Apple Store in Barcelona- Passeig de Gracia

Apple is going to open is 2nd Apple Store in Barcelona on the number 1 of Passeig de Gracia!

Steve Jobs signed the paper work in California, USA with the family who own the building at Plaza Catalunya and the company who will do all the structural work. If everything goes to plan it will be open in less than 6 months time – approx. May 2011!

This whole building was occupied by Anarchists during the strikes in September! But hopefully they won’t break into the New Apple Store once it opens next year. Apple will have 3 floors with over 2500m2 of sales space and an additional 700m2 of storage space. The main floor already has a 4 m high ceiling but there are even rumors that they will be doing some demolition works to create a 12m high ceiling between the floors – perhaps this will allow enough space for the now iconic Apple glass staircase and entrance see at many other Apple stores like London and New York?


2nd Biggest Apple Store in Europe
This store will be the second biggest Apple Store in Europe behind London’s Covent Garden Apple Store.

The opening is sure to be a huge spectacle! We will most definitely be in attendance…! Holiday apartments for rent right next to the apple store!!! Come to Barcelona to visit it for its opening!!!

Christmas and New Year's Eve In Barcelona

Whoever would like to spend a few pleasant days in Barcelona enjoying the Christmas atmosphere on the streets must absolutely take in several events and know about certain customs from the secular tradition, some of them quite curious.

Christmas markets: Outdoor markets where you can find Christmas trees, figures for nativity scenes, decorations for the home and other decor items, in addition to lots of gift ideas. The most famous Christmas markets are:
-Santa Llucia Fair, around the cathedral until 23rd of December.
-Sagrada Familia Christmas Fair: until 23rd of December.
-Plaza de Sants Christmas Fair: until 23rd of December.
-Reyes (3 Kings) Fair: a fair featuring toys, gifts, crafts and Christmas items. Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes (between Muntaner and Entença). From 24th of December to 6th of January.


Tio de Nadal (Christmas Uncle): Starting on the feast day of the Immaculate Conception, the 8th of December, every night families begin to "feed" a tree trunk decorated with a face on one end, which is usually covered with a blanket so it doesn't get cold at night. On Christmas Day, the wooden "uncle" is put in the fire and after being hit it with a canem, it produces sweets and nougats for the children.


Traditional dishes: The traditional dishes at Christmas time are "escudella" stock and its "carn d'olla", followed by stuffed capon or turkey. For dessert, the traditional "turron" nougats are savoured, made with almonds, hazelnuts and honey, or marzipan and candied fruit.

New Year's Eve: New Year's Eve is celebrated with meals and parties as people await the sound of the twelve bells tolling on the city's clocks. At that point, everyone eats 12 "lucky grapes" to the beat of the 12 rings as they toast with cava and wish each other a Happy New Year.

Parade of the Three Wise Men: At sundown on the 5th of January, at 5:30pm to be precise, the Three Wise Men arrive in Barcelona and for three hours they parade around the city's most central streets in their royal carriages, tossing sweets to the children along the wayside.

Come to Barcelona in December and enjoy the Christmas and New Year's Eve atmosphere! Still apartments available at the best price!

Concert of MGMT in Barcelona, Razzmatazz

The MGMT, also known as “the Management”, will storm Barcelona with their psychedelic pop at Razzmatazz in Poble Nou in Barcelona on December 16th at 21:30.

The New York duo consists of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden, both originally from Connecticut. They got together in 2002, during a sabbatical year from Wesleyan University, and became a pop phenomenon, almost involuntarily. Apparently, MGMT never seriously thought they were going to turn into huge pop-stars. Even so, they have been a smashing yet unexpected success since their inception.



They like to repeat that it was not their intention to form a band, but just come out and share albums, “hang out”, go to concerts, listen to music and compose of course, but not necessarily make their creation a profession. They share the ethic of countless garage bands, annoying parents and neighbors with electric guitars and high volume screaming, all the while having fun. However, for MGMT everything flowed with amazing ease and speed, and the music ended up getting taking them along for a ride to international fame.

In early 2005, when they first were licensed, they went on tour in the U.S. to open for “Of Montreal” (another American indie rock group) and promote their new EP “Time to pretend” and in fall 2006, i.e. four years after their college musical joke kicked off, they were signing a multimillion dollar contract for four albums with Columbia Records.

In 2007 the recorded the album “Oracular Spectacular” a skillful mix of danceable pop and psychedelic electronics. In the same year were nominated “Artists of the Day” by Spin Magazine and appeared in the top 10 “Artists to Watch” by Rolling Stone magazine. Their first album debuted at twelfth place in the UK Album Chart and quickly reached the top spot on the Billboard Top Heatseekers.

Among the best tracks on the album are hugely popular hit “Kids” and the compelling “Electric Feel”, or even the more melancholy “Weekend Wars” and “FutureReflections.”




Why don't you come to Barcelona for a few days to enjoy MGMT's concert and the atmosphere of Chrismas in Barcelona!

Biutiful with Javier Bardem, takes place in Barcelona

Biutiful, Alejandro González Iñárritu's latest film, shot in Barcelona and starring Javier Bardem, was presented over here this Tuesday and coming out tomorrow in the cinema. The film tells the story of Uxbal, a man in free fall who has to put his house in order before his time runs out.

Biutiful is a love story between a father and his children. This is the journey of Uxbal, a conflicted man who struggles to reconcile fatherhood, love, spirituality, crime, guilt and mortality amidst the dangerous underworld of modern Barcelona. His livelihood is earned out of bounds, his sacrifices for his children know no bounds. Like life itself, this is a circular tale that ends where it begins. As fate encircles him and thresholds are crossed, a dim, redemptive road brightens, illuminating the inheritances bestowed from father to child, and the paternal guiding hand that navigates life’s corridors, whether bright, bad – or biutiful.





