Catalonian Moto GP

The Catalonian Moto GP is one of the most popular rounds of the World Championship. Held at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, it attracts holidaymakers and race fans alike. Drawing crowds of 100,000, the atmosphere is always electric.

The Moto GP is one of the fastest, most thrilling sports in the world. The bikes reach speeds of up to 310kph (185 mph) and the races are extremely competitive. Unlike Formula One racing, overtaking is frequent. The riders take the bravest lines to weave through the field and when the bikes close on each other they push it to the limit. There is the feeling that the crowd is collectively holding its breath as the riders brake as late as possible into the corners. Then there is the engine noise, piercing the air as the riders fly by, a constant reminder of the sheer power that they are fighting to control.

The 500cc Championship is the big one in motorcycling. Although it vies with the increasingly popular Superbike Championship for profile, it remains the title that every aspiring rider dreams of winning and the ultimate test of overall ability.

Joan Miró Foundation

The Joan Miró Foundation possesses an incomparable collection of work by the 20th-century master, and is an essential part of any visit to Montjuïc. Miró's iconic Spanish paintings are displayed on gleaming white walls, lit by natural light from above.

Miró himself set up the Fundació in 1971 and it was expanded in the 1980s. The Miró archives boast thousands of drawings, 200 paintings and 150 sculptures created between 1914 and 1978. Artistic treasures by leading lights of 20th-century art also contribute to the permanent show - Henri Matisse, Marcel Duchamp, Claes Oldenburg, Henry Moore and Fernand Leger all feature. Also check out the reconstruction of kinetic artist Alexander Calder's Mercury Fountain outside.

Downstairs is the Espai 13, which is devoted to young up-and-coming contemporary artists. It shows cycles of exhibitions devoted to certain themes or countries and provides a refreshing contrast to the more familiar names in the hallowed halls above.

There's not only art at the museum - in the summer it also plays host to classical music concerts.

Cost:
Permanent collection €8, concessions €6

Temporary exhibitions €4, concessions €3

Opening Hours:
Oct-Jun Tue-Sat 10am-7pm

Jul-Sep Tue-Sat 10am-8pm

All year: Thu 10am-10.30pm, Sun 10am-2.30pm

Barcelona Summer Festival

Popularly known as the "Grec Festival", Barcelona's summer arts extravaganza is the most important cultural event of the season. Events take place at venues across the city including the Teatre Grec, Fundació Joan Miró and Plaça del Rei.

Following hot on the heels of the Sant Joan (St John's Day) Festival, the event injects theatre, dance and music into Barcelona life, with a strong focus on contemporary culture.

Highlights in 2007 included concerts by Omara Portuondo, Laurie Anderson, Jorge Drezler and others, dance performances by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan and Conpanyia Membros and theatrical shows from international companies.

Grec started way back in 1976, when a group of actors, directors and writers staged shows at the Greek amphitheatre on Mount Montjuic. Their initiative triggered the birth of a new theatre festival, which was independently run until 1979, when the newly-formed democratic city authorities took over. Now the event is as inherent to Barcelona's summers as the scorching heat.

1908-2008: 100 years of the Palau de la Música Catalana

The CaixaForum Barcelona hosts 1908-2008: 100 years of the Palau de la Música Catalana to celebrate the famous concert hall's centennial. The exhibition - which looks at the Palau's past, present and future - is accompanied by a concert cycle.

Located in the heart of Barcelona's old quarter, the Palau de la Música Catalana is a UNESCO heritage site, known for its stunning architectural design by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

The building officially opened on 9 February 1908 and became the performing venue for the Orfeó Català (Catalan Choral Society). During its history it has welcomed performances from a wide spectrum of artists including Sergei Prokófiev, Igor Stravinsky and Ella Fitzgerald, Josep Carreras, Norah Jones and Woody Allen.

The exhibition at CaixaForum looks at all aspects of the Palau's last 100 years: from its breathtaking Modernist architecture and Catalan roots to its important role as an international music venue. The concert series aims to recreate former Palau performances from legends such as Sergei Rachmaninov, Arnold Schönberg, Maurice Ravel and Duke Ellington.

