Our story

Barcelona Metropolitan was founded in June 1996 by Esther Jones. Born in Yorkshire in the UK, Esther lived in Rome for several years before moving to Spain. There, she always picked up one of the local Rome magazines for foreign residents. When she came to Barcelona in 1995, she was surprised to find that there was no publication in English here, so decided to set one up.

Her aim was to create a publication that would give a balanced and authentic view of Barcelona, and that would provide a community platform where people could get together and share their experiences. She wanted to create something that would help its readers explore and discover the Barcelona that lies beyond the reach of tourists. 

Esther joined forces with US-born editor Richard Schweid and, with the help of freelance writers, they created the first issue, a 24-page magazine that delved into the many facets of this beautiful city. The magazine quickly gained a loyal following and established itself as a reference point for Barcelona's international community.

The magazine has now been publishing for 22 years, and has seen Barcelona change and evolve in ways that the founders could never have imagined. Metropolitan has evolved too. It has grown from being a monthly print publication to also reaching a thriving online community through a dynamic website, social media and newsletters, which provide readers with relevant, up-to-date content.

Metropolitan is still faithful to its founders' aims and continues to be inspired every day by Barcelona and its people.