Barcelona apartments, Barcelona Hotels,

Eixample is a neighbourhood of Barcelona that stands for its characteristic architecture. The name "Eixample" means extension and is a planed district of Barcelona with a special flair.

Travellers who are interested in architecture will recognize the appealing charme of the houses across the district. Visitors are not only able to admire this architecture; they are also able to live in one of the numerous hotels in Barcelona, especially in the neighbourhood of Eixample.

The architecture is characterized by its square blocks of houses and bevelled angles that are called "Chaflanes". Also, Eixample is characterized by its modernistic architecture that has been developed in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Eixample's genisis begins with the tear-off of the old city walls. At that time a lot of immigrates came to the city. The government in Madrid and the local government in Barcelona considered it necessary to build a new part of town. Therefore, they assigned the Catalan architect and builder Ilderfons Cerdà.

He wanted to create a part of town, where the people have enough place to live, as well as offering some natural corners, such as little parks. However, the city government rejected this idea. They rather wanted to ensure the building of new apartments. Only little of Cerdà's ideas have been realized.

Nevertheless, the district of Eixample is a beautiful place that offers a unique architecture. The Casa Milà and the Casa Matiló are two artworks created by Antonio Gudi. Both are part of UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage and gems of Barcelona's architecture.

If you are planning to spend your next holiday in Barcelona and you are interested in culture and art, you should definitely go to visit the MACBA. The museum of modern art is located in the "Raval" area not far away from a comfortable Barcelona apartment or Barcelona hotel.
Even the building of the museum is extraordinary and reminds one of the Modernism. Created by the American Richard Meier it was opened 1995. The rooms are illuminated by natural light and you will have a great view over the square infront of the building. Furthermore, there is also a library in the museum with mainly books of art.
The main part of the exhibitions contains of the contemporary art from the last 50 years. The art is from Spanish people as well as from all over the world. In addition concerts, events and courses take place.

The whole exhibition contains of 300 paintings, 150 sculptures and 800 drawings.
The outstanding thing about the museum is that the shown art is about events of the day and politic and questioned it consistently.
You see it is really worth a visit, even if you don´t know much about art. The closest metro stations are Catalunya and Universitat. From there it is quite simple to find it. During the week the opening hours are from 11:00 am to 7:30 pm, except on Thursday.

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.

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 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:

Catalonia is known for its excellent Mediterranean and culinary food. In Catalonia you can find various restaurants in that you can experience the exceptional Catalan food. Their chefs are known for giving their meals a handful of essential ingredients like olive oil, garlic and tomato which gives Catalan cooking the special Mediterranean flair. The creativity of the Catalan cuisine is known in the whole country. Specialties are for example to cook meat with fruits, to mix nuts and raisins into vegetables or to combine rabbit with snails. It is a great experience to visit Barcelona and try the amazing cuisine during your stay you can live on on of the various Barcelona hotels.

The Catalan food is an important ingredient of the Mediterranean tradition. You will notice neighboring influences from France and Valencia when enjoying the extraordinary Catalan cuisine. The closeness to the sea also influences the cuisine by adding a lot of seafood. In general you can find 3 kind of Catalan cuisine. There is the cuisine from the Mountains, with its meat, cheese, sausages, and vegetables. Then you have the cuisine of the coast which includes fish with rice, pasta or potatoes. Finally there is the cuisine from the cities with its diversity of traditional and international meals.

A visit in Catalonia is not just advised because of the great cuisine, the nature and culture of Catalonia is also very interesting. The region satisfies every kind of traveler. You can travel to the big city Barcelona, you can do a party holiday in Lloret de Mar or Blanes or you can just spend a relaxing holiday on the nice Catalan coast with its long beaches. During your stay you can stay in one of the various Costa Brava hotels or Costa Dorada hotels.

The FC Barcelona is one of the biggest and most impressive football clubs in the world. If you visit the city of Barcelona you should definitely watch a game of the FC Barcelona or at least visit their museum including the stadium. During your stay in Barcelona you can live in one of the numerous Barcelona hotels or you can rent a comfortable Barcelona apartment.

