brunch might be one of the most appreciated things to do on weekend, or cap de setmana in Catalan. So, if planning to enjoy authentically local vibes, then Passeig de Sant Joan might be one of the best spots for a brunch in Barcelona. 2 or 3 Things to Start With While having the…

Laie | Lunch at Library

Laie Pau Claris is a nice place to escape the frenetic city life, right in the middle of it: it’s a library with a café – restaurant on the first floor, located in a typical Eixample building, only some 2-3 minutes away from Passeig de Gràcia. the Space & the Mood Even if right in…

el Nacional

This is a restaurant with no less than 8 different settings to showcase Iberian delights. Fish & seafood. Tapas & rice. Fast deli. Meat & grill. Plus 4 bars: beer, wine, oysters or cocktails bar.

Mercat de Santa Caterina

Besides being less crowded than La Boqueria, Santa Caterina market is one of the locals’ favourite place to go shopping or eating.

Montcada, a Gothic Street

Montcada street is home to notorious Museu Picasso but not only: it is a beautiful collection of Gothic palaces hosting museums and entertainment shows, and sprinkled with some original stops ranging from contemporary art to a tapas bar who produce their own homemade cava.

El Born | CCM

A former food market with a spectacular structure. A restaurant. Plus an archaeological site to witness the city’s past. This is the Cultural Centre of el Born.

Casa Amatller

Casa Amatller is special place for architecture, history, and chocolate. Once the residence of the Amatller family, the house is today partly a museum, partly a cafe, and partly an office building. At a very young age, Antoni Amatller, chocolatier and grandson of the founder of Chocolate Amatller, crossed half of Europe, to discover new…

La Boqueria Market

Over the years, la Boqueria has become the most emblematic market in Barcelona and one of the most famous of the entire Europe. It features everything from savory souvenirs to gourmet specialties, and from fresh local veggies and seafood to food bars to taste them. It is an outstanding experience, in itself, and a place that…

the Chocolate Street of Barcelona

Unofficially known across the city as the sweet street, Carrer de Petritxol, a few steps away from las Ramblas, is considered by locals as one of the best place for having chocolate. Petritxol Xocoa Chocolate chain Xocoa has been working with chocolate since 1897. At Xocoa there’s a variety of chocolate bars, bonbons, chocolate beer, as…

Chocolate and the Story of Chocolatadas

The history of chocolate in Europe actually began in Barcelona, at the start of the 16th century, when Christopher Columbus arrived home and presented King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella a boat load of curiosities from the New World. Among them, the cocoa beans. The beans were mistaken for a type of nut and more or…