Why won't you come to Barcelona and feel the real Barcelona! We have lots of offers of apartments for rent for all december!

Barcelona Shopping Night

White Night of fashion comes to Passeig de Gràcia



December 2nd 2010 from 20h until late in the night



Passeig de Gràcia's retail establishments are holding their first fashion White Night on Thursday 2 December, with over 50 shops taking part. There will also be design and fashion-related activities going on in the emblematic hotels and buildings on this, one of Barcelona's major high streets.

You probably never thought you would be able to savour an escudella broth made by Carme Ruscalleda outside the Hotel Mandarin Oriental or see an exhibition of customised chairs in the centre of Passeig de Gràcia.

But all that, and much more, will be possible this Thursday, 2 December, when over fifty retail establishments, the Bulevard Rosa and several hotels will be open from 8 pm to 12 am for Shopping Night, an event already held in the main capitals of Europe.

Ultimately the aim is not to make the White Night a big sales night but to position Barcelona and the Passeig de Gràcia as an international shopping destination and link that with the Christmas festivities.

Barcelona Shopping Night is therefore taking place on the same night that Barcelona switches on its Christmas lights, which will be on for 36 days at over 300 city locations and lighting up 60 km of streets.

A passport of flowers and a party


Anyone wishing to buy something at any of these shops will have to take out a Shopping Passport, a small booklet supplying the addresses of the shops that will also come in useful for the "Gimcana de les Flors" and will be available at specialist information points.

For every euro spent at one of the shops taking part in Shopping Night, buyers will receive a flower-shaped stamp and, as they accumulate these, they will be able to enter lotteries for cruises, ski-resort holidays and nights in luxury hotels.

And, besides the shops and their products, which you can enjoy at a very unusual time, at midnight this unique city location will become the setting for a big fiesta.

"David Missoni", a sculpture over six metres high and dressed in moving fabrics by dEmo, will be installed on the avenue, as a collection of unique, customised industrial items and a large design tent with fashion and design celebrities from Barcelona will be at other points.

In addition, the Mariscal and Custo exhibitions will also be opening at La Pedrera and Casa Batlló respectively, with Carme Ruscalleda serving escudella broth and Jean-Luc Figueras serving up hot chocolate and churros.


Book a last minute flight or take your car and come to Barcelona to don't miss this incredible Fashion Event! If you're looking for a place to stay, we are here for you. We can propose you a large choice of apartments really close to the Passeig de Gracia!

El Clásico 2010 FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid 29/11/2010

El Clásico Monday 29th November 2010

El Clásico 2010 FC Barcelona - Real Madrid Monday 29th November 2010, El Clásico will Kick Off time 21:00 CET Camp Nou Barcelona Match date was changed to avoid a clash with regional elections in Catalunya, the professional league (LFP).

Today, FC Barcelona’s assistant coach Tito Vilanova has slammed the Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho as well as undervalued Real Madrid’s charm. La Vanguardia quoted the Barca assistant coach as saying:
“Jose Mourinho is a football coach who never talks of football. That’s something we don’t like because stress isn’t good for anyone.

Champions Barca will host Real, who top the standings by a point from their arch-rivals after 10 games, for the match at the Nou Camp at 21:00 CET, the LFP said.

The decision had been taken to avoid "the security problems that the coincidence of the two events on the same weekend could cause," they added.

Last season's two 'Clasicos' were a key factor in deciding the outcome of a league totally dominated by Barca and Real and the same is likely to happen in this campaign.

Barca won both last term, edging the match at the Nou Camp 1-0 and winning 2-0 in Madrid, and pipped Real to the title by a record 99 points to 96. Valencia were third on 71 and Sevilla fourth on 63.
Manel Arroyo, a Barca director responsible for finance and marketing, told the club's television channel they would have liked the match to have been a day earlier on the Sunday but they understood the reasons for the decision and accepted it.

"We asked for it not to be on the Saturday and we would have preferred it to be on the Sunday but we understand that the schedules of the authorities, the security services and the television companies were chock full," he said.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola, now in his third season, has led his team to victory in all four 'Clasicos' since he took charge, including a 6-2 drubbing of Real at their Bernabeu stadium in May 2009, while Jose Mourinho will be experiencing his first as Real coach.

The return match at the Bernabeu is the weekend of April 16/17 2011



Come to Barcelona with your friends to see El Clasico, the most popular match in Spain between the two best teams, and rent an apartment close to Camp Nou or in the center to feel the athmosphere of a bar!

Lady Gaga concert in Barcelona

Global phenomenon Lady Gaga performs in Barcelona in the Palau Sant Jordi, for the only concert in Spain on her Monster Ball Tour on Tuesday 7th December 2010. Tickets on sale from 6th May 2010 at Ticketmaster, Servicaixa and El Corte Inglés

Lady Gaga is a phenomenon for the media, for fans and especially for the music and fashion industries. She is able to reinvent herself like a molting animal, sometimes even dresses in dead animals, thus causing all kinds of journalists and ideologues to spend rivers of ink singing her praises and dissecting her every gesture.

It seems that the New York singer is poised to inherit the mantle of number one diva from Madonna, and more than projecting a set artistic identity, is channeling the development of a lifetime brand. Madonna, the pop musical phoenix capable of channelling society´s ethos in every moment, meet Lady Gaga, your spotlight loving successor. Of course, just as when Madonna was at the beginning of her career, and causing a pop-culture revolution, Lady Gaga has made a splash whose eventual impact can only be imagined, and is most likely underestimated by critics.

But who can blame this young woman for wanting to take the lead in an industry, by using clothing, occasional histrionics or outrageous statements? The fact is that Lady Gaga has demonstrated with her impressive ticket and record sales that she is more than just a girl wrapped in a piece of meat, and behind all the money and publicity machine, there is also a girl who takes the stage in front of thousands of people and does her job.