The Camp Nou, which is the great stadium of the FC Barcelona, is situated in the middle of the neighborhood Les Corts. It is the biggest stadium in Europe, with a capacity of 98.600 seats. You can easily reach it with the Metro lines 3 and 5. Tickets for the FC Barcelona are really easy to get. The FC Barcelona has signed several world famous players. One of them is Lionel Messi, who is seen as the best football player in the world of many football experts. In summer 2009 the club won the Champions League which underlines the extraordinary strength of the team.

The Motto of the FC Barcelona is "més que un club", which means more then a club. The motto totally fits for most of their supporters. For most of them the FC Barcelona is part of the family. The club is the way of life and is a symbol for freedom and home. Especially for the proud Catalans, it is a pleasure to win against their unpopular enemy Real Madrid which represents the central Spanish force Madrid. This game decides every year again about the mood of most Catalans.

If you experienced the atmosphere in this stadium once, then you will realize that the FC Barcelona is more than just a football club. If you feel like visiting this stadium now, then come to Barcelona and spend a few days in a comfortable Barcelona accommodation. The city also offers more cultural and artistic highlights, so that you can also discover a lot of other attractions besides the stadium.

Each region of Spain and other countries has his own traditions and celebrations. As eastern is approaching, I would like to provide you with some useful information about eastern in Barcelona.
"Semana Santa" is the name for the eastern week in Barcelona and the Catalan culture generally and means "Holy week". During this week, more than 600 000 habitants of Barcelona leave the city and with their families travel to other villages, sea-side locations or even abroad.
Typical Catalan Easter processions can be seen in different churches of Barcelona. For instance, the church "La Iglesia de San Agusti", which is located in Barcelona's district Raval is a nice location to experience this procession with its traditional music and its sinister hooded penitents. The celebration there starts at 17:00 and more than 300 people are expected to attend it. Another nice place to see the Catalanian Easter celebration is by the "Iglesia de Sant Jaume" in the centrally located Gothic district, also at 17:00. Both occurrings take place on "Good Friday".
Of course, eastern in the Catalan culture has also a culinary side: The most important culinary delight is the "Mona de Pasqua" eastern sweets which can be found everywhere during Eastern. It is a must, that the godfather gives such a delicious chocolate composition to his godson after the Easter mass on Sunday. On the following day, the Easter-Monday, there is usually a family-gathering where they will eat paella or rabbit together bevor eating lots of "Mona de Pasqua" as dessert afterwards. (And of course, the wine is not missing too!)

The sweet "Mona de Pasquas" can be found in many different shapes and colors almost in almost every pastry shop during Eastern. For instance, sometimes you can find houses and little man in chocolate shape which can be eaten.
Eastern is an occasion to spend holidays in Barcelona and experience this very important celebration and get your own "Mona de Pasquas" - you will love it!!!

One of the most famous sights and probably the symbol of Barcelonian architecture is the massive Roman Catholic Church Sagrada Familiawhich has been under construction since 1882.

The church was designed by the famous Catalonian artist Antonio Gaudi who dedicated 40 years to this project. It is supposed to be finished by 2026. Sagrada Familia is very rich in Christian symbols due to Gaudi intending to build the "last great sanctuary of Christendom". Its 18 tall towers symbolize the Twelve Apostels, the 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary and the tallest of all Jesus Christ.

The construction of this unique project is financed through private investors (Roman Catholic church as well as the government do not fund this project) and the money spent by visitors on entrance and funding. More than 2, 26 Million people have already visited the Sagrada Familia and it does not seem to become less.
Opening hours are from October - March from 9am to 6pm and from April - September from 9am to 8pm. General entrance fee lies at 11€.

If you want to stay in the nice neighborhood of the Sagrada Familie during your stay in Barcelona, the best apartment to choose would be the Eixample Sagrada Familia Apartment.

Parc Güell

Situated in the district of Gràcia, designed by the architect Gaudi and part of the UNESCO World Heritage, Park Güell is probably the most famous park in Barcelona. It can be reached by metro or bus (the town's touristic bus tours are also coming to the park). The entrance to the park is free and from there you have a beautiful sight over all of Barcelona. The park is marked with colourful mosaics on benches, stairs and walls. Different animals such as snakes and saurians are lining the buildings. The park was designed on behalf of the manufacturer Eusebi Güell who loved the parks he has seen in England and wanted the same for Barcelona. Best access to the park is given if you sleep in one of the apartments in Gracia such as the Goya Loft penthouse.

