Experience Barcelona From Home With This Virtual Art and Architecture Tour

As with most European countries, Spain — once among the hardest hit by coronavirus — remains closed to tourists from the U.S., as well as several other countries. With the streets of Barcelona less crowded than usual, two virtual tour companies have teamed up to give viewers a glimpse at the finished and famously unfinished architectural works of Antoni Gaudí that can be found in the city.

a group of people in front of a building: Getty Images

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a castle on top of a building: Getty Images

© Provided by Travel + Leisure
Getty Images

On Jan. 6, 2021, A Virtual Tour Live and World TV Streming Tours will host a free public event on Facebook, allowing people to discover the beauty of this Mediterranean capital city, including its famous buildings and parks. Throughout the virtual presentation, which will focus on the art and architecture of Barcelona, viewers will see and learn about the most emblematic works of Antoni Gaudí: Park Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló and the impressive yet unfinished Sagrada Familia church.

a group of people in front of a building: This tour focuses on the work of Antoni Gaudí, which can be found throughout the city.

© Getty Images
This tour focuses on the work of Antoni Gaudí, which can be found throughout the city.

Gallery: America’s Best Mountain Resorts (Travel + Leisure)

Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, MT

This adults-only mountain retreat on thousands of acres sets a romantic mood by outfitting its 30 log cabins with wood-burning fireplaces and hot tubs. You can take a free birding and nature tour in the Bitterroot Valley to look for peregrine falcons, hawks, and eagles as well as elk, moose, and possibly even a bear or wolf.

Four Seasons Resort, Jackson Hole, WY

A ski-in, ski-out lodge at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain that offers year-round active adventures (from rafting to geocaching). Premium Rooms, on the fifth to eighth floors, have the added draw of mountain views from a furnished terrace and a living area with gas fireplace.

Sonnenalp Resort of Vail, CO

Most of the rooms and suites at this Bavarian-style lodge have fireplaces, handmade furniture, and heated floors in the marble bathrooms, and all have views of the mountain or Gore Creek. Fuel up for a day out skiing or hiking at the hotel’s impressive breakfast buffet, and don’t miss the Bavarian Benedict, served by special request from the lederhosen-wearing staff.

Little Nell, Aspen, CO

Aspen’s only ski-in, ski-out property has adventure specialists who can arrange activities like trout fishing at limited-access spots and 92 revamped rooms by designer Holly Hunt. Premium mountain-view rooms average 660 square feet and face Aspen Mountain; those on the fourth floor have vaulted ceilings. As cozy-chic as the rooms are, you may prefer being seen at the glamorous bar, sipping a signature Montagna Martini.

Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN

Blackberry is like a south of the Mason-Dixon Line edition of a Currier & Ives print: ribbons of white fences, a pond stocked with catfish, and houses constructed from Tennessee fieldstone. Set on 4,200 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry’s 51 rooms are done in a plush Anglo-American idiom. Hill Cottages have vaulted ceilings, indoor-outdoor fireplaces, and screened-in patios, and rockers are positioned on the front lawn for sundown over the Smokies.

Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid, NY

A rustic, all-suite lodge outfitted with white-pine beams and cast-iron fireplaces, abutting the six-million-acre Adirondack Park. Rooms have full kitchens and private patios; some overlook Whiteface Mountain itself, others face McKenzie Range and the year-round outdoor pool. In winter, you can take advantage of complimentary snowshoes for exploring the property’s trails.

Stein Eriksen Lodge, Park City, UT

This comfy-luxe Norwegian-style chalet halfway up a peak at Deer Valley ski resort evokes holidays from a century ago. If you arrive in winter, valets will unload your skis from your car and free guides will show you around the mountain. The lodge is equally charming in the summer, when concerts are held at the outdoor amphitheater.

Inn on Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

West-facing rooms offer the best mountain views from this mansion on 8,000 acres that showcase the Biltmore House, George Vanderbilt’s 1895 château surrounded by Frederick Law Olmsted–designed gardens. Rent bikes to take advantage of the Biltmore’s 22 miles of trails—or head further afield to explore the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, Adirondacks, NY

Families return year after year to this131-room lakefront complex in the Adirondack Mountains, drawn by the casual vibe and roster of activities. Book the Cloud Splitter Rooms for great rates and top-notch views.

Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch,Beaver Creek, CO

With a giant lodgepole-and-timber cabin in traditional National Park–lodge style, the Ritz-Carlton is Beaver Creek’s answer to convenience and luxury. It dominates the base of Bachelor Gulch Mountain, creating a postcard-pretty image as skiers schuss down the Cabin Fever trail to it. The 180 guest rooms have a rustic look, while the marble bathrooms all have soaking tubs. Pick a resort-view room ending in -01 or -10 for a terrace or a window seat and great views of the Eagle River Valley.

