From the Sagrada Familia station its a pleasant walk to the Hospital de Sant Pau via the Av. de Gaudí. Self-guided tours within Sant Pau are now €17 and can be reserved online. We started just as the site opened and we pretty much had the complex to ourselves for the first 30-60 minutes. The ensemble of buildings are really impressive and access seems much improved compared to the past. In the morning light with a blue sky, each building, rooftop, mosaic and interior was highly picturesque. Lluís Domènech i Montaner designed other buildings in Barcelona, including the Castell dels Tres Dragons and the Casa Lleó Morera. Montaner will largely be an unknown name to the millions of international visitors to Barcelona as the allure and fame of Gaudí has overshadowed him, no street names for Lluís Domènech i Montaner! Setting aside the 'Works of Antoni Gaudí' for a day, we focused our admiration on these iconic works of Catalan Modernism or sometimes referred to as Catalan Art Nouveau. We honored his masterworks by a visit to Sant Pau in the morning and a reserved concert performance in the evening at the Palau de la Musica Catalana.

As part of the Festival of Jazz, I discovered a few months before our trip that María José Llergo would be performing during our stay in Barcelona. What incredible fortune! Indeed, an artist I only recently discovered while watching NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts! The price was €52 per person, which compared to Los Angeles is a great deal. While waiting to be allowed in the concert hall, you can enjoy a glass of wine at the Bar del foyer. We arrived early and were rewarded, as the first guests were allowed in with about 30-40 minutes before the performance to simply stroll within the glorious interior of the Palau de la Musica Catalana and take as many photos as we wished. When the performance began with a packed audience, the evening was simply wonderful. The stained-glass skylight changed color during the performance to dark blue, violet, green, and red. María José Llergo shared how performing at the Palace of Catalan Music had always been a dream of hers and you can understand why any performer would revel in the opportunity. An unforgettable experience for sure and one that I am certainly grateful to have shared with my spouse.