Barcelona Blog

This weekend is Barcelona’s annual date with architecture, being one of the key elements Barcelona is most renowned and famous for. And so, on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October more than 150 buildings of all kinds, shapes and sizes will be opening their doors to the general public to show off their exceptional designs, style, architectural value etc. FREE !!

This weekend’s architectural festival is part of the initiative of “Open House”, which started in London in 1992 and has since been taken on by other cities around the world (New York, Dublin, Chicago, Galway, Melbourne, Tel Aviv) and now Barcelona. It provides an opportunity to see and admire great architecture not normally available for public viewings, and at no cost. This will be the 3rd year for Barcelona’s Open House festival.

Below are just a few examples of the 150 buildings that will be open during the 2 days:
Casa de Barceloneta on Carrer de Sant Carles 6 – open Saturday between 12 – 2pm
Torre d’Aigües de la Catalana de Gas on Parc de la Barceloneta – open Saturday between 11 – 5pm
Ajuntament de Sants on Carrer Creu de la Coberta 104 – open Saturday between 11 – 2pm
Refugi Antiaeri de la Placa del Diamant on Placa del Diamant – visits on Saturday at 11 and 12pm

Refuge Tunnels on Placa del Diamant Gracia

La Violeta on Carrer de Sant Joaquim 14 – open Sunday between 11 – 2pm & 4 – 7pm
Casa Bonaventura Ferrer (El Palauet) on Passeo de Gracia 113 – open Sunday between 11 – 2pm

Pavellons D’Aigua on Carrer de Garbi 2 – open Sunday between 11 – 2pm

Arc de Triomf on Paseo de LLuís Companys – open Sunday between 11 – 7pm

For more info on this great weekend festival of architecture and to see the full list of buildings to visit, click on:

48H Open House BCN

Casa Bonaventura Ferrer

Apartment Sagrada Familia is a nicely renovated & refurbished fully equipped 3-bedroom apartment that sleeps 5, in central Barcelona. It is ideal for holidays and business trips. There is air con/heating, WiFi and an overall warm feel to this apartment.

Apartment Sagrada Familia Kitchen

Location: The 3 bedroom apartment, which sleeps 5, is just 7 mins walk from Antoni Gaudi’s famous architectural wonder- The Sagrada Familia.

Nearest metro: Sagrada Familia  (Line 2) – only 5 mins walk from the apartment,  & Hospital St Pau (L5).

Key Features:

3 bedrooms

Fully equipped kitchen + laundry room

WiFi internet access

The Sagrada Familia at night

Air-conditioning/Heating

2 shower rooms

7 minutes away from The Sagrada Familia Basilica

There is a bakery, fruit shop, fresh fish shop next to the apartment

Close to tapas bars & restaurants for eating out

No. of bedrooms: 3

Max no. of guests: 5

Min no. of nights: 3

Price from: 135€ per night

Suitable for: family, friends, business colleagues, couples

Sagrada Familia Apartment Bedroom

For full details of  Apartment Sagrada Familia and to book online click below:

Apartment Sagrada Familia

Select a date

Sagrada Familia Walking Tour   €29,95  -  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ORDER NOW

Barcelona’s La Mèrce is over for another year, ending as always, with a bang, courtesy of the fireworks to music display at Plaça Espanya on Monday 24th…a spectacular end to a spectacular weekend of festival activities, including the old but firm favourites of the Correfoc (Fire run), the Castellers (Human towers), Gigantes (Giants parade) etc etc. But the party isn’t quite over yet!! On Sunday 30 September is the annual Air Show (Festa al Cel in Catalan) which takes place along the beach between Port Olympic and Nova Mar Bella beach from 10.00 – 1400.

Barcelona Air Show

Festa al Cel is the largest and oldest air-show in Spain. Last year the show celebrated its 20th anniversary which has seen it grow from small beginnings to now being one of Europe’s most exciting airshows. Along the Mar Bella and Nova Mar Bella beaches, the flying & air displays are truly international. The setting for this Barcelona air-show couldn’t be more stunning. The city is famous for its architecture and along the beach is no exception. There some quite amazing constructions along the seafront, which, combined with the flotillas of  yachts and small boats watching the show, makes a very impressive stage! The beaches of Barcelona are hugely popular, for locals & tourists alike, and get rather packed – (there were an estimated 420,000 spectators last year which is an incredible number of people for a single day event!).