If you have a long weekend or few days of holidays, come to Barcelona to enjoy the city and maybe come to Lady Gaga's concert! We will find you a place to stay!

European Poker Tour Barcelona Event Underway

The current stop of the European Poker Tour is being held at the Casino Barcelona located in Barcelona, Spain. The tournament schedule will take place from November 22nd – November 27th.

The buy-ins start at €300 for several of events which is less than last year, so this should please the competitors that will participate in this tournament. There are other events with buy-ins that range from €500 to €3,000, and a high stakes No Limit Hold’em event with a buy-in of €10,000. There is also additional good news for the competitors as this year’s buy-in for the championship event has been lowered to €5,000 compared to €8,000 in last year’s event. There is also a Ladies’ event with a €300 buy-in.

The Barcelona events proved to be popular in last year’s European Poker Tour Barcelona, drawing 1,276 competitors. Each event had over 100 participants, with the championship event drawing a crowd of 479 entrants. With the sizeable turnout of competitors this translated into very good payouts for the scheduled events. The championship Main Event saw the winner collect a gigantic prize of €850,000.

The final table witnessed Carter Phillips take home the €850,000. Second place belonged to Marc Goodwin with winnings of €530,000, and in third place was Santiago Terrazas with €300,000.

This year the casino has announced the event will be taking place in an annex of the Gran Casino at the Arts Hotel, which will provide more room for the event than in previous years. With the lower buy-ins this year and especially with the lower Main Event buy-in this tournament at the Casino Barcelona should be a thrilling place to be in November.

Come to Barcelona for the Poker Tour and rent an apartment close to the Casino or more in the centre!

The leading global event: EIBTM takes place in Barcelona

Where the world meets?
The Global Meeting and Events Exhibition in Barcelona in the end of November



Dates and Opening Times
Tuesday 30 November (10:00 - 18:00)
Wednesday 1 December (10:00 - 19:00)
Thursday 2 December 2010 (10:00 - 17:00)

The Address
Fira Gran Via Barcelona
Recinto Gran Via
Avenida Juan Carles I, 58-64
Hall 3
08908 L'Hospitalet de Llogregat (Barcelona)
Spain

Transportation Tickets
Transportation passes for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days for travel between the city and the Fira Gran Via will be available to purchase at the tourist information desk at the Accesso Sud entrance.

Ways to Visit

Hosted Buyers
Eligibility is based on your involvement and influence in budgetary decisions for meetings, incentive travel, international conventions, product launches, staff training or events.

Trade Visitor
Meetings and events industry professionals looking to experience the latest products, services and destinations and build business connections. Register now for free and benefit from fast track entry, free show preview magazine and discounts on travel.

Students
Students are also welcome to attend EIBTM. With a dedicated educational programme designed for students and young professionalsEIBTM provides the opportunity to meet key industry players and develop understanding of the exciting world of meetings and events.

Press
Industry journalists are welcome to attend EIBTM as members of the international press to report on news from the show and global industry. Please note that press registration is for journalists, editors and photographers only, all other non journalistic staff should register as a visitor.


Why Visit EIBTM?
•Meet over 3,000 top international suppliers from over 100 countries across the globe
•Keep up-to-date with industry trends
•Discover new destinations, products and services
•Build and develop business contacts on the show floor and through the several networking events
•Make purchasing decisions
•Develop your knowledge through the extensive Education Programme
•Experience Barcelona - a vibrant city and one of the world's major meetings and events destinations

Rent a cheap apartment and come to visit Barcelona and make part of this incredible event!!

The Barcelona City Guide: The Cirque du Soleil in Barcelona

The Barcelona City Guide: The Cirque du Soleil in Barcelona: "Until 02 January, the Cirque du Soleil is setting up shop in Barcelona with Varekai, a spectacular which offers a reinterpretation of the I..."

The Cirque du Soleil in Barcelona

Until 02 January, the Cirque du Soleil is setting up shop in Barcelona with Varekai, a spectacular which offers a reinterpretation of the Icarus myth and pays tribute to the nomadic spirit of circus artists. The Grand Chapiteau, the Canadian circus company's spectacular big tent, will become a magical forest full of fantastic creatures.


Deep within a forest, at the summit of a volcano, exists an extraordinary world—a world where something else is possible. A world called Varekai.




From the sky falls a solitary young man, and the story of Varekai begins. Parachuted into the shadows of a magical forest, a kaleidoscopic world populated by fantastical creatures, this young man sets off on an adventure both absurd and extraordinary. On this day at the edge of time, in this place of all possibilities, begins an inspired incantation to life rediscovered.




The word Varekai means "wherever" in the Romany language of the gypsies the universal wanderers. This production pays tribute to the nomadic soul, to the spirit and art of the circus tradition, and to the infinite passion of those whose quest takes them along the path that leads to Varekai.

Varekai features down-tempo, chill-out house music with a Latin flavour, inspired by the 2002 production of Varekai.

Espectacle 'Varekai', a càrrec de Cirque du Soleil
From 05/11/2010 to 02/01/2011
Grand Chapiteau (Gran Carpa) a la Plataforma del Zoo Marí
Av Litoral, 99
Sant Martí

Enjoy the Low Season to rent an apartment in Barcelona and see the Spectacle of the Cirque du Soleil in Barcelona!

International photojournalism exhibition in Barcelona

World Press Photo 2010
International professional photojournalism exhibition



Photographic Social Vision presents for the sixth consecutive year the exhibit World Press Photo to the Barcelona public. The traveling exhibit, which reached 35,000 visitors in Barcelona in 2009, is considered worldwide to be the most important in photojournalism because of the quality of photography and the debate and criticism that the presented work generates. It provides an occasiontosee the social, political, cultural and sport-related events from the last year through the eyes of the current best photojournalists, at the same time that it gives these photojournalists the opportunity to present work frequently censured by governments and the media.

