Top 5
Sonar Music Festival 2015
Sonar is a three-day electronic and advanced music festival. It was founded in Barcelona in 1994 by Ricard Robles, Enric Palau, and Sergi Caballero. The festival has been divided into two parts since its inception: Sónar by Day and Sónar by Night.
During its 20-year history, Sónar has transformed the atmosphere of the city every June, as well as making Barcelona the continent's epicentre of electronic music and being one of its main touristic attractions for people of all ages.
In addition to the above, Sónar also organizes and encourages other events, performances and showcases which take place in Barcelona but outside of the main festival itself. These extra events in turn also attract very large audiences of between 50 and 70 thousand visitors, in addition to the 80,000 visitors attending the actual festival. This means that even if you are not at the festival itself there is plenty of other things going on and the city is absolutely buzzing with people looking to have a good time.
In 2013, Sónar by Day, moved to a larger space in the Fira Montjuïc facilities at Plaza Espanya. In addition, the festival created Sónar+D, the next step in the evolution of what was known as SonarPro.
The venue for Sónar by Night was also moved to the larger venue of the Fira Gran Via area in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, adjacent to Barcelona's Zona Franca area. This new home meant that it was possible to offer large format concerts with an extensive audiovisual display.
If you want a ticket to Sonar Festival click this link
If you are looking for somewhere to stay then check out Habitat Apartments where you will find a huge number of apartments dotted around the city that can accommodate any size group. Featured below is the Plaza España 2 Apartment which is conveniently located near Sonar Day and Sonar Night and comfortably sleeps 5 people.
Be aware that if you are trying to find somewhere to stay then it is important to book well in advance because all our apartments get filled.
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Image taken from www.madridedm.com
Primavera Sound 2015!
From the 28th to the 30th of May is the 15th edition of Primavera Sound Festival so you can look forward to what is sure to be another fantastic Festival!
Primavera, is an annual music festival that takes place in Barcelona and is held within the Parc del Fòrum leisure site—located approximately 6 km north east from the center of Barcelona—in the Diagonal Mar area of the Sant Martí district, by the coast of the Balearic Sea. The event is one of the largest music festivals in Spain, with an increasing attendance rate of more than 100,000 each year.
To buy tickets for Primavera Sound Festival Click here
If you are looking for a place to stay during Primavera then check out Habitat Apartments where you will find apartments to accomodate any amount of people. Featured below is the Blue Ground C Apartment which is about 15 minutes walk from the festival and can sleep up to 10 people.
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Image taken from www.thespacelab.tv
Sant Jordi´s Day in Barcelona – Love and Literature!
St. Jordi´s day is Catalunya's version of Valentine's Day and is a one day festival of romance, roses and books all inspired by the legend of Saint George on 23rd April every year.
St. Jordi is the patron saint of Catalonia (along with the Virgin of Montserrat) and so Sant Jordi is celebrated on 23rd April to commerate his death on that date in the year 303 AD. The legend of Saint George, which you probably have heard, is that Saint Jordi slew a dragon to save a princess - and then plucked a red rose for the princess from a rose bush, which had sprouted on the exact spot, where the dragon's red blood had spilled.
On Sant Jordi's day it has long been a tradition that the men in Barcelona and Catalunya give their sweetheart a red rose, but now in more recent years, due to the simultaneous deaths of Miguel Cervantes and William Shakespeare on 23 April 1616, a new tradition arose at the beginning of the 20th century which is that now the ladies give the men a book.
There are bookstalls and book markets all over Barcelona on Sant Jordis day especially on Las Ramblas and Rambla de Catalunya. By the end of the day, some four million roses and 800,000 books will have been purchased. Most women will carry a rose in hand, and half of the total yearly book sales in Catalonia take place on this occasion.
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Different Coloured Roses © image: Zelik[/caption]
Nowadays roses of many different colours are sold to be given as a present with each colour symbolizing something different:
Red rose – usually given to lovers because it symbolizes passion and love.
Blue rose - usually given to friends since they symbolize trust. It is said that if you give blue roses to someone who is anxious, it will help that person to feel more calm.
Pink roses - usually given to thank someone else for an important favour, or simply for that persons affection.
Purple roses - symbolize nobelty, femininity and seduction
White roses - symbolize purity and innocence, and are often given to express someone the desire of having a deep long relationship
Yellow roses - less common, but are also seen. They symbolize joy and happiness, thus they are usually given to teenagers and also in celebrations
Although it is not a public holiday in Catalonia you can definitely sense that there is a fiesta taking place as the whole center of the city is filled with people. Listed below are the areas with the highest number of book stalls and roses, but bear in mind that these areas will be very busy and crowded so if you want somewhere a bit more relaxed then move a little further out of the center.