Barcelona Air Show

As a fabulous pre-taster for Sunday’s air-show there will be a light and pyrotechnics show at dusk on Saturday evening (7.30pm), where the SWIP Team will thrill us with a never-seen-before display in Barcelona! The two Twister aircraft (piloted by Peter Wells and Guy Westgate) will perform a light and pyrotechnics show, leaving us amazed and wanting more! For all the details for Sunday’s air-show click on Festa Al Cel 2012

Barcelona Air Show with the W Hotel

WE’LL SEE YOU THERE !!

Apple Store Barcelona entrance

 A grand doorway with a simple logo leads you into The Barcelona Apple Store which follows many of the design conventions of Apple Stores around the World. The store has three separate storeys, each joined by Steve Jobs patented glass staircase.

Ipads, Iphone, Macbook and more in Store

On the ground floor of the Apple Store, is the iPhone and iPad displays, laid out with plenty of space and with plenty of chance for people to have a “hands on” Apple experience. The other half of the floor is taken up by various models of MacBooks. A back drop of illuminated boards display different product helps to remind you, as if you would need it that you are in the Apple Store in Barcelona.

Looking down on the iphones and ipads in the Apple Store Barcelona

We can only imagine how this place will look like when Apple introduces its new iPhone 5! The iphone 5  launch date (release date) by Apple of 12th September 2012 has now passed.  We now know some if the new features of the iphone 5 include a new iSight camera with a low light mode and a panarama function.   The phone is twice as fast as the iphone 4.  Yes, we expect queues  at the Barcelona Apple Store at the release date in Spain of 28th September 2012.  The launch will mean that this will be the new place for luxury shopping in Barcelona

This new store opening is notable for a few reasons. One for its amazing location. Second for its unique Apple logo and banner, which was heavily noted last week by the media, and, third, because it is predicted to be one of Apple’s largest European-based retail locations. But for me one of THE most interesting things is that we counted nearly ONE HUNDRED staff on hand to help you with the products.

We, from our side, will be happy to provide you with nice self-catering holiday apartments close to Plaça Catalunya and this new Apple Store!

You can read more about shopping in Barcelona.

You might also like…

15 things you must know        Family vacations..         Montserrat

The public transportation system of Barcelona is very good.
It consists of the metro, buses, trams, funicular, taxis and even bikes.
The public transportation system is activated by TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona) company. The different transportation means can take you exactly to the places you need to, in any time and with great level of precision and convenience.
The public transportation in Barcelona is efficient and pretty cheap. Most of its most popular sites of the city are in reasonable walking distance and to the two hills which are dominates the city, Montjuic and Tibidabo , the most conviniance way to go there is by the public transportation, so there is no actual reason why to rent a car inside the city.

Tickets information.

You can buy tickets for individual journeys for the metro at €2.00 per ticket. But if you are here for more than one day or intend taking more than 5 journeys on the metro or buses it’s best to buy the T10 ticket

There is a very efficient, well linked and CHEAP transport system to get you around the city of Barcelona. A T10 ticket (9.70€ available from all metro and train stations and tabacs) gives you 10 journeys around the city, using the metro, buses and local FGC trains. Just one of your 10 journeys will allow you to travel for 1hour 15 mins, using all the forms of transport available, if necessary…a bargain!! You can also get off and on again, using the same ticket if you are going in the same direction. So for example you go could from your apartment in El Borne to Plaça Catalunya, get off and do some shopping and then go on to Camp Nou on the same ticket, all for the equivalent of 65 pence.

The T10 card can be damaged if you keep it in your pocket and crease it. If the card becomes un-readable by the ticket validation machine due to damage, take the card to the metro attendants box and say ” Esta tarjeta no funciona” Which means this card does not work. They will then issue you with a new T10 card free of charge with the respective number of journeys that was left on the old card.

Apart from metro.

Travelling to places outside of Barcelona is also fairly easy. There is a train from Barcelona to a station at the foot of Montserrat, for example, from where you can catch a breath taking cable car to the Monserrat Monastery, towards the top of the mountain. There are also a number of trams in Barcelona city – some new, comfortable and air conditioned but also the more “typical” tram of old which still goes to the top of Tibidabo.

Bicing is the name given to the remarkably successful bike scheme introduced 3 years ago. Strategically placed computer controlled parking points for cycles have been placed around the centre of Barcelona, allowing people, although not generally tourists, to pick up a bike at one point and drop it off at another, close to their destination. Some 85,000 people have now joined the scheme and you cannot miss the red and white Bicing bikes (Not all 85,000 get on a bike at the same time). We at Barcelona Flats are fans of Bicing, but just be careful as those bikes do get everywhere…including in pedestrianised areas so mind your backs!

