Barcelona apartments, Barcelona Hotels,

The district La Barceloneta contains a broad sandy beach. Due to the fact that Barcelona is directly located at the Mediterranean Sea, is it possible to enjoy the beach atmosphere and relax after the sightseeing-tour. The beach of La Barceloneta provides everything you need at the beach, like white sand and a gentle surge.

Directly situated at the beach there are many bars and small restaurants. There you can drink and also eat with the panorama of the sea and nice music in the background. Furthermore, there is the possibility to rent sunshades and beach couches.

Besides that the beach offers public utilities. There are public toilettes and douches to make sure that everybody can enjoy the day on the beach. Moreover, the beach is guarded by employees of the Red Cross. Thus, swimming in the sea can be a save fun. There is also tourist information at the beach and the employees are always willing to answer all the questions about Barcelona.

To stay very close to the beach you can rent an apartment or hotel in Barcelona, situated in Barceloneta. These are relatively cheap und very central located. As the water in the sea is still warm enough to swim in autumn and many days with sun are provided, it is advisable to plan your Barcelona holiday in that time. Besides that the city and especially the beach are not as overcrowded with tourists as in the main summer time.

A holiday in Barcelona during the summer would not be complete without sampling some of the city's typical drinks. With many fine restaurants, cafes and bars, you will be able to try traditional favorites such as Sangria or trendy drinks that have become popular in nightclubs and beach parties. Drinking a glass of wine or beer or two during an evening meal is common in Barcelona and in other parts of Spain. Here is a list of Barcelona´s most popular drinks:

Sangria
Sangria is a fruity mix of red wine, fresh fruits and other liquors. Even though this drink is considered traditional, there are many varieties that will appeal to your individual taste. You can add different fruit combinations and use a variety of wines that range in flavor, so that two glasses of Sangria will not taste the same.
Sangria is such a fun drink to have during the summertime because of its array of colors and flavors. Since the fruit is meant to soak up the wine, you will taste many flavors as you drink. Edible flowers are often added to give the drink a more colorful appearance.

Beer
In addition to fruit and vegetable based drinks, beer is very common in the bars and restaurants of Barcelona. A cold beer on a hot day is a great way to relax after a day of sightseeing. With many varieties, you should be able to find one that you like.

Orxata
Another popular drink you will find in Barcelona is Orxata. Made from water, sugar and tigernut, this refreshing drink can be found in bars, restaurants and street vendors. Even though this drink is simple to prepare, you will be amazed by the taste. You should have this drink with a dessert or as an afternoon snack between visits of museums and other historic sights of Barcelona. Many Barcelona hotels and cafes serve Orxata and other light drinks, so you should be able to find it easily.

After the lights and energy of Christmas, it's time to see in the new year. This is an exciting and vibrant time of the year in many faiths and countries around the world. It's a time to forgive and forget and to make those all important resolutions; most importantly, it's a time to start afresh. Experience New Years Eve in a cosmopolitan city and spend your holiday in Barcelona.

Keeping with tradition, the new year celebrations begin by eating twelve grapes, one for every time the clock chimes for midnight. In many Spanish places this is performed outside and the streets are covered with people eating grapes. In Barcelona, it is not seen as necessary to eat the grapes outside and many eat their grapes at home before venturing outside for the big party.

Every club and venue is called into action at this time and usually organizes a special new year party for which tickets are issued in most cases. There are also super-sized parties held in venues across the country and some people choose to hire out their own private venue for a special party of their own. Others may be slightly more intimate and hold a party at their Barcelona accommodation for friends and family only. Although a diminishing tradition, some people wait to see the sun rise over a beach. Traditional food associated with new year is "churros", a finger or banana shaped pastry and hot chocolate. During the New Years Eve time you can still find a lot of available Barcelona hotels and Barcelona apartments.

The first week of the new year is dedicated to children. On the night before the 5th January, the three kings - Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, disembark their ship at the harbour and there is a grand parade through the town with the kings and their pages - another opportunity for the children to get involved. The kings are then left alone in the city to hide presents. It is customary to write a letter to the kings and request specific presents although they may like to throw in a few little surprises.

These traditions are not all necessarily followed to the letter although the majority will participate, especially in the precession of the kings. In Barcelona Christmas is accepted as a time for having fun with friends and most importantly family.

Like many of the great European cities, Barcelona comes alive over the Christmas period. There are many traditions and activities for all ages as well as exciting festivals which capture the true spirit of Christmas. It is a great chance to spend a holiday in Barcelona during Christmas.

There is a Christmas market each year called the feria de Santa Lucia which is in operation form early December until Christmas eve. It is located in the Plaça de la Seu and Plaça Nova and has an array of hand crafted gifts and traditional nativity scenes. On a practical note there are also many opportunities to stock up on the Christmas essentials such as the all important tree. The streets surrounding the square are, of course, brilliantly adorned with every type of light conceivable in order to create a magical Christmas atmosphere. Around these two places you can find comfortable Barcelona apartments and Barcelona hotels.