Parc de la Ciutadella

This park is located in the city centre and includes the Barcelona Zoo, several museums and a huge fountain. The park was named after the citadel, a fortress located on the outskirts where King Philips V kept control over the people of Barcelona. The symbol of central government was nearly destroyed in the 19th century. Only the chapel, the governor's palace and the arsenal, now hosting the Catalan parliament survived the demolishment. At the northern corner of the park, the Cascada is located, an triumphal arch with waterfall and fountain to built for the Universal exhibition in 1888 hosted by Barcelona.

Montjuic

The Montjuic is not only famous because you have the best view over the town, hosted the Olympic games in 1992 and the world exhibition in 1929 but also because of its wonderful parks all over the mountain. The museu nacional is situated on this mountain and shows off some of the best artists in Catalunya. It is also home to a huge castle and the museum of the famous catalan artist Joan Miró. The castle is especially famous for all the activists, politicians and socialist executed during the Franco regime. The beautiful apartment Magalhaes Poble Sec Apartment is the best opportunity when you want to be close to this famous sight of Barcelona.
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Barcelona, one of the top city spots in Europe and a famous tourist destination all around the year, has many a lot to offer to visitors. Spending Barcelona holidays sightseeing will be one of the main things to do to get to know the city and its rich cultural, historic and architectural heritage. From A as Arc Triomf to Z for the Zoo of Barcelona you will have plenty of choices to discover the Catalonian capital. From the heart of the city, Plaza Catalunya, you can stroll around Barcelona´s center with the Gothic quarter and the famous Ramblas. Gaudi´s artworks throughout the city, including Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell and La Pedrera, are another "must visit".
After visiting the city center holiday makers can relax on the Barcelona beaches or enjoy best cuisine in one of the restaurants at Port Vell. On the evenings from Thursday to Sunday it is worth to go to Montjuic near Plaza Espanya to see the Magic Fountain - a unique light, music and water spectacle.
Barcelona is an amazing city where you probably only see your Barcelona accommodation for sleeping a few hours as there is so much to discover.
Traveling with children it might be a perfekt choice to choose a Barcelona apartment for the stay offering privacy, calmness and a Barcelona home that will never be forgotten.
Come to Barcelona and enjoy the Catalan hospitality in a breathtaking beautiful city!

Those spending Barcelona holidays at the end of September should not miss to discover Catalan culture at the biggest "fiesta" of the city, La Mercè 2008.
Barcelona will be celebrating around the 24th of September in honor of Mercè, the patron saint of the city. More than 500 different cultural, music and dancing acts will be expected.
Wheter your Barcelona accommodation is in the heart of the city or a bit more outside - from 24th of September you will be able to experience Barcelona even more active than on normal days. All day long, from family friendly activities up to long night concerts for all music tastes throughout the city you are welcome to celebrate together with the locals!
Some of the highlights will be: the performance of the "castellers" building high human towers of up to 9 floors and the "correfoc". This is a parade where Barcelona will be inflamed when fire-breathing dragons and devils will be dancing around the streets to the noise of fireworks and drums.

After Barcelona inhabitants and guests of the city have been enjoying the colourful Festa Major de Grácia, the next "Fiesta Mayor" of Barcelona´s districts is going to start! Tonight, the district Sants-Montjuic starts its Festa Major. Until the 31st of August a variety of activities, cultural programs, music and concert acts and other "fiesta" elements will invite locals and Barcelona visitors to join the Festa Major de Sants.
Sants is a really nice neighbourhood of Barcelona. Holiday makers will find offers for Barcelona apartments and Barcelona hotels in this charming neighbourhood, right next to Montjuic and the Fira Barcelona. If you want to see Barcelona´s Magic Fountain on Montjuic, near Plaza Espanya, you just need to walk. By metro you can reach the city center within 10 minutes.
Furthermore, the main train station "Barcelona Sants Estació" offering a direct connection to the Barcelona airport is located in the heart of Sants.