You might also like…

15 things you must know        Family vacations..         Montserrat

Almost every Barcelona visitor heard something about Tapas. But many of us coming to Spain know only the name but not the culture and traditions around it. We thought that it’s our duty as locals to inform you and give you some tips about tapas and all around!

First of all it’s important to remember that there are different names for tapas specialties:

Tapas: This is the general name for small dishes of food that are served to be shared. They can vary widely and cover anything from a bowl of almonds or olives to a plate of grilled prawns.

Raciones: On menus you will often see the dishes marked with two separate prices – one for tapas and one for raciones. This will simply be the same dish, but a bigger portion of it – ideal for when you’re really hungry!

Pinchos. This is a concept that originates from the Basque region of Spain. Pinchos are like mouth sized tapas – always served on top of pieces of bread. They are also sometimes called ‘Montaditos’ (this is what they are called in Quimet y Quimet).

Platos Combinados: This is the name often given to what we might call ‘meat and two veg’ – an entire meal on a plate. However, it sometimes also relates to tapas. In Quimet y Quimet a Plato Combinado is a larger plate containing a variety of the tapas that are on offer.

Tapas vary from region to region. Barcelona is not particularly well known for its tapas culture, in comparison to other areas such as the Basque country and Andalusia. However, it does have a few classics that you will see again and again on menus. Tapas are not always the chorizo and garlic prawns that you might have come to expect. Some typical tapas that you might expect to see in Barcelona:

Pan con Tomate: The quintessential Catalan tapa. White bread rubbed with tomato and drizzed in oil and salt. A perfect accompaniment to the rest of your tapas.

Patatas Bravas: The chips or french fries of Spain. Small deep fried cubes of potato served with two sauces – alioli (a garlicky mayonnaise) and a spicy tomato sauce.

Chipirones: I have never seen these deep fried baby squids outside of Spain. They are tiny and you will receive a plate heaped with them.

Anchoas: These anchovies are not normally the very salty kind that you may be used to. They are served in vinegar with parsley and garlic. Delicious.

Russian Salad: Not the healthiest of salads. This is a heavy dish made up of potatoes, peas, hard boiled eggs and potential other vegetables, covered in mayonnaise.

Croquetas: Croquetas are often made with ham, fish, chicken or spinach. They are made from a sort of béchamel sauce, breaded and deep fried.

Finally, when you enjoyed your tapas it would be right to pay for it, wouldn’t it? In tapas bars it’s very easy but not very obvious for a foreigner.

Barcelona locals love to talk about the ‘guiris’ – the tourists and foreigners who come to the city with no knowledge of the culture. A sure – fire way to blow your guiri cover is by trying to pay for your drink or tapas whilst ordering. In Barcelona you will be impressed by the abilities of the bar staff and waiters to remember the various orders of hoards of people – sometimes not even writing them down. Relax and enjoy your food and simply request “la cuenta” (the bill) when you’re finished and ready to leave.

The whole notion of tapas is intended to grease the wheels for an evening of chatter, liveliness and camaraderie with friends. It is important to leave your pre-conceived notions of how to enjoy lunch or dinner behind. There will be no ‘I’m ordering this’ -all of the dishes will be shared and devoured. And do not, under any circumstances, politely leave the last prawn sitting on the plate for someone else to enjoy – if you don’t take it the waiter will have whisked away the plate before you have time to shriek in protest. Take example from the locals and enjoy the moment – you are likely to be standing in a crowded space all night, but this is part of the fun.

And don’t forget that you can order take away tapas (“para llevar”) which you’ll have a chance to enjoy in our holiday self-catering apartments!

You might also like…

15 things you must know        Family vacations..         Montserrat

Another article to answer the “What to do in Barcelona?” question and a topic that is a very dear to me. Reading has been a passion going on for years and I do not see it fading away in the near or long future. I´ve read books in different languages – I believe it is a great way of learning a new language and I always travel with a book. It is said that people do not read anymore, but everywhere I go I see people reading – it might be just the universe I live in – but I would like to think it’s more of a general truth.

what do you think Jude Law is reading?

With this in mind I decided to write a post about summer books. In Barcelona it is very easy to get a library pass and borrow books rather than buying them (they weigh a lot in your luggage too). I borrowed and read The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerarld among other short stories of his and I am now reading a complete collection of Edgar Allan Poe (was in the mood for some poetry). If you want to see which library is closest to your vacation apartment check their official website.