The winning photograph from the current edition, from the Italian Pietro Masturzo, immortalizes the women on the roofs of apartment buildings in Tehran protesting the presidential election results in June, 2009. It is a suggestive image that invites the viewer to discover the story behind it slowly, even though as the author confesses, it was not easy to get published given the reticence of Italian and international editors. It is a story often repeated by other photographers in the exhibit.


The 170 winning photos in the contest enable the public to be informed about the state of the world. The show stands out for its esthetic excellence, informative quality, sensitivity and honesty.

In the words of Silvia Omedes, Director of Photographic Social Vision, “Our foundation celebrates the consolidation of the exhibit in the cultural calendar of Barcelona because it demonstrates the growing public interest in alternative sources of information.”

For yet another year, the international independent jury formed of 19 members has chosen the winning images from a vast array of participants including photojournalists, press agencies and newspapers from around the world. In the 2010 edition of World Press Photo, 5,847 photographers participated (among which 195 were Spanish) from 128 countries, with 101,960 images submitted in 10 categories: People in the News, Spot News, General News, Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, Arts and Entertainment, Sports Action, Sports Feature, Nature and Portraits.

Photographic Social Vision, the organizing entity for the exhibit in Barcelona, is a private non-profit foundation that this year is able to bring World Press Photo 2010 to Barcelona through ticket sales, just as it did with the 2009 edition. During the last nine years, the foundation has managed the creation, production and exposition of photojournalist reports and audiovisuals with the objective to inform and create consciousness in society about social realities and problems that receive little attention, and as such encourage public interest in photojournalism. Photographic Social Vision is well known for its coverage of social issues via documentary photography. DOMESTIC, the latest exhibit created and realized by Photographic Social Vision in April of 2010 in the Espai Cultural de Caja Madrid is a clear demonstration of this.

The Dutch foundation World Press Photo has been supporting international photojournalism for more than 50 years, and is the organizer of the most prestigious annual contest for photojournalism. The World Press Photo exhibit is shown annually in more than 80 cities in 40 countries, and is visited by more than 2 million people worldwide. These images educate us, impact us, and above all else they invite us to reflect upon our society. As a result, World Press Photo is an exhibit that communicates values, that generates public opinion year after year through the multiple points of view on surprising and remarkable situations that are selected.


More information: www.photographicsocialvision.org

From 4 November 2010 to 8 December 2010
Opening hours
From Tuesday to Sunday from 11a.m. to 8p.m.
Thusday 11 a.m. at 10 p.m.
Closed on non-holiday Mondays

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exhibition prices
Price to one exhibition: 4,50€

Combined ticket for two or more exhibitions: 6€ / 4,50€
Concession: 3,40€ non-holiday Wednesdays, senior citizens, students and group visits (minimum 20 persons)
Free admission for under –16s, Friends of the CCCB, holders of the Tarjeta Rosa senior citizens card, the unwaged, members of the ICOM and on the first Wednesday of every month, Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Come to Barcelona to see and admire this exhibition and rent an apartment close to the museum!

Crystal Castles in Barcelona

Crystal Castles @ SALA APOLO
Sunday, November 7th

Price: 20 € / 23 € Time: 19:00

Don't miss the genius electro band, Crystal Castles.
They are playing in Barcelona, this sunday, november 7th.



Here are their story:
In the summer of 2004, Crystal Castles, the duo settled in Ontario and trained by Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, began his career brought to market by a few limited edition singles (which sold out immediately) and playing concerts for people found out by "word of mouth." In 2008, when they released their eponymous album, the duo had already thousands of fans around the world, attracted by the enigma that covered their electronic music and dance, which had an exclusive brand and uncompromising intensity . Received much attention from the media, Crystal Castles appeared in the press with reviews in Spin Magazine, Rolling Stone, Billboard Magazine, NME, Mojo and XLR8R among other international impacts. And that's how the UK public quickly rose to # 3 on NME's list of "50 best albums of the decade." Overcoming the media subgenres of "nu-rave" and "8 bit" prevailing in 2008, Crystal Castles influenced a new generation of electronic artists involved and by no restrictive labels to describe the music or the punk attitude, or electronic noise. During 2008 and 2009 Crystal Castles toured worldwide and will attend again this year during the summer festivals, including Glastonbury and Reading / Leeds, where certain repeated actions as sweeping as his last appearance at the Festival SOS 4.8 of Murcia. Its new and very recent album Crystal Castles II was produced by Ethan Kath in places as diverse as a church in Iceland, a self-built cabin in northern Ontario or in a garage behind a shop "24 hours" abandoned in Detroit . With the band in a moment of creative brilliance, aesthetic nihilism and diversity in their work suggest that the intentions of Crystal Castles and their potential is far greater now than at any previous time. And his concerts, where squander and destroy all their energy and attitude.

Come to Barcelona, and listen to Crystal Castles and much more concerts!

La Castañada, a typical Catalan Holiday

During a stay in one of the great , you will certainly learn about the Castañada. For the past years, Halloween has invaded most big European cities, and Barcelona is not aside of this movement. However, there is also a typical Catalan holiday that takes place during the same period called La Castañada.

La Castañada is a traditional holiday from Catalonia originally celebrated on the day of All Saints but that is more and more celebrated at variable dates around October 31st. Like Halloween in Anglo-Saxon countries, this holiday finds its roots in an old funeral ritual party. During the Castañada, Catalans eat chestnuts, panellets (small round cookies made of marzipan), boniatos (orange sweet spuds) and sweet fruits.

Along with the chestnuts, panellets y boniatos, Catalans usually drink the muscatel, which is a sweet white wine. During this period, you will find many vendors of chestnuts in the streets of Barcelona and other areas of Catalonia who usually offer stewed chestnuts generally wrapped in newsprint.

It also seems that the habit of ingesting very energetic foods during the Castañada comes from before when during All Saints Day ‘eve, friends and relatives of the death were taking care of the corpse alongside with the mortician. Thus, to avoid collapsing, they ate this type of food.

