Jardins de la Casa Ignacio Puig

You’re in the city centre, in the Old Town, maybe you've just been strolling along La Rambla and you’ve grown weary of the crowds for now. Don’t fret, because we’ve got a solution – a secret solution, in fact. Walk just a few paces past the Liceu and the Boqueria and you’ll find a Parcs i Jardins (Parks and Gardens) sign at the entryway to the Petit Palace Opera Garden hotel (take a moment to admire the neighbouring façade by Catalan architect Puig i Cadafalch). Walk through reception to discover the rich variety of flora, including magnolias, laurels and even some linden.

The garden provides you with plenty of benches where you can sit and listen to water bubbling from the fountains – practically the only noise around, as the garden is protected from the city bustle thanks to surrounding buildings. In the presence of such natural beauty, it's not hard to think about Mercè Rodoreda again, and recall her writing that what really matters in life are the things that don't seem important at all.