In addition to this library facility, Barcelona always plans many book related events. This great city is well-organized and gives you tons of ideas and events to go to which makes your stay in Barcelona never seem long enough.

Let´s build a scenario. You’ve rented a self catering apartment close to the beach in Barcelona because all you want to do on your holiday is to relax on the beach and get away from the city life. Now you’re heading towards Barceloneta which provides great play ground areas for your children. With them playing you finally have time to relax and read a book in silence. What you must know is that you entered a beach library. This is a creation offered to you by Barcelona Council. Two libraries: Library Bac de Roda (Monday to Sunday from 11am to 2pm and from 3pm to 7pm – until 31 August) & Barceloneta Library (Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm – until 30 September) are offering, for free, over 283 titles, including: 71 books for children, 60 Youth Literature books, 56 comics for adults, 96 adult literature books, 17 newspapers and 23 journals. If you are a book lover like I am, you are certainly smiling by now. What is also great about these libraries is that the publications are not all in Spanish or Catalan. There are also books in English so that no-one is left out.

If on your travels to Barcelona you are planning to enhance your knowledge of the Catalan language then you certainly must check out the Week of the Book in Catalan which will start on the 7th of September and finish on the 16th. (Isn’t Barcelona great!)

 I mentioned at the beginning “summer books”. The difference between them and other seasonal books is that they go well read on the beach or by the swimming pool, with a glass of wine or refreshing lemonade. Different people, different tastes, so I cannot tell you the “Best Summer Books“. I can, on the other hand, mention my favourite summer book…of 2012! And this is The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara, it made me want to go on a vacation, although I was already on one!

You might also like…

15 things you must know        Family vacations..         Montserrat

If you like it, share it with your friends here:

Because family vacations to Barcelona are fun!

It does involve more planning as the children become the centre of the experience. Everything is done at their pace, eating times are according to their schedule and activites should be entertaining for them. But who says, it is not fun for the parents?! Travelling with a small child enriches learning and is no reason to become a hassle, regardless of the children’s age.

Barcelona Flats has put together some tips & suggestions for your stay in Barcelona to become a “best example” experience.

1. Coming from overseas? Visit your doctor at least two months prior to the journey. Find out everything about vaccinations and medical papers you need to carry with you. Remember! Small people need visas and passports too and although kids, the prices are the same as for adults.
2. Important when planning is to check the weather conditions. Barcelona in the summer can get hot and also humid, so prepare for these conditions.
3. Allergies? It is better to print an Allergy Card in Spanish with Do´s and Dont´s for your kid to wear in their pockets at all times. Allergy UK website gives you the opportunity to buy 3 cards in Spanish for the price of £15. Visit www.allergyuk.org for more info. An alternative is to write it and print it yourself. If you choose so, cover it in plastic for longer-lasting.
4. Barcelona is a crowded city, especially the hot spots for tourists. Make a bracelet for your kids with their names, your phone number and address (home and your rental apartment – Barcelona Flats makes sure you have all the necessary info to make all arrangements prior to your travel). Technology today even gives you the chance to use a child monitor or a tracking device so look into it.
5. Get the kids interested! Barcelona is wonderful and full of history. Give your kids books about the city, make them research what they are about to explore. A list with places to see is also interesting and you can turn it into a quest.
6. Plane travel? It is exhausting for us adults, so imagine it for children. Keep them entertained with movies, games and cell phones.
7. Airport arrival. There are two airports around Barcelona : Girona and Reus. Barcelona Prat is the main Barcelona airport and the closest to the city. To ease your journey we recommend flights to this airport. From the airport to your apartment take a taxi or the airport bus. Do not take the train then metro! It is simply exhausting to travel with luggage and kids up and down those stairs.
8. The apartment needs to be child-friendly and our team knows that children safety is a priority. Our vacation apartment in Borne, for example, is perfect for children. A two bedroom apartment with WiFi and air conditioning. The area is quiet, there is a park nearby, the Chocolate Museum, and the Picasso Musem. It is a perfect distance from the beach, avoiding at the same time the crowded and loud area that surrounds the beach. There are tapas bars around it but also sit-down restaurants. This is not our only child friendly flat, we have a whole list for you to pick! Bear in mind that Spanish flats and apartments do not usually have carpets on the floor.
9. Tap water is safe!
10. Where to eat? Restaurants are child-friendly in Barcelona and Catalan cuisine is tasty for people of all ages. Check out our list of best places to eat in Barcelona.
11. Breast feeding can be done in public places. The Catalan culture is open to this natural behaviour.
12. If your child has special needs it is better to talk to parents that have visited Barcelona already. Try www.disabledfriendly.com or www.yourable.com If you are coming from the UK remember that Barcelona and even Spain is not as well-prepared as the UK when it comes to this topic.
13. Road safety: always double check before crossing the street, even with the green-man showing at the traffic lights.
14. When planning your activities do it from the child perspective. Do not rush from A to B, allow time for exploring. Barcelona is full of details and the young eye of a child will catch them faster than us, adults. They can actually teach us something, hence another reason to travel at a slow pace. The beach is also popular and Barcelona has a few. Check them out in our guide.
15. Pharmacies: some are open 24 hours and there is usually one person that speaks English. Each pharmacy has a programme on their window that notes the ones open 24 hr. As it doesn’t hurt to be well-prepared, here’s our list of useful Spanish words:

