The decision to spend my birthday in Barcelona was pretty much last minute, and I could not be happier that we cancelled our other plans due to a spell of cold weather. In Barcelona, the days couldn't have been lovelier.. mild but not too hot, sunny but not blistering. Above all, I have never been at this time of year, and having had a little bit more time than on previous visits, it was an absolute treat to discover this beautiful, vibrant, fun and amazing city in a little bit more depth.
A great starting point to explore is the wide and elegant Passeig de Gràcia boulevard. It is dotted with orange trees, ornate street lights and benches, and lined with some of the city's most famous modernist architectural gems, inviting Tapas bars, high end shops and boutiques, and of course Hermès. It truly has something for everyone!
One of the first buildings at the top end (crossing the Av Diagonal) is the Palau Robert. It houses the city's tourist office, and has an elegant public garden, where you can spot monk parakeets darting between orange trees and cypresses, and from one palm tree to another.
Gaudi's 'Casa Battló' (1906) is the most famous of those buildings which form the 'Mansana de la Discòrdia' (block or apple of discord). The expression is catalan word play with a double meaning.. The 'apple of discord' refers to a competition between the three star modernist architects as to who would build the most fabulous façade, and the 'block of discord' refers to the fact that each of the architects had a very distinctive style, which resulted in very different looks from each other and the surrounding buildings of the city block. Hence the 'block of discord'.
A roof right out of a fairy tale.. as if a dragon has fallen asleep on it.
The building next door was designed as a residence for chocolatier Antoni Amatller. The foyer of the 'Casa Amatller' (one of the three major buildings of the 'Block of Discord) can be entered without queues or entry fees, allowing you to marvel at the skills of the master craftsmen and artisans of the time. The details are just breathtakingly beautiful, and the color scheme could not have been more perfect for the house of a chocolatier!
Barcelona's Hermès store is located a couple of blocks from these architectural glories, at No 77.
On the opposite side of the boulevard, an array of Tapas bars invite you to indulge in a light lunch. If you want get a seat by the counter, it is best to come early or late!
Txapela Tapas Bar
No 3 of the famous trio of buildings, the Casa Lleó i Morera, completed in 1906
Again absolutely breathtaking details by master artists and craftsmen. The most difficult part of this blog post was to limit the number of images!
Right across from the Casa Lleó i Morera you find the calm and serene Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The light and modern atrium like setting of it's 'Bistreau' is a perfect place to spend a tranquil moment, whether for a lunch or dinner, or simply for a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon.
At the end of it's nearly one mile long splendor, the Passeig de Gràcia turns into the 'Av Portal de l'Àngel' shopping street, where I found two pretty summer shirts at Massimo Dutti: a sky blue linen shirt (currently in the wash, but you can see it here online), and this one, with a printed paisley pattern (also available online):
It is feather light and so it will be perfect for summer, and can easily be mixed with cool and warm colors
Capsule pieces: Paisley shirt with burnt orange linen sweater and beige pants (warm tones). Taupe top and white jeans (cool tones).
Accessories: Pendant necklace in or and Hermès Karla bracelet in caramel and Picotin GM in Kraft (warm tones). Waterfall necklace in lagoon and Hermès Picotin PM in Bleu Sapphire (cool tones).
Shoes: Oran sandals in bronze, bi-colored ballet flats, espadrilles wedges in sand, beige and turquoise sandals
The paisley shirt is also a great new companion for the lovely birthday treat I received: Karla bracelet in caramel (in Epsom leather and with permabrass hardware)
The Passeig de Gràcia from north to south:
Jardins del Palau Robert, Passeig de Gràcia, 107, 08008 Barcelona
Hermès, Passeig de Gràcia, 77, 08008 Barcelona. Tel: +34 934 88 05 40
Hermès, Passeig de Gràcia, 77, 08008 Barcelona. Tel: +34 934 88 05 40
Casa Amatller, Passeig de Gràcia, 41, 08007 Barcelona. Online ticketshere
Txapela Tapas Bar, Passeig de Gràcia, 58, 08007 Barcelona, Tel: +34 934 87 22 79
Mandarin Oriental Bistreau, Passeig de Gràcia, 38-40, 08007 Barcelona, +34 931 51 87 83
Casa Lleó i Morera, a modernist building finished in 1905, Passeig de Gràcia, 35, 08007
Massimo Dutti, Av Portal de l'Àngel, 16, 08002 Barcelona, Tel. +34 933 18 22 46
• Paisley print shirt here
• Sky blue linen shirt click here
To be continued..
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