Central to the hustle and bustle of downtown, El Palace Barcelona is located steps away from the exclusive Paseo de Gracia, the mythic Las Ramblas and the historical Gothic District, yet inside the hotel is a quiet haven of blissful elegance.
Boasting one of the largest rooftop terrace in the city with a 360º view, indulging in a princely drink as the sun dips behind far-off cupolas, is a must.
Feel the pulls of the history from 1919 when you are back in you spacious and neo-classical room, the huge marble bathroom in muted tones surprises as well as the original fire place, all combined with the state-of-the arts facilities.
Your day has not finished without having experienced the atmosphere in the unique Bluesman Cocktail Bar: you can travel from the rhythm and blues to the Cuban notes on Fridays, shaked by the Cocktail Master’s magic hands and soul.
Whenever you leave the hotel, giving back the enormous tasseled room key is a delightful touch of nostalgia that for sure will make you come back to El Palace Barcelona again.
Exclusive Amenities
- Buffet Breakfast for each guest daily in the restaurant
- $100 USD Food and Beverage credit, per room, per stay
- 50 Euro Spa services credit, per room, per stay (minimum a 50-minute Pack or Rituals Treatments)
- VIP amenities and welcome note on behalf of the agency
- Complimentary WiFi
The following amenities are subject to availability at the time of check-in/departure:
- Upgrade
- Early Check-In
- Late Check-Out
Local Area Attractions
Saint George's Day (23rd April)
On the 23rd of April (Saint George) Catalunya celebrates the day of SANT JORDI, one of the most popular celebrations in the area. The streets are full of couples, friends, etc, and tradtion says that men give a rose to women as a present and women give a book to men as a present.
La Castanyada (1st November)
The Castanyada is a popular festivity celebrated in Catalonia on All Saint’s Day (1st of November). It consists of a meal of roasted chestnuts, panellets (traditional dessert of this day), sweet potato and preserved fruits served with Moscatell wine to drink. Around the time of this celebration it is common to see street vendors selling hot toasted chestnuts wrapped in newspaper cones. Different versions exist to define the origin of this celebration, all related to Christian tradition. This festivity is usually depicted with the figure of a Castanyera, an old lady dressed in peasant’s clothing and wearing a headscarf, sitting behind a table, roasting chestnuts for street sale.
La Sagrada Familia
The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família is a work on a grand scale which was begun on 19 March 1882 from a project by the diocesan architect Francisco de Paula del Villar (1828-1901). At the end of 1883 Gaudí was commissioned to carry on the works, a task which he did not abandon until his death in 1926. Since then different architects have continued the work after his original idea.
The building is in the centre of Barcelona, and over the years it has become one of the most universal signs of identity of the city and the country. It is visited by millions of people every year and many more study its architectural and religious content.
It has always been an expiatory church, which means that since the outset, 131 years ago now, it has been built from donations. Gaudí himself said: "The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família is made by the people and is mirrored in them. It is a work that is in the hands of God and the will of the people." The building is still going on and could be finished some time in the first third of the 21st century.
Information taken from www.sagradafamilia.cat
Paseo de Gracia
Paseo de Gracia is one of the major avenues in Barcelona and one of its most important shopping and business areas containing several of the city's most celebrated pieces of architecture. It is located in the central part of the Eixample, starting in Plaça de Catalunya and ending in carrer Gran de Gracia. It is regarded as the most expensive street in Barcelona and in Spain. We will be able to find La Pedrera, Casa Amatller and Casa Batlló as the main architecture attractions, luxury designer shops and restaurants.
Gothic Quarter
The Gothic Quarter is the center of the old city of Barcelona, stretching from La Rambla to Via Laietana and from the seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere.
Despite several changes undergone in the 19th and early 20th century, many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Remains of the squared Roman Wall can be seen around Tapineria and Sots-Tinent Navarro streets.
This neighbourhood retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most streets are closed to the traffic.
Famous buildings in the area: Cathedral, Plaça del Rei, Plaça Real, Museu de la Ciutat, Esglesia de la Merçe, Plaça de Sant Jaume...
La Ribera Neighbourhood
The lower section of the La Ribera district, just below Carrer de la Princesa is referred to as El Born, after the
19th century market on carrer del Comerç that dominates the area. This is one of the trendiest and most touristic districts in the old city. It is a popular place for art boutiques, fashion shops, bars and cafes.
Christmas Celebrations in Barcelona
Christmas Eve (24th December)
The most important thing on Christmas Eve in Catalunya is to “cagar el tió” since there is no specific tradition for a special dinner like in the rest of the country. The “Tió”, is a wooden trunk (“fed” from the 8th of December), which is covered with a blanket or cloth and struck while singing a typical song. At the end the Tió “shits” presents for adults but especially toys for children.
Christmas Day (25th December)
On Christmas day it is very typical to eat “Escudella i Carn d’Olla”, a soup made with “galets” (pasta with typical Christmas shape), vegetables, pulses and different type of meat (chicken, pork, veal, etc). Desert is made of turrones (nougats) and neules (wafers).
San Esteban (26th December)
St. Stephen's Day is a Christian saint’s day to commemorate Saint Stephen martyr. Traditionally families used to gather on Christmas day at the main farmhouse for the family meal and the next day was considered nonworking so that each family could walk back to its own house. It was very typical to eat cannelloni made of the leftover meat from the “Escudella I Carn d’Olla”.
New Year’s Eve (31st December)
Spanish New Year's Eve (Nochevieja or Fin de Año) celebrations usually begin with a family or friends dinner. Spanish tradition says that wearing new red underwear on New Year's Eve brings good luck. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, one on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonymous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine such as cava or champagne, or with cider.