• Bandage: vendage
• Plaster: yeso
• Headache/Please give me something for my headache: Dolor de cabeza/ Por favor dame algo para el dolor de cabeza
• Tummy ache: dolor de estomago/ Por favor dame algo para el dolor de estomago
• Allergies: alergias
• Antiseptic cream: crema antiseptica
• Sun cream: crema solar
• Thank you and goodbye: Gracias, adios!

This concludes our list, and remember that Barcelona Flats is always ready to answer your inquiries. The only thing left now is to come to Barcelona! Follow the link to our website that has all the info you need. Hasta luego!

You might also like…

Magic Fountains        Family vacations..         Montserrat

If you like it, share it with your friends here:

Many people are wondering what to do in Barcelona at night?!

One thing you will soon learn about Barcelona is it’s a city that doesn’t sleep. The Spanish eat late, drink late and go out very late. At the weekend don’t be surprised if night clubs are pretty much empty until at least 01:00 – 02:00 in the morning, and they go on until about 06:00. Thank goodness for the siesta!
Barcelona’s nightlife is very much in keeping with the city itself, trendy, varied and sometimes spectacular. Even if you aren’t really a clubber at heart it’s worth going out to at least one night club just to see what’s on offer, and remember there are more and more “lounge” clubs springing up if you like to take your drinks whilst reclining!

Most of the clubs do not have a set price. It varies according to night, and who is playing, many are free before a certain time (usually 01:00) plus if you walk around you are likely to be given a flyer that gets you in free all night. You can pick up flyers in shops, bars and some cafes have a rack of flyers. These usually either entitle you to a free drink, 2 for 1 drinks, or free entrance. In the case of some clubs the flyer people actually stand very near the club itself but you can find them all over the city including down the Ramblas and in the Barri Gotic area.
e great party in Barcelona are also the erasmus parties in  Barcelona. You can go out every night of the week if you´re willing to. There are special theme nights on almost every night. Like the ´We love Mondays´ at Opium Mar and the ironically named ´Crappy Tuesday´ at Apollo for example. It’s all about finding your own cup of tea.. or something a little stronger! During the summer, Barcelona´s nightlife becomes even more varied – with open air cinemas, live dj sets on rooftops, and paradise beach bars springing up all over the city.

Fridays and Saturdays are dominated by a cosmopolitan mix of tourists, and stag & hen parties. Sunday nights are busy with locals as many shops and restaurants are closed on Mondays. Most of the action is centred around La Rambla, the wide boulevard stretching from Placa de Catalunya to the Port Vell. There are usually street entertainers wowing the crowds – mime artists, clowns, acrobats, flamenco dancers etc. Wandering the streets adjacent to La Rambla – the Gothic district (Barrí Gotic), Raval and Born will reveal many fun bars, often aimed at students and budget travelers.

Razzmatazz is a very large and popular nightclub with lots of events  – Missy Elliott played recently – and is widely acclaimed to be great fun with a choice of 5 different music types – Rock, Techno, Pop, R&B and Disco and much more. City Hall Night Club off Placa Catalunya has 2 different music areas and a large outside area – perfect for late night chatting. International Night on Mondays is good fun with a variety of nationalities wearing their country sticker with pride! Wednesday night is the most famous night for students. The club is located in an industrial part of Poble Nou.