Discover Sants and join its Festa Major tonight and during the next week!

This night Barcelona´s streets will be filled with life and people. Come and celebrate Sant Joan (St. John´s Day) in the streets and on the beaches of Barcelona. Celebrations take place across the city and will be crowned by bonfires, fascinating fireworks and plenty of concerts and dances. In the night before Sant Joan every Barcelona holiday maker should leave their Barcelona hotel or Barcelona apartment to join the biggest fiesta of Spain´s cultural highlights during the year in the heart of Catalunya. Celebrations last from sunset on 23rd of June to sunrise on 24th of June which will be a bank holiday in Spain. Every district of Barcelona will have its own little fiestas with bonfires and plenty of activities. Traditionally, Sant Joan is most of all celebrated on the beaches. Staying at Barcelona hotels in Barceloneta and Barcelona hotels in Borne you will be close to vibrant party nightlife on the beaches of Barcelona combined with long-lasting traditions to celebrate the summer. Don´t miss to swim in the Mediterranean on midnight to forget all the stress and problems of the last months and start a new episode of life by refreshing yourself in the sea. You should also try the traditional dish of Sant Joan. In various shops and bakeries you can by sweet cocas, a special Sant Joan cake. If you want to know more about the Sant Joan celebrations in Barcelona, please visit the official Sant Joan web page of the city. Have a good time!

In Barcelona Corpus Christi is celebrated with parades of giants and big-headed carnival figures known as 'Cabezudos' that converge around the cathedral area in the centre of the city. Processions of Corpus Christi can be seen in many cities of Spain. One of the most known proccesions include those of Granada, Barcelona, Toledo, Cádiz, Valencia and Sevilla. If you are staying at a Barcelona hotel on the 22nd of May you should jaunt to the Cathedral of Barcelona. At the square around the cathedral the celebration of the L'ou com Balla, or "dancing egg" festival, will take place. The L'ou com Balla is a tradition dating back to the 16th century. But what is it about? At many fountains in the city, which are decorated with fragrant flowers, an emptied eggshell is perched above a stream of water. As the eggshell climbs up the water jet, it appears to dance on the top of it.
During the summer there will be many more festivals held in Barcelona. Have a look at the Calendar of Barcelona holidays and festivals provided by BarcelonaPoint.com so that you don't miss one of the cultural highlights in the Catalunya sunshine capital.

Sardana - a two-step and certainly much quicker to grasp than Flamenco, has its origins in Empordà, Catalunya. It is not a typical Mediterranean folks dance it might be comparable to the Greek Siataki, as it is also a dance danced in a circle. The participants hold their hands above their heads and a band of about a dozen people starts to play the wooden flute and step by step other instruments join in. You may also join the people dancing Sardana. If you have a downtown Barcelona accommodation, you may join them on a sunday at noon in front of the cathedral, or saturday late afternoon, at 7pm and wednesday at 6:30 pm. also in front of the cathedral. Of course, you are not obliged to join in, you may also watch them from the street or your Barcelona holiday apartment close to the cathedral.
Let's dance!

They might involve running through fireworks, gobbling grapes or raffling pigs, but parties are the life and soul of barcelona, and an enthusiastic crowd always materialises to make things go with a bang. Even though there are 15 public holidays a year, the notoriously hard working barcelonins somehow find the energy to celebrate even the smallest events before an early start at the office the next day. Most of those events take place in the center of Barcelona. The annual round of 30 or so neighbourhood festes share many traditional Barcelona events; among them are castellers (human castles) and papier mâché giants, both spectacular for rather different reasons, and the correfoc is a nocturnal frenzy of pyromania, when groups of devils dance through the streets, floutiing almost every safety rule in the book. The orderly antidote to this pandemonium is the sardana, Cataloni's folk dance. Watching the dancers executing their fussy little hops and steps in a large circle, it's hard to believe that sardanes were once banned as a vestige of pagan witchcraft.The sardana is much harder than it looks, and the joy lies in taking part rather than watching.
If you feel like taking part in one of the events and festivals taking place in Barcelona during the year just book a Barcelona apartment or Barcelona Hotel and enjoy the special atmosphere.

