The Unusual Barcelona x Lykke: coffee, design and a different way to explore the city
Today, we published on CC/magazine an article dedicated to one of our favourite speciality coffee brands: Lykke. A project that particularly resonates with us because of everything behind each cup, from the way they work at origin to how they approach design, production and impact.
Alongside this feature, we wanted to share a collaboration that brings that universe together with one of our own projects. Because beyond coffee itself, Lykke represents a way of doing things that naturally aligns with how we understand design, product and experience.
Address: www.citycurator.es
Lykke: a brand that goes beyond coffee
Lykke is a speciality coffee brand that, in a relatively short time, has established itself as one of the most solid and interesting projects within the current scene. Not only because of what they do, but because of how they do it, and the clarity with which every decision is articulated.
Their model is based on direct involvement at origin, working closely with farmers and communities across different producing countries. This approach not only ensures exceptional product quality, but also redefines how value is distributed across the entire supply chain, favouring fairer, more transparent and long-term sustainable relationships.
However, what truly sets Lykke apart is not just its structure, but the consistency that runs through the entire project. From cultivation to packaging design, through to tone of voice and product development, everything responds to the same intention: doing things properly without losing a sense of enjoyment along the way.
“What truly sets Lykke apart is the consistency that runs through the entire project.”
That balance between rigour and lightness is, perhaps, one of its greatest strengths. Lykke manages to combine quality, design and a distinct identity without falling into predictable codes within the speciality coffee world. Its visual universe, vibrant and unconventional, is not an isolated aesthetic gesture, but a natural extension of its philosophy.
The Unusual Barcelona x Lykke
As part of this collaboration, the first 25 people to purchase The Unusual Barcelona through our online shop will receive two complimentary Lykke coffee sachets.
A pairing that works almost effortlessly: a magazine-guide designed to explore Barcelona from a different perspective, accompanied by a coffee that invites you to slow down and experience the city in a more considered way.
The Unusual Barcelona, now in its 4th edition
The Unusual Barcelona has evolved into much more than a traditional city guide. In its 4th edition, the project adopts a hybrid format between a lifestyle magazine and a city guide, featuring 128 pages in English and an editorial approach that combines inspiration with practicality.
Curated by Cecilia Camacho, editor and creative director of CC/magazine, this new edition brings together stories, interviews, features, an illustrated map, itineraries and over 400 carefully selected recommendations, organised by districts and categories.
Restaurants, cafés, bakeries, wine bars, galleries, museums, boutiques, hotels and lesser-known spots coexist within a publication designed both for visitors and for those looking to rediscover the city through a more creative lens. The content also includes voices from the worlds of art, culture, design and gastronomy, alongside interviews and features with names such as Salva López, Chidy Wayne, Mesura and Flowers by Bornay, among others.
The object itself is also an essential part of the experience. The publication has been produced using premium papers by Fedrigoni, carefully selected for their texture, weight and tactile quality, enhancing both the visual and sensory dimension of each page. It is bound with an exposed spine inspired by Japanese bookbinding, a detail that not only adds character but also reveals the structure of the object, reinforcing its crafted and almost collectible nature.
Beyond the publication itself, the project has been conceived with attention to every detail, including its fully recyclable packaging, designed to align with a more conscious approach to production without compromising on aesthetics. More than a journal&guide, it becomes a design object in its own right. Something to keep, revisit and display, but also an ideal piece to gift or to self-gift, whether as a way to remember the city or to discover it from a new perspective.
“More than a journal&guide, it becomes a design object in its own right.”
A collaboration that makes sense
This collaboration is not conceived as a one-off addition, but as a natural extension between two projects that share a similar way of understanding what they do.
On one hand, a publication that invites readers to discover Barcelona with greater attention, curiosity and discernment. On the other, a coffee brand that focuses on origin, process and experience. In both cases, there is a shared underlying idea: that enjoyment does not need to be separate from quality, care or a certain way of looking at things.
Units are limited, and only the first 25 orders will receive the two complimentary Lykke coffee sachets. Available at citycurator.es.
So, if you’ve been thinking about getting your copy of The Unusual Barcelona, this is probably the perfect moment to do so. Enjoy!
