Are these the best spots in Barcelona?
The capital of Catalonia is also a true foodie paradise, boasting numerous fantastic hotels and colorful markets. Here are the best places to stay and eat.
June 12, 2024
Where to Stay
Nobu Hotel Barcelona
© provided
The hotel and fusion restaurant are part of Japanese chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s global empire. Features include a rooftop bar, a swimming pool and a spacious spa in the basement. Soccer fans enjoy the hotel’s proximity to the legendary Camp Nou stadium.
Nobu Hotel Barcelona
Av. de Roma, 2, 4, Distrito de Sants-Montjuïc, 08014 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 936 42 88 88
Web: barcelona.nobuhotels.com
Price: Doubles from approx. €270 per night
El Palace Barcelona
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This historic, traditional hotel opened in 1919 with – as the name suggests – high luxury standards. Located right in the city center on the magnificent Avenue Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, it has all the amenities of a hotel in this category, including several restaurants (Rafa Zafra’s innovative Amar Barcelona is a highlight) and a lush rooftop garden.
El Palace Barcelona
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 668, L'Eixample, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 935 10 11 30
Web: hotelpalacebarcelona.com
Price: Doubles from approx. €361 per night
Cotton House
© The Autograph Collection
A boutique hotel with retro design elements, housed in a 19th-century building that once served as the headquarters of the local cotton guild. It comes with cotton plants and even makes custom-made cotton shirts on request.
Cotton House
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 670, L'Eixample, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 934 50 50 45
Web: hotelcottonhouse.com
Price: Doubles from approx. €367 per night
Soho House Barcelona
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An offshoot of the hotel group founded by the owners of the exclusive Soho House Private Club in London. It’s still one of the city’s finest accommodations, although the once firm policies of exclusivity have softened over time.
Soho House Barcelona
Pl. del Duc de Medinaceli, 4, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 932 20 46 00
Web: sohohouse.com
Price: Doubles from approx. €366 per night
The Hoxton Barcelona
© provided
This outpost of the popular lifestyle chain opened in 2022 in a former factory amid the design, artist and nightlife district of Poblenou, between the Sagrada Família on one side and the city beaches on the other. There’s a swimming pool, rooftop taco restaurant and American-inspired pizzeria, as well as a rental shop for all kinds of beach and water sports equipment.
The Hoxton Barcelona
Av. Diagonal, 205, Sant Martí, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 932 71 72 22
Web: thehoxton.com
Price: Doubles from approx. €225 per night
Where to Eat
Mikan
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The grandparents of chef Tan Jin, who opened the restaurant last year, are from North Korea, while she herself is from China but grew up in Japan – so it makes perfect sense that Jin skillfully combines East Asian techniques and flavors with Spanish ingredients and natural wines in her tapas.
Mikan
Carrer d'Aribau, 158, L'Eixample, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 931 38 84 71
Web: mikanbarcelona.com
Colmado Wilmot
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A brand-new and very welcoming tapas bar from the former chef of the legendary restaurant El Bulli, who, to the delight of the locals, doesn’t go for molecular cuisine here, but instead carefully refines excellent, down-to-earth fare. Spanish delicacies are also available for takeaway.
Colmado Wilmot
C/ de Calvet, 28, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, 08021 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 932 47 47 82
Web: colmadowilmot.com
Xeixa
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Last year, chef Sara Valls opened this restaurant in a beautiful 18th-century building in the old town, where she reinterprets traditional dishes in her very own way – with a special focus on the high quality of Catalan and Spanish ingredients.
Xeixa
C/ de la Carabassa, 7, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 938 32 55 70
Web: xeixa.es
Mercat de Sant Antoni
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The most famous but crowded market hall in Barcelona – and indeed the rest of Spain – is the famous La Boqueria. If you want to avoid the crowds, it’s better to reroute to the recently renovated Sant Antoni market hall, which is also built in the magnificent Art Nouveau style, just a few minutes’ walk away.
Mercat de Sant Antoni
Carrer del Comte d'Urgell, 1, L'Eixample, 08011 Barcelona, Spain
Tel.: +34 934 26 35 21
Web: mercatdesantantoni.com
Read more: Barcelona: The culinary wealth of Catalonia
This article appeared in the Falstaff TRAVEL issue Spring 2024.