The night between the 23rd and the 24th of June, Catalan people celebrate the Sant Joan. This night is the shortest of the year and it is the summer solstice. Then the 24th is the longest day of the year. Bonfires and fireworks take place in the whole city. Sant Joan holds 3 symbols. The first is fire which is a sign of purifying element. At Sant Joan eve, people throw old furniture on to fire. The second symbol is water, which is said to have curative virtues, that's why people bath in the sea during the night. Finally the third symbol is herbs like thyme, verbena or rosemary which are said to multiply their curative properties during this night.
At this occasion people eat the ?coca? which is a kind of bread, sweet or savoury, with pinenuts on the top and filled with custard.
If you want to enjoy this unique experience just rent a Barcelona apartment and take part in this event.

Barcelona has a lot of festivities all year long.
On the 6th of January is the Kings Day (El Dia Dels Reis). There are processions in the streets with walk-on actors dressed like the Three Wise Men who give candies to the children.
At the end of February is the Carnival of Shrove Tuesday as well as the celebration of Santa Eulalia, the patron saint of Barcelona.
In March the Holy Week is an important religious event, with many processions in every city.
The 23rd of April, boys offer a rose to girls and girls offer a book to boys for the Sant Jordi, a patron saint of Catalonia. The book stands for the death anniversary of Cervantes, a famous Catalan writer but also of Shakespeare. The rose comes from the legend of Sant Jordi who killed a dragon. The story says that a rosewood bloomed at the place where the dragon was killed.
The 20th of May comes Pasqua Granada, the second Easter.
For the Saint-John, on the 24th of June, people meet on the street and concerts, dances and pyrotechnics are organized everywhere in the streets. On this occasion, people in Spain eat the 'coca' a special sweet bread.
On the 15th of August, the Catalans celebrate the Assumption.
The 11th of September is the national Day of Catalonia. At this day, in 1714, Catalonia was defeated by the Spanish armies of Philippe V of Bourbon. Catalonia lost its national liberties, its own politics and the Catalan language and culture were prohibited.
Mercè is also a patron saint of Barcelona and is celebrated on the 24th of September, because she showed much bravery in pushing back alone a grasshoppers invasion in 1637.
Finally in December, the week before Christmas is the occasion of the Carnival of Santa Llucia. You can find many stands with the figurines of the crib, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men...
It's nice to come to Barcelona for one of this events and get to know the traditions of Catalonia. It's easy to find the suitable Barcelona accommodation.

Spain is known for its gastronomy and nobody will be disappointed of the Catalan food! Moreover, Barcelona is said to be the capital of the Catalan gastronomy. The Catalan cuisine uses basic ingredients that we all know, but its particularity is to mix them in an unusual but delicious way. Thence come tasty flavours that delight your plate.
One of my favourite type of meal are the tapas. Of course we all know tapas, but what I enjoy the most are the 'pa amb tomàquet' : bread rubbed with tomatoe and garlic and spayed with olive oil. Delicious! Tapas can be cold or warm and enables you to taste plenty of different things because of the small portions.
What else? The paella of course! With a lot of seafood. Actually I prefer the Fideua, exactly the same than the paella with prawns, scampis, chicken, pepper, tomatoes but vermicellis substitute rice.
Another speciality I discovered during the spring is the Calçotada; the calçots are kind of new onions burnt in vine shoots; you have to 'decaçote' then, it means to put off the first skin and then to eat them with this special sauce : romanesco. It tastes really good!
As desserts, we have to name the crema catalana, perfumed with cinnamon or the pastisset, a richness cake with anise.
To help you going on with all this tasty meals, Catalonia proposes severals drinks. La Orxata (or Orgeat) comes from la Chufa, a sort of papyrus growing in the marshland of the Guadalquivir and from which the essence is taken. The region also offers good wine from the Penedès, an area which cultivates numerous grape varieties. Finally, the Cava is the most known speciality of Catalonia; it's the Catalan Champagne, a really tasty sparkling wine.
If you like cooking, I think the funniest is to try making these recipes by yourself, at home. If you come on holidays, I know that you can rent Barcelona apartments which have nice kitchens with all the appliances. The apartment in Barcelona, located in the Eixample Dreta is a relly nice one.