Dan Blystone 
La Mercè is Barcelona’s largest annual festival, celebrated around September 24th in honor of the city’s patron saint, Our Lady of Mercy (La Mare de Déu de la Mercè). First officially recognized in 1871, this week-long celebration transforms the city into a grand stage for Catalan culture, with street parades, concerts, traditional dances, castellers, and fireworks.
After twelve years of renovation and an investment of €84 million, the Mercat del Born has reopened to house the Born Cultural Center.
The iconic 5 star W Barcelona, also known as Hotel Vela (sail), was designed by the Barcelona-born Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill.
The Palau de la Música Catalana was designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner.
Hospital de Sant Pau is a breathtaking Modernist complex, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner. No longer a functioning hospital, it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and cultural center.
