Latest news with #Modernisme
Times
17-07-2025
- Times
Barcelona vs Madrid: which is better?
On the surface, Barcelona and Madrid — two of Spain's major cities, two and a half hours apart by train — are markedly different. Coastal Barcelona dazzles with its avant-garde buildings and sunny Mediterranean insouciance, while the central Spanish capital exudes history and elegance, holding its age-old traditions dear. Barcelona has miles of sandy beaches, a tight-knit medieval quarter and its very own architectural movement, Modernisme. Madrid, meanwhile, has not one but three world-class palaces of art, along with grand squares and boulevards, immense parks and a dynamic nightlife scene. Ultimately, though, these two cities have several crucial things in common. Superb bars and restaurants of every stripe; great shopping, from sprawling flea markets to luxe boutiques; and storied pasts written in stone everywhere you look. Both have some of Spain's loveliest hotels. I've lived in both cities and watched their characters change over the decades as the tentacles of tourism took hold. Neither is a well-kept secret any more, but they've retained robust (and distinct) personalities. If you've only time to visit one, here's how to choose. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Winner Madrid Among the Barcelona attractions vying for pole position are its endless beaches; the medieval neighbourhoods of the Barri Gotic and El Born; the Camp Nou stadium; the Museu Picasso, and the entire output of Modernista architect Antoni Gaudí. The latter includes the fairytale whimsy of the Park Guell and the Casa Batllo, the staggering cathedral-to-be that is the Sagrada Familia and the gothic-influenced Palau Guell. Don't overlook the work of his contemporaries, however — the Palau de la Musica Catalana concert hall is a riot of colour and creativity. But Madrid comes out on top. What makes the city so unique is its blend of history and the avant-garde. Its three major art galleries — the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía — are complemented by a raft of underground galleries and cutting-edge cultural centres, while after dark its air of sturdy pomp gives way to a club scene unrivalled outside Berlin. As the seat of government and royalty, Madrid is endowed with awe-inspiring buildings, none quite as impressive as the Palacio Real, a vast confection of 3,400 rooms. For a comprehensive introduction to Madrid as well as other fabulous Spanish cities — including Barcelona — join Costsaver's eight-night Spanish Experience tour. The trip begins and ends in Madrid, with visits to the Palacio Real and Retiro Park, and you'll have a free day to explore Barcelona too. Other stops include Granada and Seville. If you're only visiting Barcelona, take a half-day tour around some of the old city's medieval and gothic highlights, including the cathedral, and ending at the Palau de la Musica Catalana. • Best things to do in Madrid• Best things to do in Barcelona Winner Madrid As the crucible of molecular gastronomy, Barcelona has gained a fearsome reputation among chefs. Many who worked under überchef Ferran Adrià in the kitchens of El Bulli went on to set up their own restaurants in the Catalan capital, such as the trio behind Disfrutar, voted No 1 in 2024 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants, or Ferran's brother Albert, who is behind Enigma. Local produce is highly prized, and Barcelona has a number of excellent neighbourhood food markets, including one of Europe's biggest, La Boqueria. Where Madrid excels is in its wonderfully atmospheric taverns and tapas bars, still going after decades or even centuries. The almost 200-year-old Casa Alberto is a classic must-visit for its oxtail stew, or you might try Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world, for some suckling pig or roast lamb. This is not to say that Madrid can't play Barcelona at its own game — see, for example, the boundary-pushing DiverXo, where some of the most creative food around is served in a wildly futuristic dining room. Secret Food Tours promises an epicurean voyage with its Madrid Walking Food Tour, showing you how to eat out like a local, guided by an expert in the city's history and culture, and stopping off for tapas, treats and tipples along the way. Intrepid's nine-night Northern Spain Real Food Adventure does as the name suggests. Food is front and centre in the varied itinerary across the north of the country. The trip begins in Barcelona, with a tapas crawl as well as a cava or vermouth tasting, with subsequent stops in Logrono, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Oviedo, La Coruña, and Santiago de Compostela. • Best restaurants in Barcelona Winner Barcelona For all its award-winning cocktail bars, Barcelona's greatest contribution to the proud art of drinking is probably cava — which knocks prosecco into a cocked hat and at its best matches many champagnes. It's mostly a summer tipple, best sampled on a sunny terrace or at one of the many xiringuitos (beach bars). In winter head to a wine bar (such as the excellent Mon Vinic) and try some of the many superb reds produced around Catalunya (most famously in the Priorat DO, but there are many others). Still, Madrid also excels when it comes to tipples. Hacer el vermut — 'doing vermouth' — does not just mean going out for a vermouth, it encompasses a whole tradition that might involve olives, crisps and a saucerful of fresh anchovies, and will almost certainly involve a table in the sun and a group of friends. It's mostly a late morning drink and serves as a lunch aperitif, unlike sherry, which is drunk at any time of day or night. Sherry is best experienced in the delightful La Venencia, a century-old bar with sherry barrels on the wall and where your order is chalked on the counter. Madrid is also a hot bed of microbreweries and craft beer bars. Visit some of the most interesting and meet the brewers on an evening tour with Get Your Guide. Take a trip out to the Codorniu winery, a major cava producer housed in a stunning Modernista building. Winner Barcelona