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Gaudis cathedral Sagrada Familia is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Barcelona

If you will do vacations in Barcelona and stay in an apartment in Barcelona or in one of the many hotels in Barcelona go and see this master piece of architecture. If you stay in one of the holiday homes Barcelona in the Eixample area you can reach the cathedral easily by walking.

The Sagrada Familia which is located in the area Eixample was planned by Antoni Gaudi in 1882. The original architect was Francisco de Villar who had an artless church in mind. After Gaudi took over the project the plans were drastically changed and referred to the Gothic style.

The building has a crosswise outline and around it there is a cloister. All over the cathedral are adornments like the towers which look like sandcastles. The church has different fronts. There is a Nativity Façade to the East, the Glory Façade to the South and the Passion Façade to the West. The Native Façade is the one which had the biggest influence of Gaudi because it was built before his death in 1926.

During the construction of Sagrada Familia the architect Antoni Gaudi died because of an accident in front of the building. After this the work was interrupted until 1935. In the civil war the construction plans got lost but the later architects reconstructed the idea of Gaudi through oral tradition and from they still knew of the former plans.
Today 8 of the planned 18 towers are finished as well as the crypt and apsis. Furthermore, the most of the pillars are finished and in the near future the room for the mass will be completed.

The building will be finished in the year 2026, the 100th anniversary of the death of Gaudi, but of course it depends from the financial situation.

This weekend a farmer's market takes place at Placa del Pí in the Barrio Gotico.

If you are on holiday in Barcelona and stay in a nice Barcelona centre hotel or in one of the many apartments in Barcelona go and see this farmer's market. It's definitely worth a visit!

Every first and third weekend of the month this market with a lot of regional products from the Pyrenees is held in the Barrio Gotico. So if your trip to Barcelona is on the first or third weekend of a month you shouldn't miss the opportunity to visit the market and see and try the regional products.

Mainly food and drinks are offered on the market and many things can be tested. Wander from stall to stall and try all the delicious self-made food. The range of products is quite diverse, no matter if you prefer honey, jam, cheese, chorizo, pâté or herbs you will definitely find something. At the same time it is a good opportunity to buy some really authentic and special souvenirs.

In September the most important festival of Barcelona takes place - La Mercè!

So come for your holidays to Barcelona and join the festivities. Book an apartment in Barcelona or a hotel in Barcelona and celebrate the whole night.

The holiday was officially introduced in 1871 and it is a kind of surrounding festival for the Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mercy (La Mare de Déu de la Mercè) on the 24th of September. This year the festivities start on the 23rd of September and end on September 27th.

Different events take place all over the city but most of them are in the city centre. The most common known events are:

Castellers - human towers

Correfoc - fireworks and dragons

Gigantes - a parade of giants

The story behind the holiday traces back into the 13th century. In the night of the 24th of September 1218 the Virgin of Mercy appeared simultaneously to King Jaume I, Sant Pere Nolasc and Sant Ramon de Penyafort. She told them to free the Christian monks, who were imprisoned by the Saracens. In the year 1687 the Virgin of Mercy prevented Barcelona from a plague of locusts and freed the city from the Black Death. Since then the Virgin of Mercy is the patron of Barcelona. Here portrait is kept at the Basilica La Mercè at Placa de la Mercè.

The Feste de la Mercè is the highlight of the Catalan festival calendar, so don't miss the opportunity to be a part of it!

The famous district of Barcelona, a former fishing village, is a rectangle between the Port Vell, Franca station and Port Olimpic in the east. There are many fish restaurants along the Passeig Joan de Borbó. The beautiful place of Barceloneta with its delightful restaurants and bars and the Baroque parish church of Sant Miquel del Port are places you shouldn't miss! If you love fish you have to visit Calle Almirall Cervera, as well.

The district of Barceloneta is a neighborhood visited throughout the year. Do not hesitate to book one of the many Barceloneta apartments to enjoy the charms of this area. Whether for a romantic and delicious dinner in one of the innumerable fish restaurants, a picnic at the beach or a swim -- there is always something to do! If you want to enjoy holidays by the sea when you visit Barcelona, book your Barcelona beach hotels now!

The British band will play a concert in Barcelona on the 4th of September.

If you are staying in one of the many beautiful holiday homes Barcelona or in a nice Barcelona hotel you should definitely not miss this massive concert. If you haven't already planned a holiday in the city, come to Barcelona and combine a holiday in Barcelona with the Coldplay concert. You can stay in a nice Barcelona accommodation near the Estadi Olímpic.

The band was formed in 1996 in London by band members Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion. After years of doing gigs in little clubs in Camden they finally had commercial success with their in 2000 released album "Parachutes". Soon after this their second album "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was released which was even more successful than their debut album. With their third album "X&Y" Coldplay could keep up with the huge success of the first two albums. After a little break they finally came back with "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends" which was co-produced by Brian Eno.

The Viva-la-Vida-Tour started in 2008 and finally Coldplay are coming to Barcelona. Get ready for a massive concert in the Estadi Olímpic on the 4th of September!

