Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau

28 Best Things to Do in Barcelona

"This is a hospital, you say? Well, it was—but one with a twist. Built by legendary Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner (he of Palau de la Música Catalana fame) with all the features of Catalan Art Nouveau—extravagant domes, stained glass windows, epic pillars—it was designed to be a building that people enjoyed recuperating in. His vision was a garden city for nursing the sick instead of the clinical-looking spaces we still know today—buildings are oriented for maximum sun exposure, for example. When the hospital was moved further north in 2009, this site went through its own rehabilitation: into a museum and arts venue. It now hosts the runways for Barcelona Fashion Week. The pavilions earned UNESCO World Heritage status, so the buildings alone are inspiring, particularly given their previous incarnation. The gardens, with lime trees and sleepy lavender bushes, make it good for the eyes and soul. This is the landmark to visit if you want a less obvious, less traveled itinerary. While locals expect you to do the Gaudí gems, they’ll be genuinely impressed if you come here—because they do." - Gemma Askham

Art and Culture in Barcelona

"Barcelona is so architecturally exciting that even a hospital is a bonafide piece of art. The modernist Hospital de Sant Pau is both a functioning hospital and a popular place for tourists to snap photos. If you research online, you can find the best to tour the building on your own.Erotic Museum of Barcelona – Walking midway down Las Ramblas, look to your left and you’ll see a guy dressed as Marilyn Monroe waving at people. This is the quirky sex museum. The objects inside are more humorous than educational, but a visit comes with a glass of Champagne — so it can be an amusing way to spend an hour." - MATADOR_NETWORK

"This massive former hospital complex dominates nine blocks of the Eixample district, and it's one of the finest examples of early-20th-century modernista (Catalan art nouveau) architecture. Lluís Domènech i Montaner designed the grand main hall and multiple pavilions in a hybrid Gothic-Moorish style: The redbrick buildings feature turrets, spires, and arches, and their facades are decorated with ornate sculptural elements, ceramics, and mosaics. Administration Pavilion is the standout, with its soaring marble columns, vaulted ceilings lined in colorful tiles, and stained-glass windows and skylights throughout. Guided tours are offered in English but you can also easily navigate the grounds on your own."

"This 27-pavilion complex suffers from sitting behind La Sagrada Família, which inevitably steals some of its thunder. But this work of modernisme is not to be missed. The former hospital was designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who died seven years before it was finished in 1930. He believed in the healing power of beauty so he decked the grounds with stained glass, ornate façades, allegorical statues and all the other proper touches of modernisme. Indeed, if Gaudí’s works celebrate the style, this is its carnival. It was awarded Unesco World Heritage status in 1997."