El Palace Barcelona announces its new highly anticipated 2026 summer experiences which invite guests to make the most of Barcelona’s vibrant culture and setting as the city marks a pinnacle year defined by its architectural legacy. In celebration, El Palace Barcelona will be launching an annual series of celebrations offering guests new ways to experience the city through architecture, gastronomy and the Mediterranean Sea - from private sailings along the Catalan coast, to evenings spent high above the city at a new “Gaudí Secret Garden by St-Germain” cocktail and dining pop-up overlooking the Sagrada Família to celebrate its milestone completion.
El Palace Barcelona’s Rooftop Garden has established itself as one of the most sought-after rooftop addresses with its rotating activations on one of the city’s largest panoramic rooftop terraces. From blossoming jasmine and orange blossoms, to flowing fountains, El Palace Barcelona’s Rooftop Garden is a true oasis in the city. The 2026 summer series welcomes back iconic favourites back by popular demand, such as the city’s first rooftop cinema and a new Secret Garden in partnership with St-Germain which taps into Barcelona’s distinct Mediterranean spirit.
Take to the Sea with El Palace By the Sea:
Guests are invited to take to the shimmering Mediterranean Sea aboard El Palace Barcelona’s luxurious Sea Ray SDX 270 private boat for a journey along the Catalan coastline and enjoy the beauty of Barcelona from a different angle. Guests can spend a full day at sea or take in the city’s stunning sunsets with a three-hour sunset cruise while enjoying a bottle of cava Alta Alella Mirgin Reserva Brut or a bottle of Ruinart, before returning back to shore and back to El Palace Barcelona via private transfer.
New Rooftop Hidden Gem - Gaudí’s Secret Garden by St-Germain:
Back at El Palace Barcelona, the hotel’s 1,500 sqm Rooftop Garden remains one of the city’s most remarkable vantage points with its breathtaking views over Barcelona and elevated setting framed by vast greenery, jasmine, orange blossoms, and uninterrupted views over the city’s historic skyline. Launching 1 May, El Palace Barcelona will transform its Secret Garden into the “Gaudi Secret Garden by St-Germain”, a discreet, cocktail terrace to mark the centennial and completion of the Sagrada Familia, in partnership with St. Germain elderflower liqueur.
Guests can marvel over the impressive views of the newly completed Sagrada Familia and enjoy a bespoke cocktail menu that has been designed to reflect both place and memory. The St-Germain Spritz brings floral brightness, while the 1919 Spritz - created in honour of the hotel’s opening year - combines Bombay Sapphire Gin with chilled Cava. The Mosaic Sour references Barcelona’s iconic Gaudí architecture, with St-Germain, Santa Teresa 1976 rum and lemon. A selection of light seasonal snacks is available for guests to enjoy as the daylight softens and the twinkling lights of the Secret Garden flicker away emerge under the blossoming greenery.
Open from 6pm to 11pm during May and June, with extended summer hours in July and August, the terrace is imagined as a fragrant retreat floating above the city’s rooftops, where jasmine, citrus and fresh botanicals set the atmosphere for relaxed Mediterranean evenings.
Sunday Mediterranean Brunch - La Domenica Summer Brunch
On select Sundays throughout the summer season, La Domenica Summer Brunch introduces a leisurely daytime experience to enjoy the warm Mediterranean sunshine surrounded by aromatic blossoms away from the crowds. Guests can enjoy a welcome glass of Moët & Chandon, a St-Germain Spritz, a Bloody Mary, or fresh juices for younger guests, followed by a gourmet Mediterranean brunch. Brunch includes local classics such as gildas, oysters, local cheeses and seasonal starters, accompanied by live cooking stations serving regional arroz dishes, eggs Benedict, and freshly prepared pizzas. A dedicated children’s selection includes cannelloni and mini burgers before the morning concludes with a lavish dessert buffet of fresh pastries baked in-house. Dates: 3 May and 14 June.
Back by Popular Demand: Rooftop Garden Open-Air Cinema
From 28 May, the main Rooftop Garden transforms itself back to one of Barcelona’s most exclusive open-air cinemas. Back by popular demand, El Palace Barcelona is the proud home of Barcelona’s first rooftop cinema and continues to be the place to go for the ultimate rooftop cinema experience where guests can watch their favourite movies with a cocktail in hand as the sun bids its farewell for the day and the city comes alive at night. Limited to just 24 guests each evening, screenings take place beneath the summer sky with guests reclining in hammocks or deckchairs. Popcorn and St-Germain Spritz cocktails accompany a changing monthly selection of films, creating a refined atmosphere for whiling away a relaxed summer evening.
Summer Rooftop Menu: A Journey Through the Mediterranean
This summer will also see the introduction of a new seasonal rooftop menu, A Journey Through the Mediterranean, reflecting Barcelona’s historic role as one of the region’s natural gourmet destinations merging culture, cuisine, and coastline. The menu moves across the region’s culinary icons, beginning with patatas bravas with roasted garlic, signature croquettes and acorn-fed Iberian ham, before continuing with grilled squid with pesto rosso, caponata burrata with pine nuts and entrecôte with potatoes. Desserts include classic tiramisu and chocolate mousse with salted caramel, a refined conclusion to a menu shaped by Mediterranean influences, simplicity and exceptional ingredients.
When the City Comes Alive – Rooftop Live Music Evenings:
As dusk settles across the skyline, live music accompanies the changing mood of the rooftop throughout the week, when long days extend into lingering and relaxed evenings. Weekends are welcomed on Fridays with the relaxed tones of Vicky Brunch between 8pm and 10pm. Saturdays introduce a more vibrant atmosphere during the same hours, while Sundays close the weekend with acoustic sets and soft bossa nova rhythms from 7pm to 9pm.
More than a century after opening as the former Ritz of Barcelona, El Palace Barcelona continues to offer new perspectives on the city - this summer, extending its story from the Mediterranean shoreline to its rooftop garden.