Are you over 18 years old and do you plan a Barcelona holiday? Then you should definitely visit the Casino Barcelona.
You should especially spend a night in the casino if you are staying in one of the many beach apartments Barcelona in this area. If you have already lost all your money at the Roulette table you should better look for one of the many cheap Barcelona hotels.

The Casino Barcelona is the biggest in Catalonia and is situated in the beautiful district Port Olimpic, next to the beach.

You can choose from a variety of different games, machines and gambling tables: video-poker machines, Blackjack, Hold'em Poker, American and French Roulette - these are just some of the many choices you have in the Casino Barcelona. The casino has also three bars, one nightclub and four different "top-quality restaurants" where you can find something to eat for every taste.

The casino is located in the heart of Barcelona and thus can be reached easily from Barcelona Airport.

Do you spend your holidays in Barcelona in a Barcelona hotel or in a Barcelona apartment? If you just answered this question with yes, you definitely shouldn't miss this natural phenomenon.

Every year in August many falling stars can be seen in the night sky but tonight this phenomenon reaches its peak with about 200 falling stars per hour.
A falling star is not really a star but a very, very tiny piece of cosmic dust. Most of the falling stars are about 1mm big, the bigger ones (>10mm) are called Bolides. When they enter our atmosphere 100km above the ground they start to glow and 60km above the ground they have burned up completely. These falling stars are also called the Perseid meteor shower because they seem to pour out of the constellation Perseus.

This phenomenon occurs every year between mid July and the end of August because during this time the earth crosses on its orbit around the sun a cloud of dust from Comet Swift-Tuttle. The intensity og the shower depends on the distance of the comet to the earth.

The best place to watch the Perseid meteor shower an open and dark space, for example, the beach or a mountain and watch towards the horizon. Try to get away from the city lights as far as possible to see all of the falling stars. But don't worry, even in the city many of the brighter falling stars can be seen.

So close your eyes and make a wish!

L'Aquàrium de Barcelona is by far one of the most visited sight in Barcelona and in the whole of Catalonia. Visiting the aquarium is a perfect excursion for families who spend their holidays in Barcelona because it has something to offer for young and old. It is situated at the harbour of Barcelona next to the column of Columbus and it is the most important marine leisure and education centre about the Mediterranean Sea.

The aquarium has 35 basins, 11,000 animals and 450 different species. Walk through the 80 metres long glass tunnel and experience the feeling of being surrounded by sharks. It contains more than 6 million litres of water and has already been visited by 14 million people.

Built in 1995 it was opened on the 8th of September 1995. The newest technology was connected to art and a walk was created which leads the visitors along 21 basins representing all the different facets of the underwater world. The combination of entertainment and education is outstanding and you can feel the devotion to this project in the whole building.

So don't hesitate and visit this extraordinary aquarium which is as well the biggest in Spain. Why not connect a visit to the aquarium with a short trip to Barcelona? You can spend your holiday in a comfortable apartment in Barcelona or in one of the many Barcelona beach hotels.

OPENING HOURS:
Open all year round

Opening: 9.30h

Closing:
Of Monday through Friday: 21.00h
Weekend and public holidays: 21.30h
June and September: 21.30h
July and August: 23.00h

(Ticket offices and accesses open until one hour before).

For more information: +34 93 221 74 74

PRICES:

Adults: 17 €
Children from 4 to 12: 12 €
Adults over 60: 14 €

The famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi has left his creative footsteps all around Barcelona. His most famous works are Parc Güell, Casa Milá and Casa Batlló. The latter is a very popular tourist attraction at the Passeig de Gracia. Visit this unique masterpiece of architecture and spend your holiday in Barcelona. You could, for example, rent a comfortable Barcelona apartment or stay in a beautiful hotel in Barcelona.

Gaudi has planned and built this house for industrialist Josep Batlló. Batlló lived on the ground floor with his family while the other floors were rented to other families.
The extraordinary front represents the legend of Sant Jordi, who is the patron saint of Catalonia. The roof represents the scales of the dragon against which Jordi had to fight and the cross on the roof is his lance. The balconies out of wrought-iron represent skulls and the gallery on the first floor stands for the jaw of the dragon.

Of course, it is possible to visit the building and have a look at its interior. Already in the stairway one can recognize Gaudi's fondness for details. The blue ceramic in the courtyard progressively brightens so that there is an equal amount of light on the ground floor as there is on the top floor. The roof with its fairy tale chimneys is also open for visitors and from up there you have a fabulous view over the city.

Casa Batlló is listed for preservation since 1962 and was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

So don't hesitate to visit the Casa Batlló the next time you are in Barcelona. Book a Barcelona centre hotel near Placa Catalunya and Passeig de Gracia and experience the amazing architecture of this district.

Address: Passeig de Gracia 43, Barcelona
Phone: (34) 93 216 03 06
E-mail: infovisites@casabatllo.cat
Metro: L2 , L3, L4 (Passeig de Gracia)
Opening times: Mo - Sun, 9 - 20 h
Entrance fee: 16,50€ (audio guide included)

Here some first impressions: