Casa Fuster

Barcelona

Barcelona is a unique city with a powerful personality. The capitalof Catalonia inherited the majesty of its surroundings: the Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean. Between sea and mountains, Barcelona possesses a spectacular seafront with vast beaches andtwo mountains with preserved nature, the Tibidabo and Montjüic from where visitors can enjoy the most beautiful views of the city.

Barcelona has two Mediterranean ports: the old port with its retro charm and the dynamic and competitive new port. The legendary Ramblas, bordered by trees andwith its numerous street artists, links several different quarters. A few streets away, after going through the colorful and animated old city, we come to the Gothic monuments of theBarri Gotic and the medieval houses of the El Born quarter.

The most well known aspect of architecture in Barcelona however, is of course, Art nouveau which is present in all its forms in the Eixample quarter and especially in the fantastic Sagrada Familia (holy family) Cathedral created by architect, Antoni Gaudi. The dreamlike colors and shapes sprung from the imagination of this architectural pioneer can also be enjoyed in the Güell Park with its areas of “imaginary lands.”

As the city where Miro was born and which is closely associated with Picasso, Barcelona is undoubtedly acity of art, a proud part of Spain and one of Europe’s most attractive cities for tourism and business.

Casa Fuster

Casa Fuster is truly a labor of love. The wealthy Mallorcan, Mariano Fuster wanted to build the most beautiful building in the city for his wife. The architect Domonech i Montaner, entrusted with its construction, opted for a marble façade somewhere between Art Nouveau and Neo-Gothic.

Classified as a UNESCO world heritage, the building dating back to1908, became a hotel in 2004, after four years of restoration. Although the original building with its numerous decorations is steeped in history and symbols, the hotel’s 105 rooms lean more toward an Art Deco spirit.

The warm colors of the velvet covered walls diffuse a filtered atmosphere. The rooms are designed as personal cocoons. The huge windows and precious wood create a prestigious site in which time has left its mark, although the entire hotel is equipped with the latest in high tech equipment.

For dinner the Galaxo restaurant proposes a copious and creative Mediterranean inspired cuisine. After dinner, the Café Vienes, a meeting place for artists and writers in the previous century, is the ideal venue for prolonging the evening. Still an intellectual site, book presentations, jazz concerts and other artistic events are organized, making the Vienes a must for visitors. From the rooftop terrace, the view of the Passeig de Gracia, the city’s most beautiful quarter, is superb.

The Casa Fuster’s history has made it a hotel-monument in Barcelona. Guests who stay here have chosen to take a charming journey through time.

Woody Allen chose the Café Vienes for one his scenes in the film, « Vicky Cristina Barcelona » with Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. During the filming, he was asked on several occasions to play the clarinet for the café’s customers.