The Castañada is often represented by an old-lady selling chestnuts and dressed with poor clothes.

If you want to learn more about this Catalan tradition or others traditions, come to Barcelona and rent an apartment for this weekend or another one in November!!!

Barcelona International Boat Show

The benchmark show for the nautical sector in Spain is back

The Barcelona International Boat Show, the biggest in Spain and one of the top events of its kind in Europe, will be showcasing all the services, products and innovations in every sector of the nautical industry.

The event marks the start of the annual sales season for exhibitors. During the show, some 70% of all the boat sales in Spain are initiated.

You can’t afford to miss it! From 6 - 14 November 2010 at the Gran Via and Port Vell venues. I want to exhibit.

Innovation Zone, the benchmark for design and R+D+I projects

The Innovation Zone will be showcasing the new projects from design centres, engineering practices and shipyards and featuring some of the most innovative ideas for the nautical industry. This is a great opportunity to discover the latest trends in new technological developments.
Organized by: Innovamar.

Fun Beach, revealing the secrets of the sea

To be a good sailor, you need to know the secrets of the sea. And there’s no better way of learning them than by paying a visit to this zone, aimed primarily at young people, where they can set sail in the dedicated pool on canoes, kayaks and dinghies.

Traditional Sailing, a homage to our historical heritage

‘Sea wolves’ and fishermen recount their stories, sharing space with artisans building boats in the traditional way, with a backdrop of schooners, dornas and other traditional wooden fishing boats. You can also join in workshops, view exhibitions, listen to performances and taste some typical seafaring tapas.

Looking for an accommodation in Barcelona during the Boat Show ??
Visit TOP BARCELONA APARTMENTS
**** Special discounts if you mention that you find the web in our blog!!

HALLOWEEN PARTY IN BARCELONA 2010

Event date: Saturday 30 October 2010 (technically 31st of October, but most parties will be on 30th this year)
Event location: Many clubs and hotels in Barcelona organise Halloween parties



The Halloween tradition is celebrated in Spain and Barcelona in much the same way as in other European cities with Halloween fancy dress parties featuring all manner of ghouls, ghosts, witches and zombies having a fine old time. Check out the parties at Shoko , Monasterio and for an upmarket party try Hotel Casa Fuster. For other top clubs in town that will probably have Halloween themes tonight visit our Barcelona clubbing section. A fun new Mexican tradtion started in Barcelona a few years back called Ruta de Altares, where you can visit different "El Día de Muertos" (Day of the Dead) alters in 19 bars, shops and galleries around Barcelona in memory of the recently departed. Visit http://www.rutadealtares.org for more information.

The 1st November is a public holiday in Spain called "Todos los Santos" (All Saints). On this day you can enjoy the Catalan tradition called La Castanyada and also on all Saints' Day it is a tradition to attend church services in honor of Catholic saints and martyrs and to visit family graves and place flowers, wreaths and candles. The cemeteries in Barcelona have longer opening hours during Halloween weekend from 08.00 until 18.00 and you will see special flower stalls at the gates.

The Origins of Halloween
Although the modern Halloween is based on traditions from the USA, the origins of Halloween can actually be found in Celtic Britain. The Celts lived in the British Isles during ancient times and worshipped the gods of nature. There were two important festivals in the Celtic calendar, Beltane and Samhain. Samhain was pronounced something like "Sow-win," which might be origin for the modern word Halloween. Beltane celebrated the beginning of summer and Samhain the start of winter, and was the first day of the year on the Celtic calendar. The festival of Samhain started on October 31 and finished on November 1. The Celts were afraid of winter because the days were short and cold, and the nights were very long. and they associated winter with death and evil spirits.

The Celts believed that on the night of October 31 the spirits of the dead rose from the tombs and they made big fires to frighten the ghosts off. They also wore scary costumes and played games on October 31 to bring good luck in the year. Nuts and apples were eaten as these were considered lucky food. The colors of Halloween are also of Celtic origin. Black was the colour of winter and long nights. Orange was the colour of the harvest. The black cat is another symbol of Halloween. The Celts believed that the black cat had special powers.

Come in Barcelona right now in order to discover the city and then to do parties for the Halloween night!!!And rent an apartment with your friends!!

International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia from October 7th to 17th

SITGES International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia is the number one fantasy film festival in the world and represents, at the same time, the cultural expression with the most media impact in Catalonia. With a solid experience, the Sitges Festival is a stimulating universe of encounters, exhibitions, presentations and screenings of fantasy films from all over the world.

Born in 1968 as the 1st International Week of Fantasy and Horror Movies, today the Festival is an essential rendezvous for movie lovers and audiences eager to come into contact with new tendencies and technologies applied to film and the audiovisual world.
Sitges’ status as the number one fantasy film festival in the world allows it to receive visits from top-level movie stars, directors and producers like Quentin Tarantino, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Paul Verhoeven, Ralph Fiennes, George A. Romero, Cameron Diaz, Viggo Mortensen, Terry Gilliam, Rutger Hauer, Sarah Michelle Gellar, John Landis, Joe Dante, Zoë Bell, Dino de Laurentii, Takashi Miike, Wim Wenders, Tony Curtis, David Cronenberg, Vanessa Redgrave, Darren Aronofsky, Brad Dourif, John McNaughton, Peter Greenaway, John Woo, Park Chan-Wook, Johnnie To, Paul Naschy, Ray Liotta, Jon Voight, Sam Raimi, Robert Englund, Tarsem Singh, Roger Corman, Mira Sorvino, Santiago Segura, Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, Guillermo del Toro, Kim Ki Duk, Álex de la Iglesia, Aitana Sánchez Gijón, among others from the long list of people who, year after year, are a media attraction. The Festival is governed by a Foundation, made up of representatives from the Sitges Town Council, the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia’s autonomous government) and other institutions, associations and public and private companies.