Plaça Sant Jaume
Metro: Jaume I (Yellow Line, L4)
Plaza Catalunya
Metro: Catalunya (Red Line, L1) or (Green Line, L3)
La Rambla (Las Ramblas)
Metro: Drassanes (Green Line, L3)
Metro: Liceu (Green Line, L3)
Metro: Catalunya (Green Line, L3)
If you are going to be in Barcelona around this time and you still haven´t found somewhere to stay then take a look at Habitat Apartments where you will find a wide range of great apartments available to rent. Featured below is the Ferran Suites Apartment which is in the perfect location if you are wanting to celebrate Sant Jordi´s Day!
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Ferran Suites Apartment[/caption]
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Barcelona World Mobile Congress GSM 2015
Over the course of four days, 2-5 March 2015, Mobile World Capital Barcelona will host the world’s greatest mobile event: Mobile World Congress. Below we have explained a bit about what this is and we have chosen some brilliant apartments that are nearby to the event!
- World Mobile Congress
World Mobile Congress[/caption]
The event aims to highlight all of the most recent innovation, and show that when it comes to technology anything is possible. The 2015 GSMA Mobile World Congress will convene industry leaders, visionaries and innovators to explore the trends that will shape mobile in the years ahead.
Depending on the type of pass selected, attendees can take advantage of the many components that make up this industry-leading event:
- A world-class thought-leadership Conference featuring visionary keynotes and panel discussions
- A cutting-edge product and technology Exhibition featuring more than 1,900 exhibitors
- The world’s best venue for seeking industry opportunities, making deals, and networking
- App Planet, the Centre of the Mobile Apps Universe, where the mobile app community gathers to learn, network and engage with innovators
- Global Mobile Awards programme, where we recognise industry innovation and achievements
- And, all MWC pass holders can attend 4YFN, an event focused on startups, corporations, and investors
ADN 41 [caption id="attachment_3875" align="alignnone" width="300"]
ADN 41 Terrace[/caption]
Lovely apartment in Barcelona ideal for a relaxing holiday away from the noise of the city center with all the necessary amenities and easy access to public transport. It’s lovely terrace will become the ideal place to relax after a day of sightseeing.
Elegant details in its decoration and modern amenities including will welcome you to a great stay in the city. In one open space there are: living room with double sofa bed, dining room, fully equipped open kitchen. Terrace with table and chairs.
This apartment overlooks Plaza Espanya and so it is only a stones throw from the World Mobile Congress conference.
There are 8 other apartments in this building so if you are coming in a big group this building is ideal to accomodate up to 45 people.
Plaza Espanya 1
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Plaza Espanya 1 Living Area[/caption]
This spacious and luminous apartment is located in the Sants district, near Plaça España and Montjuic. Quiet district full of history, Sants is just at 5 stops to Plaça Catalunya. Ideal for families or groups of friends wanting to have both calm and easy access to all the city. Plaza España 1 provides sleep up for 4 people in its 2 double bedrooms. There is also a sofa-bed available for 1 person in the cosy living-room. A large dining table stands in this main room, next to the modern and fully equipped open-kitchen. Two ample windows leading to 2 balconies bring sunlight into the room.
There are 2 other apartments in this bulding so if you are a large group we can accomodate you.
Blanca 1
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Blanca 1 living area[/caption]
Blanca 1 apartment is ideal for a relaxing holiday away from the noise of the city center with all the necessary amenities and with easy access to public transport and closet to the World Mobile Congress.
The predominant white color all over the place, small details in its decoration and modern amenities including will welcome you to an unforgettable stay. It has two bedrooms, each with double bed and large closet. The first room overlooking the street Riera Blanca and the second with internal view. One complete bathroom with shower.
Large living room with double sofa bed, dining for 6 and a fully equipped open kitchen. Patio with laundry area.
There is 4 other apartments in the same building that can be rented, so if you are a large group then these apartments are perfect.
There is also Parking within 100m of the apartment
La Mercè 2014: Barcelona’s biggest festival
Barcelona - La Mercè is on the agenda
It's September and it's time for the biggest festival in Barcelona. La Mercè 2014, with about 500 different events, will be held from Friday 19th to Wednesday 24th. By celebrating in the streets, the local people are honouring one of their patron-saints of the city: the Lady of the Mercy. The streets are full of artists, music, and dancing people. The guest city of La Mercè 2014 is Stockholm, Sweden. So, there are about 50 Swedish artists, who are the most fascinating and on-trend at the moment, performing in the streets as well. You'll be in town? We prepared a list with the most important events for you. Castellers – Human Towers
One highlight of La Mercè 2014 is the Castellers that takes place at Plaça de Sant Jaume. The Castellers’ aim is to build a human tower as high as possible. It requires patience, good teamwork, and an amount of planning. However, it is a fantastic event that you will definetly enjoy!
