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The Mediterranean hot list
July 2025

The Mediterranean • Insider guides • The Mediterranean hot list July 2025

What we’re loving in July 2025 (and you will too)

Stay informed and stay inspired! The Mediterranean hot list is your monthly dossier of what’s shaping the cultural and creative landscape across the Mediterranean. From smart new openings and design-forward projects to events worth pencilling into your diary, we spotlight the ideas and initiatives that matter. Whether you’re a local with a keen eye on your surroundings or a traveller seeking authentic inspiration, this is your curated guide to the things that are getting our attention (and deserve your’s, too).

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Top photography courtesy of Hotel Madame Drouot & Spa

Grand Palais: a Parisian icon restored for the future

There’s nothing quite like seeing the Grand Palais unveiled in its new light – a true reawakening after a four-year transformation. What’s different now? Chatillon Architectes have opened up 77,000 square metres for public exploration, restoring long-lost sightlines and blending 21st-century accessibility with Beaux-Arts grandeur. Wander through the Place Centrale – now connected from the Seine to Square Jean Perrin – and you’ll notice the revival of natural light, soaring glasswork and over 150 newly restored windows. Inside, modern art and science exhibitions take centre stage, Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx helms the new Réséda Café, and Joseph Dirand brings his design eye to the Grand Café overlooking the Champs-Élysées.

Grand Palais
3 avenue du Général Eisenhower
Paris
France

Photography courtesy of Grand Palais

Eredi Zucca: Milan’s neo-retro grooming temple

Behind linen curtains and the soft chime of a bell, the neoclassical interior of Eredi Zucca, Milan’s flagship barberia unfolds. Designed by The Guild of Saint Luke, you’ll be welcomed by ebony‑black wood panelling and Corinthian columns framing hand‑laid mosaic floors and green marble counters. The space layers architecture from grand 18th‑century libraries to Milanese tradition. Plush green velvet chairs in dedicated grooming rooms invite you to settle in, while coffered ceilings echo La Scala’s vaulted drama. Brass‑handled razors, horn brushes, leather strops and hundreds of self‑care products are displayed behind drawers and hidden cubbies – it’s grooming elevated to an art form.

Eredi Zucca
Via Bigli 6
Milano
Italy

Photography courtesy of Eredi Zucca

Hotel Madame Drouot & Spa: a timeless Parisian refuge

Hôtel Madame Drouot & Spa, opens its doors in Paris’s 9th arrondissement. The property it is the epitome of Parisian elegance and comfort, designed by Stéphanie Coutas. Its interiors reflect classic French artistry with modern touches of course. The 4-star hotel features refined rooms and suites, a wellness area with an indoor pool, hammam and sauna. Guests can dine at Café Monsieur, where seasonal cuisine reigns. Its enviable location places guests steps from cultural landmarks like Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette, while the historic auction houses of Drouot add a touch of local heritage.

Hotel Madame Drouot & Spa
19 Rue Drouot
Paris
France

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Photography courtesy of Hotel Madame Drouot & Spa

Matière Première: Paris’ sensory fragrance lab

In the world of French perfumery, Matière Première has always pushed boundaries. Their new flagship boutique, right in the heart of Paris’ Golden Triangle, is a sensorial gallery. The space, designed by Swedish architectural duo Halleroed, spans just 46 square meters but feels expansive – its pared-back palette of grey limestone, bronze, stainless steel and blue‑tinted blown glass echoes Matière Première’s values. Matière Première was founded in 2019 by Aurélien Guichard, Caius von Knorring and Cédric Meiffret. Guichard, a seventh-generation perfumer, wanted a space that felt like stepping into his creative laboratory. One zone invites discovery of their hyper-concentrated overdose perfumes, like Radical Rose and Crystal Saffron, while another showcases raw materials like rose centifolia and tuberose, celebrating provenance and seasonal cycles. This is experiential perfumery – scent is seen, touched and understood.

Matière Première
15 Rue Monsigny
Paris
France

Photography courtesy of Matière Première

Hotel Cipriani: Venice’s legendary retreat reinvented

Few addresses in Venice stir the imagination quite like Hotel Cipriani. This season, the legendary lagoon-side retreat has stepped into an exciting new chapter – Chapter One, to be exact – ushering in a next-generation vision for Belmond’s flagship Venetian hotel. The hotel’s new design will be done by famed architect and interior designer Peter Marino – his goal is to rekindle the hotel’s Dolce Vita spirit while weaving in contemporary artistic influences. The first phase features a striking double-height entrance hall and the redesign of 13 guest rooms. This includes the Serenissima and Laguna master suites – each conceived as elegant Venetian apartments complete with dining rooms, libraries and lagoon views. Marino’s design channels three artistic eras – old Venice, with architectural details and curated antiques, the 50s and 60s with artworks echoing the spirit of mid-century Biennales and contemporary art installations and sleek design details that keep the vibe modern.

