Scents of the Mediterranean

Of our five senses, the one that most impinges on our minds and emotions is that most elusive of all – smell; the whiff of an aroma or scent provoking an immediate response in every cell of our bodies. Our ‘Scents of the Mediterranean’ Experience has been specially designed to let you in on the secrets of – and to experience for yourselves – the elaboration of the sweetest smell of all: perfume, from the beginning of its journey within the petals of certain flowers to the fragrances with which we adorn ourselves. Although to many people perfume is nothing more than a prettily-packaged bottle with a liquid inside it, we maintain that hidden behind this façade lie centuries-old recipes and work that’s imbued with passion, which all combine to make the miracle that is – perfume. In this Experience, you’ll journey from Grasse in Provence – home of the many aromatic plants and natural essences used in creating a perfume – through the arc of the Mediterranean to Barcelona, familiarizing yourselves along the way with the composition, distillation and sale of a fragrance. Finally in Barcelona, you’ll visit the exquisite Museum of Perfume, the product of an irresistible fascination with perfume bottles and for the timeless elegance which they evoke.

Art Nouveau Experiences

A style that after a century comes back to present time’s notoriety with an unwonted strength, has in our country a privileged representation at all levels; we shouldn’t forget either that the European Art Nouveau Network has produced strong links between different cities which encourage new travel fluxes for people with affinity for the idealistic beauty and hedonism, that produced this style. Our Art Nouveau Experience takes in the extraordinary palaces designed by Domènech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch, as well as the exquisite Art Nouveau pharmacies and grocery shops in the Modernist residential neighbourhood of the Eixample. We haven’t forgotten either the great genius Gaudí, (not really member of this movement) whose works will show us his most unknown production.

Architectural Trends in Sight

Perhaps Spain is one of the European countries that have surprised the most in the last decade due to its conclusive conceptual nature and rich combination of diverse styles. Anyone agrees to say, that it has become an international centre for design innovation, where you get gradually used to contemplate a heterogeneous landscape, which finally defines what you see. The last exhibition at the MOMA in New York is a very thorough expression of this statement, and probably as for so many years the political & spiritual freedom obliged many artists to the exile, the renewed strengths have inspired more creativity than ever. An indispensable architectural stroll in our time...