Cost:

Concerts €12

Concessions €6

Opening hours:

Sun-Fri 10am-8pm

Sat 10am-10pm

Concerts in Barcelona 2008

Barcelona is a city well-known for its nightlife and a lot of activity it offers you.
This summer some great artist are coming to perform their show in the 2nd Spanish capital.

So do not hesitate to book your tickets right now to go and admire the show of the artist you like the most!

May 2008
may 19 Busta Rhymes

June 2008
jun 01 Bon Jovi Losthighway World Tour
jun 04 Zucchero
jun 07 Feist Concert
jun 15 Avril Lavigne
jun 19 Sonar
jun 28 Jack Johnson
jun 29 Marc Anthony


July 2008
jul 04 El Canto del Loco
jul 08 James Blunt
jul 08 Lenny Kravitz
jul 10 Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals and Mc-Clan
jul 11 Duffy
jul 18 Summer Case
jul 20 Bruce Springsteen

You can buy your tickets directly online through a lot of different websites.

Barcelona Poetry - April 14/20, 2008

For a week in May, Barcelona celebrates the written word with a series of events and workshops dedicated to poetry. Bus windows and tube carriages are covered in verse, while poetry readings, lectures and workshops take place across the city.

Host venues usually include the Botanical Gardens, MACBA, the Palau de la Música Catalana and the Museum of Natural Science. Guests of honour in the past have included Angels Gregori (Valencia), Ferhat Mehmenni (Algeria), Linton Kwesi Johnson (Jamaica) and Francisco Segovia (Mexico).

The festival aims to illustrate how poetry can transcend the barrier of language and become part of the fabric of our everyday lives. Please contact the tourist office (+34 93 285 3834) for further details on this year's programme.

2008 Primavera Sound

Barcelona's redeveloped Port Area hosts the excellent Primavera Sound festival, featuring a massive line-up of top-class live acts and DJs. The highlights of the last year include Band of Horses, Comets on Fire, Bola, Explosions in the Sky, Built to Spill, Dirty Three and Isis.


Here it is a big part of the artist who will perform at Estrella Dam:

808 State, A Place To Bury Strangers, Alan Braxe, Animal Collective, Apparat Band, Dj Assault, Atlas Sound, Autolux, Awesome Color, Bill Callahan, Bishop Allen, Bob Mould Band, Bon Iver, Boris, British Sea Power, Buffalo Tom, Caribou, Cat Power, Clipse, The Cribs, De La Soul, Deerhunter, Digital Mystikz, Dinosaur Jr., Dirty Projectors, Dr. Octagon aka Kool Keith + Kutmasta Kurt, Edan & MC Dagha, El Guincho, Ellen Allien, Enon, Eric's Trip, Fanfarlo, The Felice Brothers, Fuck Buttons, Dj Funk, Gentle Music Men, The Go! Team, Grande-Marlaska, Health, Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Holy Fuck, It's Not Not, Kavinsky, Kinski, Les Savy Fav, Lightspeed Champion, Madee, Man Man, The Mary Onettes, Mary Weiss, The Marzipan Man, Menomena, Messer Chups, Midnight Juggernauts, Mission Of Burma, Mixmaster Mike, Model 500, MV & EE with The Golden Road, Nick Lowe, No Age, The Notwist, Okkervil River, Om, Para One, Pissed Jeans, Polvo, Port O'Brien, Portishead, Prinzhorn Dance School, Public Enemy performing It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, Robert Hood, Rufus Wainwright, The Rumble Strips, Scout Niblett, Sebadoh, Shipping News, Silver Jews, Simian Mobile Disco, Six Organs Of Admittance, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, The Strange Death Of Liberal England, Subterranean Kids, Supermayer, Surkin, The Swell Season, Tachenko, Tarántula, Thomas Brinkmann, Throbbing Gristle, Tiefschwarz, Tindersticks, Träd Gräs och Stenar, Vampire Weekend, Vórtice, Voxtrot, White Williams, Why?, Young Marble Giants. - -
Visit the homepage of Primavera Sound Festival here!


Do you want to enjoy this event? Rent an apartment in Barcelona.