Image © by Connie Ma flickr gallery
Gigantes – Giants Parade
The Giants Parade is a fantastic sight of giants dancing on the streets and marching around in circles. Accompanied by the play of flutes and drums, giant figures of queens, kings, saints, and nobles march the streets of Barcelona.
Image © by Stasiu Tomczak flickrgallery
Correfoc – Fire Run
In the evening, a procession of fire-breathing dragons, accompanied by dangerous dragons and other monsters, usually takes place on the Via Laietana near Jaume I. They march the streets and try to scare the people. Regarding to the firework and bangers, you should put on some clothes that won’t be ruined by a few sparks. Before the actual Correfoc, there is also a more harmless event for children. Correfoc is definitely the most dangerous event of la Mercè 2014, but it is also the one you should not miss at all!
Image © by Jacob Garcia flickrgallery
For more information look at the programme with all the events of La Mercè 2014.
Yummy Barcelona – 5 foods you NEED to try
It is no great secret that Spain is famous for its love of meat. Since Barcelona does not make a difference there, you won’t be able to ignore all the meaty temptations all over the Catalan capital. One of these is called Jamón Ibérico, a Spanish delicacy of great fame and basically omnipresent. Jamón Ibérico is smoked ham and exists in all different kinds of variations. You can not only buy it at the butcher or the supermarket of course, cut in very fine slices it is also a very popular thing to snack around Barcelona. Whether as a sandwich filling, a salad topping or pure and fried like French fries – people seem not to get enough of their ham. For a reason!
Less meaty but not less delicious are Patatas Bravas. This typical dish contains boiled potatoes which are cut in small wedges and then deeply fried in hot oil until they are perfectly crispy. You can get these tasty pieces almost everywhere solid food is sold such as cosy restaurants, bars or snack stands. Traditionally they are served with a spicy, tomato-based sauce, but you can also eat them with mayonnaise or just ketchup. Do yourself a favor and skip your French fries at least once to order some Patatas Bravas instead.
A truly healthy and vegetarian – even vegan - snack is Escalivada. This grilled Catalan salad can be perfectly eaten at a barbecue, as a side or also as a light snack for lunch. Escalivada traditionally is made of eggplants, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions which are grilled and mixed with a dressing out of oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Especially its smoky taste makes this salad so popular and a lovely alternative to a plain Cesar’s Salad.
Our list would definitely not be complete without a dessert! For that reason we would like to introduce you to the Crema Catalana. This delicacy is a Catalan pudding made with milk, egg yolks, orange peel, vanilla and cinnamon. Often served in little cups topped with caramelized sugar it is very similar to the French Crème brûlée, but said to be even a littler creamier than its famous sister. If you are looking for something sweet and delicious to finish your menu with, the Crema Catalana should be your choice in any case!
In this sense: Buen provecho :-)
Top 3 language schools in Barcelona
Learn Spanish in an intensive way!
We collected the top 3 language schools for you to learn Spanish in the best way possible! :)
ABC Humbo
ldt is a language school situated in Barcelona since 1986. It is located in a building with 6 floors with many different facilities and amenities. The school combines two different famous language institutes: abc College and Centro Humboldt Comunicación Intercultural. Participants can find a lounge, a cafeteria and a rooftop terrace as well as many more comfortable amenities. Most classrooms are designed with a TV and natural light to prepare the best possible learning atmosphere.
A standard intensive Spanish course for 2 weeks with 20 lessons per week costs around 320€. The school charges an administrative fee of approximately 32€. Therefore, without accommodation one needs to pay around 350€ for two weeks. You also have the possibility to do an intensive personal course of 800€ per week with 20 hours of work. There are various courses for groups and individuals available. Better check their webpage for further details.
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Top 3 unique things to do in Barcelona
You need exciting activities on a city trip? No problem!
We made a list of the top 3 exciting things to do in Barcelona. You shouldn't miss them, if you want to experience Barcelona in a different way!
