Autumn's here to bring you a new # ExperienceBarcelona 15/9/2018
The arrival of autumn brings you a new #BarcelonaExperience! This time, Kenneth, Kenneth (@ken4photo) and Lola (@yennlo) were waiting for Jean Jean (@poutge) and Aurore (@aurore_alifanti), to visit them from France and spend two unforgettable days in Barcelona. Just imagine a weekend of great food, wine tourism, Catalan art nouveau… and even a helicopter ride!
A WINE TOUR AND COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS FOR THAT PERFECT SATURDAY
The autumn rains began to fall first thing Saturday morning but we weren't worried… the Torres family’s vineyards were waiting for us! Situated in the Penedès, Catalonia's wine-growing region par excellence, the Torres wineries are a leading example of a family business that has dedicated itself, body and soul, to wine and food. Today, the fifth generation of the family is working to promote the Torres brand around the world. As soon as you reach the vineyards you'll be transported to another world that blends the senses of sight, smell and taste. A tour of the winery confirmed the fact that we were in a special place as our guide revealed all the hidden secrets of the land. The highlight of the tour was the mouthwatering pairing of wines with Iberico hams: a combination of three reds and a cava accompanied by four amazing Iberico hams was a real treat for our taste buds and left us wanting more.
Back in the city that afternoon we recharged our batteries and headed for the restaurant and cocktail bar Agüelo013, a former tavern that was once a popular student haunt and now, following a recent refit, is one of the Gothic Quarter’s iconic, cutting-edge restaurants. A cocktail masterclass allowed us to try out our cocktail-making skills, like Tom Cruise in the film Cocktail (although, obviously, without his expertise). During the masterclass, we learned how to make three different cocktails: an elegant dry martini, which will always be associated with James Bond; a Cosmopolitan, which is certainly the most tasty of three and was made fashionable by the stars of the series "Sex and the City", and the least-known of all, a mix of dark rum and ginger beer that goes by the appropriate name Dark 'n Stormy. Who could think of a better way to round off a Saturday?
AERIAL VIEWS + MUSICAL ARCHITECTURE = THE PERFECT SUNDAY
On Sunday morning we woke up just as keen for experiences as we were on Saturday, if not more so… Our first activity of the day was a helicopter ride that brought us a breathtaking bird’s eye view of the city! When we arrived at the heliport we were taken straight to the CatHelicopters helicopter, Cathelicopters,which took us on a flight revealing some of the best views of the city. As you fly over the city's coastline you'll be able to see the imposing Barcelona skyline and marvel at the outlines of some of the city's most impressive buildings. Don't be afraid of heights! This trip is the perfect way to see the city from another angle.
And after the flight, it was time for the last activity on this #BarcelonaExperience: a tour of the only concert hall included on the UNESCO World Heritage list: the wonderful art-nouveau Palau de la Música Catalana. Designed at the beginning of the 20th century by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the building is an absolute gem. The spectacular façade will take your breath away but the dazzling auditorium is the true pièce de resistance. The Palau de la Música Catalana is crammed with tiny details and is one of those buildings that should be a must on any visit to Barcelona, not just for the stories its walls could tell (it has hosted performances by Richard Strauss, Pau Casals and Herbert Von Karajan, as well as Woody Allen, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington) but because of its artistic legacy. Light floods into the auditorium through the explosion of colours of its stained-glass windows making it an unbeatable visual spectacle.
The wonderful impression left on us by this stunning architectural landmark brought our autumn #BarcelonaExperience to an end. We'll remember it for a long time and hope it won't be long before we come back for more!