Prior to the closing of the borders, I visited Barcelona, Spain. I hadn’t been to Barcelona in 30 years so it was great to get reacquainted with the city. The hosting of the Olympics in 1992 forever altered the flavor of Barcelona from an industrial city to one of the top destinations in the world.
My husband and 15 year old son joined me on this trip. We spent six days in Barcelona and honestly could have stayed longer. I would recommend that you spend at least 3 full days here. We spent our time wandering the tiny streets of the Gothic Quarter, enjoying the wonderful cuisine of the city, and touring some of the top sights with private guides. The top three things that we enjoyed were:
Hot air ballooning outside of the city
Paella making class in the Gothic Quarter
Private tour focused on Antoni Gaudi
We divided our time at two hotels in the city, the Serras and the Majestic Hotel, both Virtuoso properties. The Serras is a 28 roomed boutique hotel located on the waterfront in a building that once served as Picasso’s first studio in Barcelona! When you visit its gorgeous rooftop pool and bar overlooking the waterfront, you can imagine Picasso at his studio. The service at this hotel is highly personalized from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, so much so that you will leave the hotel feeling that you are saying goodbye to your best friends. Virtuoso benefits at the Serras include a wonderful buffet breakfast, an upgrade if available, and a $100 food and beverage credit (tip: use your Virtuoso credit to enjoy dinner at Michelin starred chef Marc Gascon’s restaurant, Informal, located on the ground level of the hotel).
The elegant Majestic Hotel is located in the Eixample neighborhood, near Barcelona’s upscale shops and several of the buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi. The Majestic is owned by the third generation of the family that built the hotel in 1918. It has 272 comfortable rooms. Its large rooftop pool and bar area features a view of La Sagrada Familia. The quality of service here is top notch and perfect for families or couples. Virtuoso benefits at the Majestic also include an upgrade if available, a very large buffet breakfast, and an E85 food and beverage credit.
I LOVE Barcelona and will definitely not take another 30 years to return!
March 2020