Barcelona is a city of striking contrasts, where Gothic architecture and Mediterranean charm come together with easy access to both the coastline and countryside.
Citizen Femme travelled to the Catalan capital to experience its creative pulse, exploring the city and its surrounding scenic routes in Volvo’s latest all-electric model. A car that makes the case for switching to an EV feel very convincing indeed.
In partnership with Volvo.Â
STAY
ME Barcelona Hotel
ME Barcelona occupies one of the most coveted spots in the city, with an enviable location that is literally steps from everything worth seeing. El Born, the Gothic Quarter, and GaudÃ’s iconic landmarks along Passeig de Grà cia are all within a 10-minute stroll, while La Sagrada FamÃlia’s basilica is a half-hour walk away. The hotel itself sits on the tree-lined Carrer de Casp which, for us, proved to be the perfect starting point to discover Barcelona’s city centre – and from there wind upwards into the Catalan mountains for a scenic drive in Volvo’s latest model: the highly anticipated all-electric EX60.
Sustainability is also central to the hotel’s identity – a shared principle with Volvo , making it an obvious choice for our stay beyond the super-central location. ME Barcelona prioritises energy efficiency and renewable resources, earning distinction as the only five-star hotel in Barcelona with LEED International certification. Its commitment includes heat recovery systems that warm both the sanitary water supply and the rooftop pool in winter, as well as solar panels that help reduce its environmental impact and carbon footprint.
One of ME Barcelona’s standout features is its vast outdoor terrace space – more than 100,000 square feet of lush greenery – which, during our stay, also played host to a gleaming new Volvo EX60 and a series of Volvo activations, including one of the original three-point seatbelts first introduced in 1959. Fun fact: Volvo made the patent open to the wider industry, allowing other carmakers to use their design free of charge in the interest of public safety. A decision still regarded as one of the most significant safety gestures in automotive history – and one that continues to shape Volvo’s reputation as one of the world’s safest car brands.
There’s no shortage of places to dine in Barcelona, from buzzy neighbourhood hotspots to Michelin-starred fine dining. For something really special, wind your way up into the mountains to Oller del Mas vineyard, where sweeping views towards Montserrat, organic wines and a memorable lunch at Bages964 make it well worth the drive. Set within a striking historic estate surrounded by dramatic countryside, it is the kind of under-the-radar spot those in the know seek out.
(For more of the best restaurants in Barcelona read on here)
TO DO
Take a road trip to Montserrat
Barcelona in early summer feels made for a drive like this. Whether it’s crawling through city streets framed by Modernist facades, or slipping past the tighter turns of the old city before heading out towards Montserrat – where the motorway offers the ideal setting to put its all-electric performance to the test – it is exactly the kind of destination that reveals what a car is really like to live with. Not just in terms of performance, but in the way it fits around a day.
Positioned as a mid-size SUV for modern family life, it has clearly been designed to do more than simply move well from A to B. In a category crowded with established electric rivals, its appeal lies in the balance it strikes between intelligent engineering, everyday ease and a design language that feels elevated and distinctly Scandinavian. Proportions are sleek and aerodynamic, with a refined front end in place of a traditional grille, sleek doors that are uninterrupted by the usual handle placement, and Volvo’s signature ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights, resulting in an altogether slicker and more contemporary feel.
Inside, the design-led approach becomes even more apparent. Uncluttered, light-filled, and a sense of space that immediately feels useful for family travel. The panoramic roof adds brightness, while the overall layout avoids the visual noise that can make other high-tech interiors feel overworked. Instead, the EX60 manages to feel both advanced and soothing – exactly what you want on a longer journey, whether that means navigating city traffic, entertaining children between stops, or settling in for a scenic drive out of town.
Built-in conversational Google Gemini allows for easy interactional assistance, whether asking for a beautiful detour, finding a charging point, adjusting the journey as plans shift throughout the day, or simply asking for a banger of a playlist. Fast-charging capability – in some models as little as 16 minutes to take the car from 10% charge to 80% – and a strong electric range (between 380-503 miles depending on the battery configuration) also make a practical and convenient difference, an argument convincing enough to bend the arm of any petrol-head into EV submission.
The EX60 feels reassuringly composed in urban settings, helped by Volvo’s HuginCore system with its comprehensive suite of cameras, radars, and sensors that provide a full picture of what is happening around the car to enhance autonomous driving and active safety features. For family travel, that added confidence matters just as much as performance figures. Out on faster roads, the car still has the poise and power expected of a premium electric SUV, delivering the kind of immediate acceleration that makes longer drives feel effortless.
As the all-electric successor to the XC60 – still Volvo’s best-selling car of all time – the EX60 has a lot to live up to, but it feels every bit like a worthy successor, ready to carry that success confidently into an all-electric future.
IMAGERY CREDIT: VOLVO CARS
We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
Any Questions or Tips to add?