Hotel Cipriani
Giudecca 10
Venezia
Italy

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Photography courtesy of Hotel Cipriani

Colerè: Paris’ new design-forward neighbourhood table

Colère is chef Éloi Spinnler’s dramatic follow-up to his hit restaurant Orgueil. Designed by Friedmann & Versace, this bold new restaurant channels mythological energy – fierce bronze tones, sculpted-lion motifs, a dramatic dragon-shaped fireplace and fiery pigments evoke elemental power and refined intensity. Spinnler’s zero‑waste, locavore-focused menu mirrors the design vision – daring, elemental, structured in acts – Trigger, Expression, Resolution – with dishes like spicy brioche surprises and pork côte on salt stone. At the back of the main room, behind a heavy curtain, lies Le Théâtre – a speakeasy‑style chamber just 15 seats strong. You receive a ticket, the curtain rises and the kitchen transforms into a stage.

Colerè
39 Rue Richer
Paris
France

Photography courtesy of Colerè

Sr. Brown: hitting the sweet spot in Barcelona

Sr. Brown, the sweeter sibling of Comida Codac, is a small experimental chocolatería líquida dreamt up by Miquel Coulibaly. The moment you enter, it feels less like a café and more like a design shoot come to life. Industrial chic meets soothing warmth – dark earthy tones, steel accents, soft silk lighting. The drinks are where Sr. Brown truly shines. With zero sugar added, Coulibaly makes unique, daily-changing cacao elixirs. Sr. Brown specialises in liquid-extracted cacao, crafted with just water, cacao, muscovado sugar, salt and a few secret touches. The result? A deeply nuanced drink that’s never too sweet or heavy. The Nori‑caramel hot chocolate hooks you on the first sip.

Sr. Brown
Carrer d’Entença 3
L’Eixample
Barcelona
Spain

Photography courtesy of Sr. Brown

Brach Madrid: an eclectic urban escape in Spain

When Philippe Starck lands in a city, expect the unexpected. Brach Madrid – his latest hotel project – brings a jolt of Parisian flair and Starck’s irreverent touch to the Spanish capital. Warm leather, sculptural wood and terracotta shades anchor you in Mediterranean comfort, while dashes of marble, rattan and quirky objets d’art keep the atmosphere lively. There are Parisian Art Deco notes, 1970s curves and a sort of sunlit theatricality that makes every corner a tiny stage. Communal spaces are at the heart of the experience – an all-day bakery, a lively brasserie serving contemporary Mediterranean plates and a cocktail bar where local DJs spin as the sun goes down. There’s even a secret rooftop terrace, complete with a garden and plunge pool, offering views over Madrid’s rooftops.

Brach Madrid
Gran Vía 20
Centro
Madrid
Spain

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Photography courtesy of Brach Madrid

Aesop: skincare and slow design in Madrid

Beneath that elegant 1923 neoclassical façade, Aesop Las Salesas unfolds like a sensory ode to Madrid. The Australian brand is known for collaborating with local architects on every new space and here, the creative minds of Ciszak Dalmas and Matteo Ferrari have shaped a shop that feels distinctly Aesop. As you step into the softly arched interior, your eyes land on a central floating portico. Made from red Spanish travertine, it wraps around original cast‑iron columns. Underfoot, sculptural trencadís mosaic patches the floors and counters, paying homage to Spanish Modernism. Natural light filters through hammered cathedral glass, casting soft chiaroscuro across clay‑plastered walls and terrazzo sinks that seem to float atop glass and walnut bases. Behind it all, a 1970s macramé tapestry adds texture, craftsmanship and depth to the quiet finale.

Aesop
C. de Claudio Coello
51 Salamanca
Madrid
Spain

Photography courtesy of Aesop

Matriarca: Porto’s colourful celebration of craft and community

Bringing to life the Symington Family Estates’ legacy, Matriarca is a newly renovated three-storey townhouse in the heart of Porto’s Praça Carlos Alberto. Named in honour of family matriarch Beatriz Leitão Carvalhosa Atkinson, the space celebrates conviviality, heritage and communal warmth. Downstairs, the wine bar and tapas lounge welcome you with Portuguese and British influences – a true crossover of flavours and conversation. Head upstairs to the restaurant, helmed by chef Pedro Monteiro, for a tasting menu that elegantly shows off local grapes and culinary finesse. There is also a curated cellar shop that offers the full Symington portfolio alongside Hambledon wines.