Tell-tale signs of the city’s rebirth are everywhere: uplifted streetscapes, world-leading summits and restaurant plates. More importantly, the spirit of change can be seen on the faces of barcelonesés. Unfolding like a series of friendly and instructive exchanges with talented locals and well-informed émigrés, this guide provides genuine insights into the Barcelona of today – and tomorrow. Come and join the conversation.

Start a conversation with Barcelona’s proud residents to discover a city that’s ready to rally around a new chapter. From cutting-edge industries and urbanism to product design and fashion, Barcelona’s evolution reflects what a bold reimagining can look like at scale. The signs of rebirth are everywhere: uplifted streetscapes, world-leading summits and fresh infrastructure. Residents are eager to champion their city’s enviable balance between the mountains and the Med, culture and commerce. Our guide provides insight into the Barcelona of today – and tomorrow.

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1.
Teresa Estapé
Jewellery designer
Roca Barcelona Gallery, Les Corts

A graduate from Barcelona’s prestigious Escola Massana, jewellery designer Teresa Estapé views her creations as wearable art. “In Catalonia, we have a saying, seny rauxa, which translates as ‘responsibility and joy’,” she says. “It’s a way of life: you take work seriously but find time for fun too.” Estapé lauds the city’s regeneration efforts, including Fàbriques de Creació, which turns industrial buildings into creative spaces. “I’ve lived through several of Barcelona’s transformational chapters,” she says. “After a period of recalibration, the city has turned the page.”

Favourite art gallery: Chiquita Room

2.
Andreu Carulla
Product designer
Casa Bonay, L’Eixample

An eco-conscious designer of products and spaces, Andreu Carulla’s work, such as the rooftop at Casa Bonay (pictured), repurposes industrial materials with a contemporary edge. He argues that Barcelona has always been a capital for sustainable, future-thinking design. “The city exudes inspiration at every turn,” he says, citing Fundació Joan Miró and the Barcelona Pavilion. “Barcelona is in the midst of a transition, making this an exciting time,” adds Carulla. “This search for itself – for the future – has sparked creators to be more engaged and expansive.”

Favourite place for inspiration: DHub

3.
Albert Adrià
Head chef, Enigma
Enigma, L’Eixample

“There is a saying, ‘You are how you cook – and you cook how you are’,” says Albert Adrià from his Michelin-starred restaurant Enigma. “Barcelona has naturally influenced me. The Med, the produce, the fusion of Spanish and Catalan gastronomy – all of it fed into my cuisine.” The culinary visionary, best known as head pastry chef of El Bullí, talks up the importance of playfulness in food experiences. He recently opened the Gelato Collection ice-creamery on La Rambla. “I live above La Mercat de la Boqueria,” he says. “I see a city shining, with people excited to do things.”

Favourite cocktail bar: La Whiskeria

4.
María Buhigas
Chief architect, Barcelona City Council
Eixample

María Buhigas has taken the helm of Barcelona’s urbanism at an exciting juncture. Just as the Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes nears completion, other parts of the city are gearing up for their own rebirth. Buhigas points to Montjuïc hills, Marina del Prat Vermell and the Sagrera neighbourhood redevelopment as examples of Barcelona’s ongoing commitment to pushing mobility, housing and quality of life into new territory. “Our proud heritage of urban planning makes us proactive in preparing for the future,” she says.

Favourite piece of architecture: Mercat de Santa Caterina

5.
Renato De Oliveira
General manager, Hotel Arts Barcelona
Hotel Arts Barcelona, Ciutat Vella

Work-life choices have come full circle for Brazilian Renato De Oliveira. Starting as a 23-year-old trainee at Ritz Carlton’s Hotel Arts Barcelona, he embarked on a five-country, 14-year rotation through hotels across Asia, Latin America and the Maldives. This year, he returned to Hotel Arts Barcelona as the new general manager. “Feeling connected to where you live, even when you’re not from that place, is very important for me,” says de Oliveira. “I have lived in five different countries; in each one I tried to replicate the open, welcoming, vibrant vibe of Barcelona.”

Favourite waterfront: Pont del Petroli

6.
Victor Julio
Founder, Silenciosa
Pulitzer Hotel, L’Eixample

“A Mediterranean port awash with light and colour, Barcelona’s proximity to the rest of Europe means it has long been a point of exchange that generates synergies,” says Victor Julio. His clothing brand, Silenciosa, is designed for active commuting and influenced by places as far-flung as Iceland and Mongolia. “In 2026, Barcelona will be the World Capital of Architecture,” he says. “Design is part of our past – graphic, industrial, the built environment – but we think in the present about the future. It’s important to live somewhere surrounded by creativity.”

Favourite tapas restaurant: Bar Remedios

7.
Marko Daniel
Director, Fundació Joan Miró
Fundació Joan Miró, Montjuïc

Barcelona based since 2018, Marko Daniel is busy with Fundació Joan Miró’s 50th anniversary, reaffirming the museum’s status as a hub for living art and culture. “Understanding what’s best for the future stems from a strong tradition of collectivism,” says Daniel. One example is the conversion of Carrer del Consell de Cent into a green corridor, which he says has been embraced. “It’s the city’s capacity to make connections across genres, between generations, always with an openness to experimentation, which nourishes me,” he says.

Favourite green space: Jardins de Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer

8.
Elena Foguet
Business director, La Roca Village
Vallès Oriental

For 27 years, La Roca Village has redefined Barcelona’s retail scene. The destination boutique mall, part of The Bicester Collection, brings together renowned local and international luxury brands in a village-like setting. “Mediterranean creativity comes alive through our fashion, design and craftsmanship, but also human connection,” says Elena Foguet. “After building robust digital audiences, a new generation of designers still see the necessity for physical spaces, to be closer to their people. This is fuelling a new wave of retail transformation, both at La Roca Village and across the wider city.”

Favourite café: Pastissería Mauri

9.
Laura Soucek
Research professor
W Hotel, Barcelona

“I took a chance on Barcelona,” says Laura Soucek. “And now Barcelona is taking a chance on me.” The biotech investigator’s ground-breaking cancer treatment research is now in phase two of clinical trials, attracting international attention. “World-leading cancer research and treatment facilities have made Barcelona a global epicentre of biotech,” says Soucek, who is also CEO of peptide-based cancer treatment firm Peptomyc. “The city’s combination of research talent, substantial investment funds and entrepreneurial culture puts it at the forefront of medical research.”

Favourite bookshop: Casa del Libro

10.
Luis Seguí
Co-founder and CEO, Miura Partners
Fiskebar, Ciutat Vella

Luis Seguí gravitated back to his city of birth in 2008 after stints elsewhere in Europe and the US. He set up Miura Partners, an investment firm that now spans 70 businesses and more than €4bn in capital. “Moving back made sense,” he says. “Business-wise I can draw from Barcelona’s industrious history, incredible work ethic, and impressive talent pool.” Seguí highlights the city as an axis of innovation. “Periods of crisis force dynamics to change and this spurs reinvention. In the past two years, we’ve been experiencing a strong cycle of dynamism. Barcelona is back.”

Favourite view: Carretera de les Aigües

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The bright side

Barcelona’s many galleries, hotels and restaurants channel the city’s sunny disposition, pairing warm service with clean-lined design. It’s a shift that feels more personal than performative, and it suits the city well. Whether you’re here for business or beach days, there’s a sense that things are in good hands. That breezy assurance, matched with a growing focus on quality, is what keeps people coming back – and keeps the locals smiling.

Fiskebar, Casa Bonay, Hotel Pulitzer and Hotel Arts exemplify the city’s easy elegance