Nowadays neither of Spain's major cities wants for hotel opulence — Barcelona has the Versailles-inspired El Palace, beachside Hotel Arts and its own branches of Mandarin Oriental, W, Nobu and Edition, to name but a handful. Where the city really excels, however, is in quirky boutiques, from the clubby Wittmore to the secret Neri, tucked away next to the cathedral. For a great-value option, try one of the Praktik hotels, each with a very individual concept, or one of the Chic&Basic hotels, which do exactly what you'd expect. The opening of the jawdroppingly luxurious Four Seasons Madrid in 2020 means that the capital just pips Barcelona to the post in terms of luxury, though. The city also has a glitzy Edition and Mandarin Oriental, along with a clutch of similarly upscale five-stars with little to choose between them, such as the Palacio de los Duques, Westin Palace and JW Marriott. The city doesn't lack for stylish budget choices either, and was the birthplace of the excellent value Room Mate group (in Madrid there are five, all wonderfully central) and also has five of the cheap and cheerful Petit Palace hotels. Request a room on one of the upper floors at Nobu Hotel Barcelona for spectacular views across the city (not to mention dreamily comfortable beds). • Best luxury hotels in Barcelona• Best family hotels in Barcelona The Madrid Edition stands out for its excellent Mexican restaurant, central location, and sleek, cream-toned rooms. • Best hotels in Madrid• Best affordable hotels in Madrid under £200 Madrid It's an impossible choice and will very likely depend on where your interests lie — one, after all, has a beach, while the other is home to some of the world's best-known paintings. Barcelona's architecture is utterly unique, while Madrid's is more in line with the grand capitals of Europe. Both have a generous sprinkling of Michelin stars. In the end, though, it is perhaps Madrid that's done a better job of preserving its character — its convivial old taverns and elegant gardens, its slap-up hearty lunches and anarchic cultural scene — while incorporating the new. • Best boutique hotels in Barcelona• Best places to visit in Spain Which Spanish city do you prefer — Barcelona or Madrid — and why? Let us know in the comments below
Hypebeast
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Antoni Gaudí's Batlló Chair Gets Limited Reissue by BD Barcelona & CASA VALLE for NYCxDesign
BD Barcelonahas partnered withGiancarlo Valleand Jane Keltner de Valle'sCASA VALLEto reproduce a 50-piece run of architectAntoni Gaudí's Batlló Chair, originally designed for the Casa Batlló dining room during the period of 1904-1906. The special release, rendered in a timeless ebony stain, is on view now with other pieces from BD's Gaudí Collection at gallery CASA VALLE for NYCxDesign. Though born in the early 20th century, the striking design exemplifies the language of Catalan's 'Modernisme,' closely associated with the then-innovative Art Nouveau aesthetic. Gaudí's whimsical and awe-inspiring designs are foundational to the movement, also characterized by the dramatic curves, tapered silhouettes, and naturalistic inspiration seen in the famous chair. In tandem with promoting the legacy of Gaudí's design language, the chair's darkened finish injects it with contemporaneity. According to BD Barcelona, each chair is an 'exact reproduction of the original, handcrafted by artisans in Barcelona,' complete with a certificate signed by the Gaudí Cathedra to guarantee authenticity. The Spanish furniture purveyor's Gaudí Collection joins its Art Editions initiative, which focuses on collectable limited editions like the iconic designs of Salvador Dalí. CASA VALLE highlights the significance of the famed architect today, saying 'Gaudí's work and brand of modernism feels incredibly relevant today. We wanted to retell this rich story in the context of what is happening now, and connect it to the energy and ideas coming out of New York and what could come next,' in a statement. Interested parties can enquire withBD Barcelonafor more information on the limited-edition release. The 50 ebony editions will be on view atCASA VALLE'sat 50 Lispenard Street location from May 15-21.
Boston Globe
02-05-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Will ‘God's architect' become the next saint?
The odds for Gaudí are fairly good. Gaudí, who died in 1926, was famously at the vanguard of Barcelona's Modernisme artistic movement, the Advertisement People wait in line to enter the Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain. On April 14, 2025, Pope Francis placed Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan modernist architect once called 'God's architect' for his work on the Sagrada Familia, the world-famous basilica in Barcelona, on the path to sainthood. SAMUEL ARANDA/NYT A devout Catholic, he became increasingly pious and hermetic as he worked on the church, fasting and even sleeping in its workshop near the end. He was struck by a tram as he was walking to evening prayers, and he cared so little for appearances that the driver thought he was a beggar and took him to the pauper's hospital, where he died three days later. About After his death, a leading prelate called him 'God's architect,' a sobriquet that has stuck for almost a century. As to the required miracle, the completion of the massive cathedral after 143 years might qualify. In some ways, Gaudí is a puzzling choice for Pope Francis, who was known for his progressive efforts to open the church. By contrast, Spanish Advertisement Still, the basilica is a place of superlatives: When completed, it will be the tallest church building in the world, and it is the world's largest unfinished church today. It contains not a single 90-degree angle, inside or out. These distinctions, and Gaudí's international fame — how many other Catholic architects have been celebrated in a Many readings of Genesis place mankind as the At a time when Gods' creation is being desecrated by the worst impulses of man, that is truly something worth venerating. Renée Loth's column appears regularly in the Globe.