For those who really like to get involved and really get into the Christmas spirit there is the Tio de Nadal. This is a decorated Log with a face painted on it. The idea is for children to find the log by coincidence and then beat it before Santa arrives. This is believed to release the presents and occurs on either Christmas eve or Christmas day itself. The children also sing songs to the log and this is a traditional activity.

Christmas day itself is a time for spending with the family and of course opening the presents which are placed underneath the Christmas tree. This is a very strong tradition in all Catalan homes and this often continues through to boxing day or St. Stephen's day. It is said that this period cannot pass properly without the famous cannelloni which is a dish prepared by hand consisting of square pasta sheets and a filling. In more modern times, many restaurants have been opening on boxing day and are therefore incredibly busy; they serve traditional Christmas meals and of course cannelloni. A lot of Barcelona hotels are also carrying out a special Christmas program with some activities and Christmas meals.

It is true that the modern way of celebrating Christmas has become very consumer lead but Barcelona is one of the few places which still has an incredibly strong sense of tradition. This is highly evident over the Christmas period during which the city really comes alive. You can experience true tradition by spending your Christmas holiday in Barcelona.

Gracia, one of the most beautiful districts in Barcelona lies at the north end of the Passeig de Gracia, and just north of the center of Barcelona. To get the distinctive feeling of this district, you must try and find a Barcelona hotel in its vicinity. It is a characteristic Catalan neighborhood, and unlike much of Barcelona, which is more cosmopolitan in nature. This part still retains a more local flavor.

Moreover, it is just a stone's throw away from the center of the City, making it a melting pot of tourists and locals. Quite a few people who visit Barcelona prefer to stay in Barcelona apartments in this quarter of the City. You can get a taste of the quaint old-world Spanish life-style with people spending a large part of their time on the many public squares that abound around the Gracia.

The area offers a nice collection of bars and restaurants that serve both the local, as well as, international cuisine. Bars such as the El Dorado have reached a ledgendary status, and all visitors, take time out to visit the bar at least once.

As already mentioned, you can find various types of hotels in Barcelona, which have opened shops in this area. They cater to all manner of budgets, and requirements. This will help you enjoy the Gracia, in a better manner.

If you want to see the famous architecture and modernist buildings of Barcelona, then there would be nothing better than taking a walk through the Gracia. You can feast your eyes on the buildings and their design that carry the stamp of famous architects like Antoni Gaudi.

If you are in Barcelona, then Gracia must be on your must-see list. Once your search for Barcelona accommodation is over, the first thing you should do is visit this inherently charming part of the City.

Love, music, happy endings and dance made in India. This is what makes Bollywood so popular at the moment. You can see Bollywood movies in TV now every week. But now you will have the chance to experience a unique Bollywood show that will make your holiday in Barcelona a special one!

A troupe of 35 actors, dancers and musicians arrived in Barcelona from Delhi to tell you this story. Don't waste your time and get your tickets for this exceptional show, because the last show will be on the 15th of November. The show will take place in the Teatre Victoria in the Parallel district, where you can also find great Barcelona apartments.

The show includes effects of light, by the fabulous scenery and beautiful costumes which will deliver you the perfect Bollywood feeling. They will put you directly into the mysteries of India, the rituals, magic and exotic landscapes. Sit back and marvel a fairytale come true. This show has already conquered the rest of Europe, now its your turn to fall for the charm of India.

The show can be seen from Wednesday until Sunday. Prices range from 22€ to 38€, depending on whether you want to sit on a standard seat or on a balcony seat.

How to get there:
The Teatre Victoria is situated in the Avenida Parallel 67-69. You can easily get there by Metro or bus. The Metro station "Parallel" is situated close to the theatre. You can use the Metro lines L2 and L3 to get there. There is also a bus stop in front of the theatre. The bus lines 20, 36, 57, 64, 157, N4 and N6 stop there.

Only a couple of decades ago, the moral legacy of the Spanish dictatorship confined homosexual behavior to a handful of underground bars and the city's gay population lived in fear of abuse on the streets. Nowadays, men with shaved heads and combats are more likely to be on their way to a leather bar than anything more sinister, and recent legislation introducing same-sex marriages caused hardly a ripple of dissent.

In Barcelona anything goes; most gay bars welcome straight drinkers, and vice versa. The lack of segregation means that there isn't a gay ghetto as such. The area bordered by the streets of Diputacio and Arago, Balmes and Villarroel in the Eixample is known as the "Gaixample" and is where most gay venues are concentrated. Yet even this isn't really a gaybourhood: although it has a buzz at night, the wide streets make it anything but villagey. In that area you can easily find a Barcelona hotel or a cozy Barcelona apartment.

For more information on what's going on in the city, pick up a copy of the free gay map or magazines from bars and gay bars. There are several discos where gays can enjoy theirselfes during the whole night. Barcelona even has a beach for the gays. Officially the San Sebastian beach in La Barceloneta is a nude beach, but in the summer months it is always full of gays.

Barcelona is a nice city anyway, and the Eixample district is one of the best and nicest area of Barcelona. If you intend to spend some days in Barcelona, you should stay in this area and also visit the other spots of interest. A Barcelona holiday is always a great experience for gays.