Most of its resources come from the sponsors, companies and collaborating institutions that consider their alliance to the Festival to be an excellent platform for widening their scope and branding.

If you don't want to miss this huge festival and all is horror films, Come to see us and rent an apartment!!!

The Pope Benedict XVI in Barcelona in November 7th

As you probably already know, Pope Benedict XVI will be paying an official visit to Barcelona on the 7th of November where he will be celebrating mass in the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. The Pope will be blessing the Cathedral and the altar. Once the Sagrada Familia, the Cathedral that Antoni Gaudí designed, has been blessed, it will be designated a basilica for its monumental and artistic features by the Pope himself.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for faithful churchgoers to take to the streets and show their devotion via the itinerary that will span the different streets of Barcelona.

His first visit in Spain will be in Santiago de Compostela, after which he will be travelling to Barcelona where he will arrive on the 6th of November. During his visit to the city, he will be staying at the archbishopric and will be escorted to the Sagrada Familia by an entourage where the consecration of the Cathedral will be taking place. The Pope will make the journey to the Sagrada Familia in the Popemobile and will be making a detour beforehand round the Cathedral so he can greet his faithful followers already gathered there.

Following the consecration of the Cathedral, Benedict XVI will be celebrating the Eucharist before the Kings of Spain and once all this has been done, the Ángelus will be recited from the Sagrada Familia`s façade of the birth of Christ.

The Sagrada Familia has a 9,000 person capacity, but for security reasons only 7,500 people will be allowed to enter and celebrate mass inside the Cathedral. However, those faithful followers that have congregated outside the Sagrada Familia can follow the homily thanks to the gigantic screens and chairs that will be placed in the streets and the plazas adjacent.



In the afternoon, the Pope will be visiting the Nen Déu en Guinardó Institute, where religious Franciscans will be looking after down-syndrome children and other disabled children. Meanwhile the Pope will be chatting with families and carers, and will receive a present from the children.

For security reasons, the Sagrada Familia`s doors will be closed a few days prior to the Pope’s visit.

I am sure you will not miss these event!! Then we propose you to rent an apartment for you and your family which is really much cheaper than an hotel. Barcelona is full of apartments for rent, so don't hesitate!!! Come to our beautiful city to visit the Pope visit!!!

La Fiesta de la MERCE, en Barcelona

The party of Barcelona
From this September 23 starts the festival of festivals that fill Barcelona with more than 500 arts and leisure proposals full of fantasy and imagination. Let the party continues until Sunday 26. Say you will see 20 presented scenarios where you will find street arts shows, theater, circus, music and dance. And that there are also various traditional events, entertainment and sports that usually accompany it. We are talking about Merce: THE big party, the party of all locals, the highlight of Barcelona.

La Mercè '10 will be officially opened with the proclamation, which this year will carry the voice of the poet and architect Joan Margarit. Then the popular seguici will walk through the downtown streets proclaiming the good news: you start the party and the best thing is starting again. From here, anything is possible. At the MERCE of this year, there have created a new festival, the MAC (Mercè Street Arts), full of exciting cutting-edge creations aimed at a family that will take place mainly in the Parc de la Ciutadella. The same scenario will be the central space of the dance and when the sun sets will experience a transformation that will become the Parc de la Llum, with a range of color and light shows surprising. The city of Dakar will be involved in many corners of the festival, the city is invited, with film, dance, percussion, art and more contemporary proposals, from Africa and the Senegalese capital spearhead.

Among all the activities taking place in the city, You don't have to miss the traditional Correfoc, the feast of circus in the Castell de Montjuïc, the dyad castellera, the parade or Piromusical. This year stands out as a new a new arena, the old race track in Barcelona, which opens with a fun street arts and entertainment multidisciplinary Pandora. The Albéniz Palauet reopen their doors, like the museums, the BAM will reveal a new selection of the best independent music in the Plaça Catalunya will lift the Mostra d'Associacions of the city and the Festival Asia will continue to build the best cultural bridge with Asia.

Joy, fun, culture, creativity, art, civics ... From 11 am to 5 am, with a set of proposals for all audiences. So that everyone can enjoy their own party, the party ... of all Barcelona.
If you are looking for an apartment in BARCELONA for the WeekEnd, come on in!!!!

Travel around Nicaragua but staying in Barcelona.

If you live in Barcelona and you are one of those who enjoy the solitude of the city during August we highly recommend visiting the photo exhibition Nicaragua, the country of the little things of our friends Arthur and Ruth Estellers Isalo (Artisal Travel Photography).

Since several weeks ago that Arthur and Ruth had sent me an invitation to the inauguration of the exhibition, but it was not until today when I had the opportunity to visit. This is a photo story that make up the sum of experiences that made that Nicaragua would become for these photographs in a very special destination. 'The little things that we have visited and lived during our trips to this beautiful country has resulted in an intense photo that talks about the current Nicaragua, its landscapes and its people, "commented Arthur and Ruth.

The exhibition is in the Biblioteca Jaume Fuster (Barcelona Plaça de Lesseps from 1920 to 1922). A good plan would go on a Sunday morning, visit the exhibition and then use the small terreza out there in the library for a refreshing drink in the summer in Barcelona. You have until September 11 to visit.

