From the 14th of May on, Barcelona starts to dedicate itself to poetry. Until the 24th of May a series of events and workshops will take place. And all of them have one thing in common: the verse. The 12th Barcelona Poesia includes more than 100 activities in the streets of Barcelona, museums, gardens and civic centres. One of the most famous venues during this poetry week is the Palau de la Música Catalana. If you are staying at a
Barcelona hotel you might want to snap at the chance to enter the International Festival of Poetry at the famous Palau de la Música Catalana on the 21th of May. Furthermore, poems and recitations can be enjoyed at various locations across the city: the Botanical Gardens, the MACBA, the Museum of Natural Science, the Hospital de Sant Pau, the Tamarita Gardens and many more.
You can even find poetry on public transport! Bus windows and the metro are covered in verse. For a period of one month using the public transport to explore the city from your
Barcelona apartment will be a unique experience. Travelers will be able to read comic strips by the artist Juanjo Sáez. His comics refer to famous verses such as those of Anna-Amat, José Corredor-Matheos, Manuel Forcado and Cristina Peri Rossi. The awarding of the Barcelona Jocs Florals Poetry Prize , which takes place at the City Council's Saló de Cent on the 20th of May, will be another highlight of the festival.
Of course music and dance will also get their due during the Poetry Week. You have the chance to attend concerts and dance spectacles.
If you adore the world of poetry, keep your eyes open while staying in Barcelona this week.
This weekend holiday makers staying at Barcelona hotels can visit the best of Barcelona's museums for free. On the 17th of May more than twenty museums troughout the city will be open from 7 pm to 1am, offering visitors a range of free activities. The famous Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) for example will offer its visitors free inaugural concerts on the occassion of the International Day of the Museums. This day has been celebrated all over the world since 1977. Each year, a theme is decided on by the Advisory Committee. In 2008 museum professionals focus on the topic "Museums as agents of social change and development".
You might also want to visit the latest exhibitions in the Center of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB, see photo) for free. It is even the weekend of celebrating the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Barcelona has organised 195 activities for the up-coming weekend, as well as Wednesday 21st of May. This events will be a perfect complement to your stay in Barcelona. You only have to leave your Barcelona apartment and keep an eye on the posters and articles announcing the culturally interesting weekend activities as the Night of Museums.