I have to admit, this crazy activity isn’t that unique anymore, since several tourists already know the true promise of the unique ice bar in Barcelona. However, as this place is simply something totally different, I didn’t want to deprive you of this spot. The ice bar is, as the name indicates, a bar totally made from ice. It’s located at the beach and is open since 2007. Temperatures drop to -5 degrees when you enter the bar. The plus: every guest is provided with a jacket and a glove, so you don’t need to bring your own ;). The style of the bar usually changes within the year, to guarantee a unique feeling every time.
2. Cooking lessons
Barcelona’s cuisine is definitely delicious. For those of you who want to take the taste of Spain home again, cooking classes are the solution. Cook & Taste is located in the centre of the historical city. You are able to take cooking lessons, to learn making tapas, paella and much more! Experts, who know how to cook Spanish, will teach you how to do so. Everything you need is provided. You simply have to reserve your place in a class beforehand. A cooking class can be even booked with a beginning tour to La Boqueria, the famous food and beverage market in Barcelona. There you are thought how to buy the fitting ingredients for your meal.
3. Hot-Air Ballooning
Who is able to say he saw Barcelona from the air, after returning home? No I don't mean out of the airplaine ;-) Not many tourists are able to! That’s why a hot air balloon ride might be the perfect unique choice for you. Different tours fulfill many wishes, so you are happy to choose from a variety. Of course, the tours aren’t cheap. Prices are for sure above 100€ per person. However, you will memorize this experience for your whole life. This makes it worth paying such prices! Tours can be found on www.ballooning.es
Mobile Apps Barcelona – the top 3!
Necessary touristic apps for your Smartphone
You get lost in Barcelona’s amazingly huge city? You don’t know how to go where & what to do in the evening? You simply need a direction and help? And you want it all easily accessible on your Smartphone?
Don’t worry – help is coming! :)There are plenty of mobile apps related to Barcelona, whether you need it for your iPhone or Android Smartphone. Everybody will find his or fitting App. To relieve you of your choice, we selected the most helpful Apps available for you.
Top1: The “Official Barcelona Guide”
This is a broad Barcelona guide containing all information you need on culture, shopping, hotels, beaches and gastronomy. It contains 350 pictures and over 1,000 references. You can search for important areas, like El Born, Eixample and Gràcia, but you can also search for restaurants and museum in general under the section “themes”. There is a general welcome section, where basic useful information is revealed. A map summarizes even the metro map as well as the Bus Turístic network. The user can create a favorite list, so that after some time everything is presented at a glance. A highlight is the possibility to book guided tours, tickets, flights or accommodations. The already is installed between 10,000-50,000 times and has an average rating of 4.2 of 5 stars. It’s available at Google play as well as in the iPhone app store.
Top 2: TMB Virtual
For sure if you come into a major city for the first time, the public transport might confuse you a lot. I have to admit, this holds true for me as well :-P . After some time I got used to it and I am pretty sure you will do so, too. Nonetheless, to simplify the start, this app is a must have. You can see where the next metro, bus, train and tram station is, you can plan your route and you can look up when the next desired bus is coming. It is available for English, Catalan and Spanish people, so it is basically very easy to use. The app has an average rating of 3.4 from 5 stars, due to the fact that some people have technical problems with this app. However, the inventors are doing regular updates on these problems.
Top 3: Barcelona Restaurants
True – You already can view restaurants in your official Barcelona guide app. Still, this app is recommendable if you are looking for the right restaurant just for you. You can select from categories like: French, Chinese, American, British… and many more. You can just select the type of food you would like to eat today . The restaurants are shown on the map and you can see the distance depending on whether you are in a car, by feet or on a bicycle. The complete address is available and the map shows you the way to your destination.
Packed with these apps, you cannot get lost in this wonderful city! Enjoy it ;-)
Here is another helpful secret tip:
Get your free Barcelona Guide Application for Android: Offline maps and recommendations
Top 5 rooftop bars in Barelona
Enjoy a beautiful view above Barcelona's roofs
Barcelona has many bars and lounges to explore. In another article we already presented you the 5 best bars, clubs and lounges in Barcelona. However, there are a plenty of rooftop bars in this city, which one shouldn't miss during a visit. Following, you can find the top 5 of them, carefully selected for you.W Hotel – Wet ®Bar
- April: Daily 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- May: Daily 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- June: Sunday - Thursday 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM Friday & Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
- July & August: Daily 10:00 AM - 3:00 AM
- September : Sunday to Thursday 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM - 3:00 AM
- October: Sunday to Thursday 10:00 AM - 9:00PM Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
- November: Daily 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Address Plaça de la Rosa del Vents, 1 • Barcelona 08039 • Spain Phone: +34 93 295 28 00
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