demo

84 TIMESeptember 3–10, 2018

Perhaps no city is so closely

linked to a single architect as

Barcelona is to Antoni Gaudí,

whose whimsical landmarks such as

Parc Güell and La Sagrada Familia

have drawn millions to the capital

of Catalonia. And yet, his irst home

project—the privately owned Casa

Vicens, built between 1883 and 1885—

was largely of-limits to visitors.

That all changed in November, when

its new owner, the Andorra-based

MoraBanc, reopened the residence as

a museum. Now visitors can tour the

UNESCO World Heritage Site, which

has been restored to evoke its original

splendor—including glazed ceramic

facades, lush gardens and a rooftop

beveled by colorful tiles.

—Alejandro de la Garza

Disney World’s newest arena includes

a botanical garden that emits a

dazzling neon glow after dark

BringingAvatar to life

PANDORA: THE WORLD OF AVATAR,

BAY LAKE, FLA.

A LANDMARK

UNVEILING

CASA VICENS,BARCELONA

Just as James Cameron’s sci-i

epicAvatar marked a new level

of technological innovation

for movies, so too is Pandora:

The World of Avatar reinventing the

modern theme park. Among its other-

worldly attractions: an animatronic

character that’s “as lifelike as possible”

and a botanical garden that glows with

neon after sunset. The park’s lagship is

Flight of Passage, a ride that combines

3-D projections and virtual reality to

create the illusion that guests are lying

atop a living, breathing mountain banshee

(a creature that igures prominently in

Cameron’s mythical universe). The park

says it’s the highest-rated attraction at

Walt Disney World, per guest surveys.

—Megan McCluskey

CELEBRATING

LOCAL CULTURE
ATIX HOTEL,
LA PAZ, BOLIVIA

FAR-OUT FOOD
KOKS,LEYNAVATN,
FAROE ISLANDS

When Poul Andrias
Ziska became head
chef at this modest
eatery in 2013, he
set out to elevate
the cuisine of his
native archipelago.
Since then, he’s been
serving up fresh
takes on Faroese
favorites—everything
from fermented
lamb tallow to
stuffed seabird—
to international
acclaim. Last year,
Koks became the
irst Faroe Islands
restaurant to receive
a Michelin star.
—Wilder Davies

More evidence that
the Bolivian capital
is emerging as a
hot destination: its
irst boutique hotel
opened in 2016. The
Atix aims to embody
local culture, from
its sleek design
(featuring Bolivian
wood and Comanche
stone) to its name
(meaning “One who
thrives” in Quechua).
Its 53 rooms are
decorated with
colorful artwork
curated by local
galleries, and chefs
at the in-house
restaurant, Ona,
serve modern takes
on native dishes.
—Julia Zorthian

THE WORLD’S GREATEST PLACES 2018

CASA VICENS: POL VILADOMS; PANDORA: STEVEN DIAZ—DISNEY; INTERNO:

KIKE CALVO—REDUX; ICEHOTEL 365: COURTESY ICEHOTEL 365