Odile Moreno Sanchez is a Barcelona-based art advisor and curator of experiences who is beyond par. We met her on our first day in Barcelona—us, a group of art lovers and enthusiasts who have traveled together for almost two decades. We were not disappointed. Immediately, we were struck by Odile’s presence—a fresh-faced, bright-eyed, fashionable woman who also carried the weight of substance. We could tell that Odile had the right experience, the right demeanor, her reach was warm, and her total effect was one of excellence. We knew we were going to encounter an excellent art experience during our week in Barcelona!

On our first day, Odile took us on the first of two walking tours of Barcelona. We thought that we would see the usual monuments and architectural facets of buildings, but we saw so much more! Odile’s agility in connecting the dots was clear. From haute couture, Modernist architecture, the three Catalonian greats, the contemporary art of the region, the foodie culture of Barcelona—nothing was left unexplored. We received as complete a picture of Barcelona as possible. On our first walk, for instance, we strolled past the Montaner-built Casa Amatllier, Gaudi’s Casa Battlo, the Mayoral Art Gallery, the Centre de la Image, the Museum of History, the Jewish Archives, the 1st century BC Roman forum known as the Miraculum, the Cathedral of Barcelona, and finally, The Kiss—an art installation of hundreds of photographs all depicting freedom.  

Odile did not merely share facts and information with us. Rather, she took us back in time to experience Barcelona’s past. She gave us history lessons on Barcelona’s Renaissance, focusing on how the city burst into the 20th century. She instructed us on how Catalan artists contemporanized art for all generations. Her commentary was insightful, and the clarity of her thinking served to ground us in Barcelona’s history. All in one afternoon, we travelled through almost 2500 years of human ingenuity, and yet, because of Odile, we did this comprehensively and effortlessly. 

Odile is one of the best curators that we have found in all our travels. She is a striking example of 21st-century Barcelona—knowing and holding so many vast experiences together in one composite whole. As well, wherever we went, she seemed to know all of Barcelona, as people from all walks of life came up to greet her. We felt like royalty, experiencing Barcelona through her eyes.