BARCELONA

There’s just something about Barcelona. Visit once and the next thing you know, dreams of returning will begin filling your head, especially if a love of architecture sparks your travel urge to see novel places. While Barcelona is known for many things, like fabulous Mediterranean weather, an incredible culinary scene, and that world-class soccer team known affectionately as Barça, that city’s architecture makes it one of the world’s most majestic cities. Anchored by the incomparable works of Catalan architect (and visionary) Antoni Gaudi and steeped in the centuries-long history that began here in pre-Roman times, Barcelona is spectacular at every turn.

For the ultimate place to call home in Barcelona, there’s nothing quite like the Majestic Hotel & Spa. Constructed in 1918, the sizeable neoclassical hotel dominates the corner of Calle de Valencia and Paseo de Gracia, just steps from Casa Batilló and Casa Milá (La Pedrera), two of Gaudi’s most memorable architectural achievements.

Elegant in every way, the award-winning five-star Majestic is one of the world’s great hotels. Its expansive rooms and suites—all furnished in a modern style—provide striking views of the famous Paseo, its luxury shops, and those classic Gaudi buildings.

Thoroughly modern inside its classic façade, the hotel is an oasis of calm on a hot Barcelona summer day. Spend hours in the beautiful spa or take in the evening air from La Dolce Vitae, the hotel’s convivial rooftop bar with stunning city views. Grab a glass of Alberino and a few tapas there, or hang out in El Bar del Majestic, where live music and expertly crafted cocktails get the nighttime party started. 

Be sure to notice the Majestic’s notable art collection, which includes works from avant-garde Spanish artists and international creators, before you head out into the city that wears its artistic personality on every block. 

A DAY WITH GAUDI
There’s no one quite like Gaudi, an architect whose vision combines fanciful art within every structure, so plan to spend at least a full day in Barcelona immersed in his visionary worlds. Begin outside the Majestic with those two famous homes and know that booking timed reservations is essential for Casa Batilló and Casa Milá. Allow at least an hour at each to marvel at his wonderful modernist designs. Both homes were constructed around 1906, breaking the previous architectural ideas wide open.

By the time those eye-popping buildings were completed in the early 1900s, Gaudi had already been working on Barcelona’s astonishing La Sagrada Familia Basilica for over 20 years—and that strikingly modern Catholic church remains under construction today. It’s a place that must be seen to be believed, from the intensely modern western façade that follows the story of Jesus with striking Brutalist sculptures by Josep Maria Subirachs to the soaring interior and nave that make it like no other place on earth.

You’ll need timed tickets to see this gem, so buy well in advance and be sure to purchase the ticket to go up into the towers, as it is an incredible experience. You’ll take the elevator high up to the top of the basilica, gasp at the city views, and see more of the soaring structure up close. Know that you’ll have to walk the steps down (this is not for those who are disabled), wending your way through the actual tower and seeing more gorgeous views looking down inside the church, finally ending up back to the nave. It’s unforgettable.

Next, jump on Barcelona’s Hop On Hop Off Blue Route bus found right outside the cathedral, which will take you up the city’s hillside to Gaudi’s amazing Park Güell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site just like La Sagrada, Casa Batilló, and Casa Milá are. Old or young, visitors are transfixed by the vast salamander and main terrace, adorned with whimsical mosaic designs. Buy your timed ticket here ahead of time, too.

Return to the Majestic Hotel via the Turistic bus, which wends past the Barcelona FC soccer stadium and to the Eixample district, where other modernist architects helped create lovely streets with uniquely beautiful buildings. See distinctive terraces, stained glass features, embellished roofs, and more. 

EVEN MORE DESIGNS
Antoni Gaudi and his fellow Modernists changed Barcelona’s landscape, building on the city’s long structural history. To get a glimpse of what it was like long before those architects caused some seismic change, take in the Gothic Quarter and Ciutat Vella (Old Town) to discover the genuinely ancient parts of the city. Meander down narrow cobblestone streets, find the Roman ruins tucked inside a building and discover the Gothic cathedral, whose iterations on this spot date back to 599 AD.

Steeped in history yet modern and vibrant, Barcelona truly is an architecture lover’s dream city. Add in the incredible food experiences found on every block with the friendly locals who are happy to advise on getting the most from their beloved city, and this Spanish gem will surely grab your heart and squeeze. Time to start dreaming of your next visit!

For more information about Barcelona, visit barcelonaturisme.com
for Majestic Hotel & Spa, visit majestichotelgroup.com