Page 55 - Travel + Leisure India & South Asia (January 2020)
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the trip. While most people head to
The vitality the Passeig de Gràcia, the fashion
pool in the
Spa at cognoscenti know that the trick is
Mandarin to go to the side streets to discover
Oriental, the boutiques that showcase local
Barcelona.
designers. Another great hunting
ground is El Born.
LUST
In the old town, intimate tapas
bars ooze sensuality with dramatic
flamenco shows. While you are
in the old city, which is a fairytale
labyrinth of streets and passages, you
Bastien Gonzalez and the Hair Studio voyeuristic as you get a glimpse must look for the romantic mural
by Miriam Quevedo, there is nothing of the relationship through every titled El Mundo Nace en Cada Beso
quite like being pampered and having mouthful right down to the nude (‘The World Begins with Every Kiss’),
all your stress melt away. palate cleanser served as a lollipop. made by the photographer Joan
Fontcuberta. From a distance, it looks
ENVY GREED like two lips kissing, but on closer
Barcelona is the home of an The devil doesn’t wear just Prada. inspection, a collage of hundreds of
alternative religion that causes more And in a city like Barcelona, there photos submitted by locals reveals
frenzy than a Madonna performance are so many options your wardrobe itself. There’s something romantic
at the Vatican would—FC Barcelona, will burst at its seams by the end of and clandestine about visiting a place
and its holy ground, Camp Nou
(fcbarcelona.com). The best way to
visit this club is with a private guide,
who helps you avoid the hoi polloi,
and if you are lucky, will ensure that
The mural El
you are the envy of all by letting you Mundo Nace en
walk on the hallowed turf. Cada Beso is
made up of
GLUTTONY photographs
hundreds of
This is the easiest of all the sins to submitted by
indulge in. With over 24 Michelin- the locals.
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF MANDARIN ORIENTAL; CAMPILLO RAFAEL/ALAMY; HEMIS/ALAMY
starred restaurants and many tapas Disfrutar was
bars, you are spoilt for choice. When ranked ninth in
it comes to drama, nothing can The World’s 50
match Disfrutar (disfrutarbarcelona. Best Restaurants
2019 list.
com). Founded in December 2014,
Disfrutar (means ‘enjoy’) was the
brainchild of three chefs, Mateu
Casañas, Oriol Castro, and Eduardo after hours. Up until recently, La
Xatruch, who met and trained at the Pedrera (lapedrera.com), or Casa Milà,
famous elBulli (elbulli.info). Here, was accessible after hours to a select
you walk through the kitchen as you few, but today, you can visit it under
are led to your table to partake in a the cover of darkness. A sublime
non-stop exhibition of sorcery. soundtrack and unique stairwell
UMA by Iker Erauzkin projections are just foreplay to the
(espaciouma.com), on the other video-mapping show that awaits you
hand, is a lesson in intimacy. Dish among the sculptural chimneys on the
after dish inspired by the chef’s love roof terrace. The show under the night
for food and his wife makes you feel sky coupled with a glass of champagne
like you’re trespassing into the chef’s ensures that your Barcelona trip ends
inner sanctum. The dishes feel almost on a sensual note.
TR AV E L A NDLE I S U R E IND I A .IN 51