Topnotch at Stowe Resort & Spa, Stowe, VT

As the first full resort to open in Stowe, Topnotch was able to claim a prime location at the bottom of Vermont’s tallest peak, enclosed by maples and pines. The après-ski gets as much attention as the actual schussing here—a hot-stone massage in the 30,000-square-foot megaspa is most welcome after a day on the slopes. In the summer or in leaf-peeping season, you can hike the hillside trails and shop for cheese and crafts in the white-steepled town.

St. Regis, Aspen, CO

A 179-room brick hotel between Aspen Mountain’s two main ski lifts whose two-story loft suites with fireplaces, living rooms, and lofted bedrooms cater to families and groups. A jazz band performs every Friday and Saturday at the Shadow Mountain Lounge, and the Remède Spa has treatments that will ease any adjustment to the 8,200-foot altitude.

Alyeska Resort, Girdwood, AK

This 301-room château-style hotel occupies an enviable location 40 miles south of Anchorage in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska’s south-central coast. It’s just below a ski mountain with steep terrain and deep snowpack and, in 2012, a revamped high-speed lift.

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort& Spa, Beaver Creek, CO

This 197-room, native-stone-and-timber Park Hyatt at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain (just 200 feet from ski school) caters to families while still pulling off a luxurious experience. Wander past the lobby’s elk-horn chandelier to rooms with oversize beds and baths featuring products from the hotel’s Allegria Spa. Families should opt for the 13 double rooms that connect to king rooms; all overlook the slopes.

Vail Cascade Resort & Spa, Vail, CO

Right outside downtown Vail, this resort’s deck looks onto an infinity pool, outdoor fire pits are surrounded by rocking chairs, and all spaces treat guests to views of the mountain and Gore Creek. Then there are the alfresco candlelit dinners, and pampering treatments such as high-altitude hydrating massages available at the Aria spa.

Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT

This Austrian-style chalet on 2,400 acres in the mountains above Stowe village is one of Vermont’s top ski centers. The second-floor premier rooms in the newer Millennium wing can be interconnected, making them ideal for families. And the three-mile, 800-foot vertical ski to the Slayton Pasture Cabin is worth it; those who make the trek are rewarded with homemade soup, house-baked bread, and hot chocolate served fireside.

Jenny Lake Lodge, Jackson/Grand Teton, WY

The Water Lily cabin has a bedroom, a parlor, a wood-burning stove, and a jetted tub. It’s just one of the log cabins clustered at the base of the Tetons. You can learn about the surrounding area thanks to National Park guides who host evening natural history talks and outings.

Beaver Creek Lodge, Beaver Creek, CO

A contemporary chalet, connected to the slopes via escalator, the lodge offers a chic home-away-from-home vibe: each room has a sofa, fireplace, and kitchenette. Book a creek-side suite for the view overlooking Beaver Creek. Spend some time perusing the western artwork at the Grand Bohemian Art Gallery, one of the area’s best.

The Ahwahnee, Yosemite, CA

This 1927 historic landmark in Yosemite Valley is surrounded by forest, waterfalls, and towering cliffs and near the trailheads to El Capitan and Half Dome. The property underwent a renovation in 2010 that gave interiors an English country-house vibe: hand-loomed fabrics, stenciled walls, and hundred-year-old rugs. iPod docking stations and flat-screen TVs provide 21st-century comforts—not that they hold a candle to that view of Half Dome out your window.

Salish Lodge & Spa, Snoqualmie, WA

This contemporary chalet overlooks Snoqualmie Falls in the Cascade Mountain foothills, with a stellar selection of wilderness offerings, from guided bike rides to kayaking. You can also enjoy happy hour at The Attic, which overlooks the falls, with a Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company microbrew.

20/20 SLIDES

This tour of Barcelona, which starts at 5 p.m. EST on the day of the event, is also not the only virtual travel experience currently available from these tour operators. Follow A Virtual Tour Live on Facebook, and you’ll find opportunities to transport yourself to the Amalfi Coast, Paris, Finland, and more.

With 2020 ruining vacation plans for millions of would-be travelers, virtual tours have increased dramatically in popularity. Amazon launched a new virtual travel platform that lets users book interactive experiences, like walking tours and cooking classes, while some of Europe’s best Christmas markets can be explored digitally this holiday season.

You can also check out these 12 museums, visit these five national parks, and enjoy these Airbnb Experiences — all from the comfort of your home. And since it looks like virtual travel is here to stay — even after the pandemic — you might as well get a head start on adjusting to this new way to experience the world.

Jessica Poitevien is a Travel + Leisure contributor currently based in South Florida, but always on the lookout for the next adventure. Besides traveling, she loves baking, talking to strangers, and taking long walks on the beach. Follow her adventures on Instagram.

Tags: Architecture, Art, Barcelona, Experience, Home, Tour, Virtual