Fiesta Mayor de Sants 2010 in Barcelona

Just as the Festa Mayor de Gracia finishes another big neighbourhood Festa Mayor starts in Sants district of Barcelona. Although not quite as famous the Festa Major de Sants it is absolutely worth visiting. Many of the main activities take place in "Parque de la España Industrial" and 13 streets in Sants will be decorated by the residents with many entertaining themes. The Catalan actress Amparo Moreno open the festival on Saturday 21 August 21 at 20.00 in the evening at the "Parque de la España Industrial." There will be many chances to see festivals traditions like correfocs - fireruns, castellers - human tower building, Gegants and capgrossos - giants and other Catalan festival traditions. A highlight of the Sants Festa Major is the Sants Festival cycling race, called the Cursa Ciclista 'Memorial Antoni Andrés Sancho' which takes place for the 29th time in 2010 on streets of Sants from 10:30 on Sunday 29 August 2010. This year also see the premiere of a new running event called "El 2000 de Sants Cursa atlètica de la Festa Major 2010" which is a 2k run (2 circuits of 1000 metres) taking place on Sunday 29th August 2010 from 09:00.

Don't hesitate to come and spend some holidays in Barcelona! Why don't you chose an apartment close to Sants or to the city centre to enjoy the last days of August?

Festival in Gracia, Barcelona

This week, the famous festival in the Gracia neighbourhood of Barcelona opens on Sunday 15th August every. The Festa Major de Gracia is the biggest of the local neighbourhood festivals in Barcelona and a big street party with many wonderful Catalan traditions and a full programme of concerts and activities filling the streets of Gracia every night during the festival.


We are pleased to present you the program of each day of this amazing party of 7 days:

Saturday 14/8-2010
Time: 19:00
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Pregó de la Festa Major de Gràcia 2010
Opening speech of Festa Major de Gracia by Catalan celebrity chef Isma Prados

Saturday 14/8-2010
Time: 19:30
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Espectacle de lluïment de les Colles de Cultura de Gràcia
Presentation show by all the cultural groups of Gracia.

Sunday 15/8-2010
Time: 10.30
Start: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Sortida en cercavila
Morning parade with various groups Parade route

Sunday 15/8-2010
Time: 10:30
Start junction: Pg. Sant Joan-Travessera (Jardins)
Pedalada popular Festa Major de Gràcia 2010
Bike ride from Pg. Sant Joan-Travessera (Jardins) to Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. Bike ride route.

Sunday 15/8-2010
Time: 13:30
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Ball de Gegants i Capgrossos, Ball de Diables, Pas de Dracs, Lluïment dels Trabucaires, Ball de Bastons i Castell
Festival dance with giants, big heads, devils, dragons, trabucaire bandits, bastoner stick dancers and castellars towers builders. More info.

Sunday 15/8-2010
Time:18.00
Start: Carrer de Verdi.
Cercavila de Cultura Popular
Big and festive evening parade with all participating groups of the Festa Major, the gegants (giants of Gracia including “la Gresca i el Torradet”) caps grossos (big heads) dracs (dragons), castellers (human castle builders) and , bastoners (stick dancers) grallers – (pipers) and more! Worth seeing. Parade route

Monday 16/8-2010
Time: 10:00
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Sortida en cercavila
Parade with Gegants (giants), Castellers (tower builders), Trabucaires (bandits) and Bastoners (pipers)

Monday 16/8-2010
Time: 17:00
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
9è TORNEIG DE BOTIFARRA (vila de gracia)
9th Butifarra Tournement – Sausage Tournement. More info

Tuesday 17/8-2010
Time: 20:30
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Assaig a plaça dels Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia.
Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia make human towers on Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. Assaig means rehearsal or attempt. These sessions are usually to warm up before a big castellars event. More info

Thursday 19/8-2010
Time: 20:30
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Assaig especial dels castellers de la Vila de Gràcia Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia make human towers on Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. More info.

Friday 20/8-2010
Time: 20:30
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Assaig a plaça dels Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia
Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia make human towers on Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. More info.

Saturday 21/8-2010
Time:18:30
Start: Plaça del Nord
Correfoc infantil
Correfoc firerun in a smaller format for children. More info

Saturday 21/8-2010
Time: 20.00
Place: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Baixada del Pilar Caminat (the walking column)
Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia build a human castle and attempt to walk it from Plaça del Sol to Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia in front of the town hall. Get there early! More info

Saturday 21/8-2010
Time: 20.00
Start: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Tabalada Infernal
Tabalada Infernal, the drum parade, where drummers from the colles de foc, (fireworks groups), parade round Gracia's streets More info.

Saturday 21/8-2010
Time: 20:30
Start: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Diada de Vigílies Festa Major
Popular Day of Castellars. Various castellers groups take part. More info

Saturday 21/8-2010
Time: 22:00 to 23:30
Start: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Correfoc
Correfoc is the traditional "firerun" where Festa Mayor visitors i.e. the general public are chased by "devil" groups brandished sparkling fireworks. Very dramatic. Wear a cap! More info

Sunday 22/8-2010
Time:12:00
Start: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Diada Castellera de Festa Major
Day of Castellars. Biggest castellers event with many groups. More info

Sunday 22/8-2010
Time: 00:30
Start: Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Espectacle de foc
Small firework display marks the end of the Festa de Gracia. More info.

Fiesta de Gracia a Barcelona

Barcelona is currently celebrating its famous and important Fiestas de Gracia. Gracia has always been considered one of Barcelona’s beautiful districts and it’s hard not to tell why. There are many little bars, coffee shops, romantic plazas and tiny streets to enchant us. The Fiesta de Gracia takes place on 14th – 22nd of August so it’s in full swing at the time of writing! It’s a great festival where all the neighbours transform the area into a paradise of colourful decorations. This year, most of the events will be taking place during the daytime.

There are many concerts to enjoy with many different music styles along with shows, traditional Catalan attractions and workshops. Famous musicians, like Maria del mar Bonet, Marina Rossell, Joan Isaac, and Luis Eduardo Aute, as well as classical music groups like Manel, Cuidado con el Perro or Cochambre Hotel will be playing their music for the residents of Gracia. Also, there will be culinary activities, like the “Tasta Gràcia” at the Plaza Manuel Torrente. In the magician’s area “Área de la Magia” at the Plaza del Norte professional magicians, as well as beginners in this magical art, will astonish you with all their exciting magic tricks.

