... visit unique markets and festivals, indulge at your favorite patisserie, and enjoy nights at rooftop bars ...
BY JOHN BRUNTON
... visit unique markets and festivals, indulge at your favorite patisserie, and enjoy nights at rooftop bars ...
VILLE LUMIÈRE
PARIS
A bustling intersection of Passeig de Gràcia. Image credit: Shutterstock
Once a month, the pop-up Palo Market Fest takes over a repurposed textile factory on the outer edges of Poblenou. Expect live music, food vendors selling everything from Argentine choripán sandwiches to Chinese steamed dumplings, and displays of vintage clothing and locally made jewelry and art. palomarketfest.com
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Beachside dining in Barceloneta. Image credit: Shutterstock
Barcelona’s best new wine bars are just as serious about their food. Take Masa Vins in the city’s up-and-coming Poblenou neighborhood, where natural wines share the spotlight with seasonal plates. Meanwhile, Mikan specializes in Asian-inflected tapas and low-intervention wines. However, if there’s one place that pioneered the city’s gastro wine bar craze, it’s Bar Brutal. The vibrant restaurant is the spot to meet friends for a bottle of biodynamic cava and a platter of fresh oysters before hitting the town. barbrutal.com
Eat & Drink
The Fundació Joan Miró. Image credit: Shutterstock
Surrounded by the lush greenery of the Montjuïc park, the Fundació Joan Miró houses 14,000 pieces by the Catalan artist inside a striking white building. Don’t miss the outdoor sculpture garden on the panoramic rooftop terrace. A short stroll away is the CaixaForum Barcelona cultural center – one of the most important collections of contemporary art in Europe – which occupies a former textile factory that was constructed in the Catalan Modernism style. Previous exhibitions have been dedicated to the likes of Salvador Dalí, Auguste Rodin, and Lucian Freud. fmirobcn.org/en;
caixaforum.org/ca/barcelona
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Barcelona’s newly revitalized waterfront will take center stage during the 37th America’s Cup sailing race from August through October. For a front-row seat, be sure to make reservations at one of 11 restaurants due to open in Port Olímpic just in time for the big-ticket event.
Insider's Tip
Image credit: Shutterstock
NEIGHBORHOODS
Image credit: Shutterstock
Eat & Drink
POMPEII: TOURING THE RUINS
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Cape Cod easily evokes memories of years gone by for many visitors, with its classic clam shacks, roadside ice cream stands, and village vibes. Lean in to the nostalgia at the Wellfleet Drive-In Theatre, which has been screening flicks since 1957. It’s a definite throwback to another era and loads of fun. In addition to its massive movie screen, the site is home to the Cape’s biggest flea market by day, where some 150 vendors sell their wares. There’s also a playground, a vintage 18-hole miniature golf course, and an outdoor bar.
ELEVATED BEACH DINING
WORTH THE WAIT
GASTRO WINE BARS
BEAUTIFUL BOUTIQUES
ELEGANT READING
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
MESMERIZING MOSAICS
A DAY TRIP TO SITGES
ARCHITECTURAL MUSEUMS
Three-Michelin-Starred restaurant Disfrutar is one of Barcelona’s toughest places to get a table. But the wait is more than worth it for its inventive tasting menus featuring whimsical creations such as a vinegar-laced gazpacho ice cream sandwich or a crispy egg yolk served with hot mushroom jelly. Several members of the culinary team cut their teeth at Ferran Adrià’s fabled Catalan El Bulli restaurant. disfrutarbarcelona.com
The seafront Barceloneta (“Little Barcelona”) neighborhood is known for its hole-in-the-wall eateries and locals-only bars. Last year, one of the area’s most emblematic beach eateries dating to the 1940s reopened as an elevated chiringuito (beach bar), dishing out creative takes on classic fare. There’s indoor seating with red banquettes and sea views at Casa Costa, but you can’t beat the ambiance (or sea breeze) on the lively outdoor terrace. casacostabarceloneta.com
Llibreria Finestres is an independent bookstore located on the ground floor of one of architect Enric Sagnier’s most emblematic buildings in the Eixample district. The interiors are just as elegant with glossy wooden bookshelves and jewel-toned velvet sofas where visitors are free to relax and flip through new releases and coffee-table books. There’s also a “secret” back patio with a vertical garden and a bar serving wine and coffee. llibreriafinestres.com
While most of Barcelona’s designer stores are concentrated on Passeig de Gràcia, the trendy El Born neighborhood is synonymous with small boutiques and specialty addresses such as Naima Records and the artisanal food store Vila Viniteca. Popular with locals and visitors alike, Chandal is a sophisticated concept shop filled with handcrafted candles, locally made jewelry, and more. Meanwhile, Arquinesia Perfumes uses botanicals from the Balearic Islands to make small-batch soaps and perfumes. Barcelona also has a strong local fashion scene; discover homegrown brands like Rita Row and the footwear label Naguisa at the multi-brand boutique Ivori. ivoribarcelona.com
Barcelona is blessed with beautiful beaches, but if you want to skip the summer crowds, take the train down to the seaside town of Sitges, about 25 miles southwest of the city. Here, you’ll find sandy stretches backed by traditional seafood restaurants and the 17th-century Church of Sant Bartomeu. The vibe is relaxed and family friendly, and there are hiking trails in the surrounding Garraf Park.
There’s no better place to listen to flamenco guitar or classical music than Palau de la Música Catalana, a UNESCO-listed concert hall built by Lluís Domènech i Montaner in 1908. A kaleidoscopic mix of Spanish and Arabic architecture, the grand venue is known for its mesmerizing mosaics and showstopping blue-and-gold stained glass ceiling. If you can’t make it for a live performance, be sure to sign up for a guided 55-minute architectural tour. palaumusica.cat
The Fundació Joan Miró houses 14,000 pieces by the Catalan artist inside a striking white building
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The Fundació Joan Miró houses 14,000 pieces by the Catalan artist inside a striking white building
The coastal town of Sitges sits 25 miles southwest
of Barcelona. Image credit: Shutterstock
Big Bang is a tiny bar with regular jam sessions. On its open nights, locals and tourists play and sing with a core house band. Arrive early to get a seat, order a vermut, and enjoy some wonderful music within the walls of what was formerly a 19th-century tavern. bigbangbarcelona.com
LIVE MUSIC WITH A BANG
The Gaudí-designed Casa Batlló has a cartoonlike appearance. Image credit: Shutterstock
Image credit: Shutterstock. Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake are roughly ten miles from Aspen
Big Bang is a tiny bar with regular jam sessions. On its open nights, locals and tourists play and sing with a core house band. Arrive early to get a seat, order a vermut, and enjoy some wonderful music within the walls of what was formerly a 19th-century tavern. bigbangbarcelona.com
LIVE MUSIC WITH A BANG
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