For people in their 30ies (or who think that way!) top bar recommendations are: Shoko, Sotavento, (on the beach near the Port Olympic Casino – particularly good to lounge on the day beds on a Sunday or to go to the club after 1AM), Bar Lobo (behind Hotel 1898 at 109 La Rambla, with good cocktails – try the mojito); avoid eating here though – there are better places, Patagonia (great ice-cream, below and 1st floor bar is a fantastic place to sit and watch the world go by on La Rambla), Bar 111 (just opened on the corner of Le Meridien 5* hotel La Rambla), Sinatra’s (off Placa Reial/ off La Rambla – a modern Irish bar with great service and excellent fusion restaurant above) & Hotel 1898 Bar at 109 La Rambla (good for sitting in the bar from midnight until 2am or so and chat with people).Club Sutton offers you the best mixes of 80´s and 90´s and contemporary hit music. Club Sutton has the reputation for well dressed and great looking crowd of clubbers. You will find this club in the district of Sant Gervasi. Opium Mar is a luxurious lounge club at the seafront of Barceloneta. The music varies from Hip Hop, R&B to House and Chill-Out, and is also well known for its extraordinary theme nights.

There are a great number of live music jam sessions, jazz music, blues, rock and flamenco acts. Many people see in the latter a great number of business opportunities, hence they charge ridiculous amounts of money for a flamenco session – and usually it’s not even good! Instead, look around for local flamenco bars and sessions – they’re just waiting to be found. If you are looking for Techno, Drum & Base or Hip Hop then Apollo is the club to check out. This club is definitely worth a visit on a Monday, for the famous ´Nasty Monday´s. The club is located in the Raval Quarter, near Parallel Metro stop.

In this area of Barrio Gotico, El Raval, Las Ramblas we can offer lots of Barcelona Holiday apartments! Almost all of them are self-catering , so hjopefully you won’t need to spend too much money in Barcelona clubs.

You might also like…

Barcelona in August        Barcelona Guide             Figures & Dali

I love travelling (don´t we all). Sure, I take short vacations in the beautiful European cities, but I would rather settle in a place for a short time to absorb the culture. I do not plan the time and length of my stay, as there are too many factors to consider. I just finish a project and think of a new one in a new place. This is how I ended up in Barcelona. I spent 6 months in captivating Sicily, in a work placement, and decided to spend my summer in the hot Catalan city.

Both trips came with surprises, adventures and discoveries. The ultimate moment for me is when a native tells me there is a celebration with a high significance coming up. This makes my journey. I research the event, talk about it, think about it, even plan those particular days. I´ve spent Christmas and New Year in Catania, Sicily, but they do not compare with La Festa di Sant’Agata. For the locals it is the event of the year.

In Barcelona, since my arrival, I have had the pleasure of taking part in the celebration of Sant Joan in June and now Festa Major de Gracia. The differences between the Italian and Catalan cultures when it comes to festivities is striking!

Let´s see La Festa di Sant’Agata. I was told when I first heard about it that it is a very serious event. It dates back a long time. The Saint lived in the third century and it is celebrated from 3rd February until the morning of 5th February. For two days and two nights devotees dressed in white carry the Saint around the city. It involves huge wax candles, people bringing gifts to the Saint and a firework show which is the most impressive one I’ve seen so far. People were packed in like sardines on the streets coming out from Piazza Duomo where the firework show was on. No wonder is the second largest religious procession in the world. It is also peaceful. Devotees sing for the Saint, they cry, it is an emotional event. No drinking is involved, loud music and so on.

On the other hand….Spanish celebrations! They are very active and energetic.  Festa Major de Gracia is rather new in history, from around 1820 and it has to do with the transformation of the villages (now part of the city of Barcelona), the hard work artists put into upgrading their society. For seven days starting 15th August the area of Gracia is a fairyland. Decorations, music, dances and shows will keep everyone on their toes. Yesterday I witnessed the Cercavila de Cultura Popular Parade where candies were thrown at us, powder guns were shot, Human Towers were built and dragons with fire coming out of their mouths and ears were chasing us. I was completely taken aback! You would think “Well yes, it is not religious” but Sant Joan which is the celebration of Saint John the Baptist also involes jumping over fires and burning “all bad things”. It is just the way Catalan and Spanish people celebrate.

I could not pick a favourite. Learning about cultures implies an open mind and one should just appreciate it. I am grateful and happy I got to witness such major celebrations and I will certainly take pleasure in watching Gracia’s festivities unfold during the following days.

by Sandra Simion

You might also like…

Barcelona in August        Barcelona Guide             Figures & Dali