Many years ago the Fiestas de Gracia had much more of a religious significance but over the years this has changed and it has become more of a social affair. The residents and citizens of Gracia put in a lot of work to get their street decorated in time for the festivities and as every year, the most beautiful street in Gracia wins a prize.

The Fiesta de Gracia is for everyone: both young and old alike. Unforgettable days full of entertainment for you and your friends will be guaranteed. Why don’t you rent the best apartments in Barcelona and spend a relaxing and fun filled holiday in the beautiful capital of Catalonia Spain?

20th European athetics Championship in BARCELONA

Yesterday, July 26th, was held in Barcelona, the inauguration of the 20th European Championships of athletism. The championship which really started today until next sunday takes place at the same location as the 1992 Olympics Games.

Visitors saw a water show of dance and acrobatics in the Magic Fountain of Montjuic with the under a beautitiful full moon in the Olympic Stadium.
During 70 minutes, a spectacle staged by Hansel Cereza, a founding member of "La Fura dels Baus, the group that designed the Olympic ceremonies, entertained thousands of spectators and reached a moment of great beauty.

The water was the main reason for the ceremony. The director mixed it with dance and sports with music by Nacho Cano, former member of Mecano, and Salvador Niebla, author of the music used in the Spanish synchronized swimming team.









Then we could see a parade ofrepresentatives of the 50 countries participating in the championship, with sounds of the anthem of Europe. Chema Martinez, candidate for the Marathon medal, was the flagship of a Spanish team of 88 athletes.
The Organizing Committee Chairman, José María Odriozola, said that chamionnats held in Barcelona is a good opportunity for the Catalans to enjoy the beauty of the sport in the Montjuic stadium or on the street.


President Montilla closed the ceremony, announced opened oficially the european championships. On sunday the championship will end with a concert of the famous group of Catalan rumba, Troba Kung Fu, in the Avenida Maria Cristina.

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Huge celebration for Spain´s World Cup Championship in Barcelona

Spain erupted with its biggest fiesta in memory Monday when its football team returned to a jubilant nation after winning the World Cup, giving elated Spaniards a break from months of economic gloom and political squabbling as nationalist regions fought for greater autonomy from the central government.
Hundreds of thousands of people -- if not more -- jammed in Barcelona's Plaça Catalunya to cheers from Spaniards decked out in a sea of red and yellow, the colors of the Spanish and Catalonia flag.

While the spotlight was on in Spain, the win led to a rare sight in the Catalonia region's capital of Barcelona: Spanish flags waving side-by-side with Catalonia's own red and yellow flag.
"It has been very strange, but now it is being tolerated," said Saray Lozano, a 31-year-old taxi driver from Barcelona. "If it weren't for football, you might get rocks thrown at you" for displaying Spain's national symbol.
About 75,000 people celebrated the win in Barcelona.

Joan Foguet, a Barcelona-based journalist for the leading Spanish newspaper El Pais, said Catalonia has a "schizophrenic" relationship with the national team -- and attributed the burst of enthusiasm to the fact that the team played well.

"There are seven players from one club – Barcelona – in the latter stages of their quarter-final," writes John McDougall. "I am guessing this is still not the record number of players from a single club one country has fielded at the World Cup finals – or is it?"
Indeed Spain had seven Barcelona players on the field against Paraguay – Gerard Piqué, Carles Puyol, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, David Villa and Pedro – for around nine minutes, from the introduction of Pedro from the substitutes' bench on 75 minutes, to the replacement of Puyol with Carlos Marchena on 84.

Barcelona is such an inspired city. For more information, please visit us at: www.top-barcelona-apartments.com

10 Things you didn’t know about the Barcelona Grand Prix1

1. The last wet Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona was in the year 1996. Subsequent to that time, the races haven’t been conducted during rains.

2. The first time the Spanish Grand Prix was held at the Circuit de Catalunya, was the year 1991. The racing track is actually located in Montmeló, not in Barcelona, in spite of being called the Barcelona track. The circuit serves as an important testing ground, and hence a lot of drivers are very familiar with the track.

3. Olivier Panis, an active driver in the sport of circuit racing, scored his last podium position in Spain, before retiring. The last team to score its last podium position in Spain was Tyrrell (Mark Blundell in 1994).

4. In 1986, Ayrton Senna finished the Barcelona GP a tiny fraction of time, exactly 0.014 seconds ahead of Nigel Mansell, making it the smallest winning margin in F1 history. This nail biting race took place on Circuito Permanente de Jerez.

5. In the time period between 1968 and 1973, Ford, the engine manufacturer, scored 6 Barcelona Grand Prix wins in a row.

6. Two famous mishaps that took place after pit stops were firstly the one with Bertrand Gachot in 1995, where there were tongues of flame coming out of his car. The second one, also in 1995, happened with Johnny Herbert, when Benetton forgot to remove the rear jack from his car.

7. Ferrari introduced their periscope exhaust system in 1998, in the Barcelona Grand Prix.

8. Nigel Mansell retired from F1 racing after the 1995 Spanish Grand Prix. The last Grand Prix race that he has won was the Australian Grand Prix race. He had briefly retired from racing, making a comeback of sorts in 1994.

9. In all, since its inception, the Spanish Grand Prix has been hosted on 5 different racing circuits – Barcelona, Jerez, Jarama, Montjuich and Pedralbes. As a matter of fact, the Barcelona Grand Prix didn’t start as a Grand Prix at all, but used touring car rules for their races.

10. In the 1994 Barcelona Grand Prix Michael Schumacher pulled off quite a feat in finishing the race in second place, in spite of driving for over half of the race in fifth gear. Subsequently, two years later, Schumacher scored the first win as a member of the Ferrari team. The performance was exceptional since it took place during a rainstorm.

If you are planning on coming to Barcelona for this event and are looking for accomodation click here.