The Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau served as a hospital for nearly a century and is now open as a cultural space. Designed by Domènech i Montaner, it is arranged like a garden city, with pavilions set among gardens and connected by underground tunnels. Carefully restored, it preserves ceramic domes, brightly coloured stained glass and symbolic mosaics. You can visit the Sala Hipòstila, the former pharmacy, the chapel and the cloisters, alongside temporary exhibitions and museum spaces. It is a unique place to rediscover Modernisme through all five senses, away from the usual circuits.

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It is worth taking time to walk through the underground tunnels that once linked the pavilions: cool, quiet spaces that offer a different view of the site.
Look out for the symbolic details: snakes, medicinal plants and dragons appear in tiles and stained glass, reflecting ideas around science and healing.
The Modernista chapel and cloisters are quieter areas, well suited to pausing and experiencing another side of Barcelona.
It has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997, in recognition of its architectural and historical value.