Photo CC BY by Saperaud

A clever mix of Mediterranean and Nordic charm is waiting for you in Barcelona. A holiday in this city is always a happy holiday because it combines everything that the most fascinating among the cities in the Mediterranean  can offer: a relaxed pace, months of endless sunshine, excellent food  with the cultural influence and the design of almost all the cities of the north.
The weather is wet and not as hot as in other Spanish cities. Between late July and early September you can enjoy this city peacefully and quietly, without any traffic or chaos.

The real pleasure of Barcelona is the wandering without a well-defined aim: it is needless to plan a trip in advance and in detail! Better to be guided by the spur of the moment: a last-minute concert , the Museum of Picasso or the MACBA.
Let’s see what it is on offer in this fascinating city.

Montserrat

The famous cradle of the independent spirit of Catalonia, this revered monastery is located atop a mountain with the same name. A famous choir sings around one o’clock every day, and although the monastery itself is not one of the most attractive of Spain, around it you can enjoy amazing walks. Reached by cable car (from the station to Montserrat – Aeri) or by train (from Monistrol de Montserrat station) . For further infos, see www.abadiamontserrat.cat

Photo CC BY by Schreib-Engel

Sitges

Just take a train and in 40 minutes you are by the coast from the Estacio de Franca in Barcelona.  Sitges is known as a party city of Catalonia and certainly sees hordes of tourists in the summer, but despite this fact it still manages to preserve its beautiful appearence. Its many beaches (some of them naturist ones) are very clean. Or you can get off the train a stop earlier in Garraf, a charming and peaceful bay lined with striped booths. A picnic is generally the best way to spend a day here, although there other alternatives to eat out.

Festivals and events

Calendar of festivals and events in 2014

Holy Week
April 13 to 21
Easter is not celebrated in Catalonia with the same pomp as in the south of Spain, but there are a number of interesting Good Friday processions. The previous Sunday (Palm Sunday, or Diumenge de rams), is the day when most of the Catalans join in, holding palm branches, and go to the cathedral, to bless them as a sign of protection.

Primavera Sound Festival
May 29 to 31
Catching up very fast with the popularity of its “sister” festival, Sonar, the Primavera Sound is the celebration of pop, rock and – most importantly –  indie. This five-day event, held at the Forum area north of the city, will include Arcade Fire, The National, Pixies, St Vincent, Disclosure, Caetano Veloso and a large selection of other bands of the past and the present in 2014.
Prices: one-day ticket are on sale at € 80 until May 6 , full passes to € 195 .
Contact: primaverasound.es

The egg dance
mid-June
“L’ Ou com Balla” is one of the most fascinating annual events in Barcelona, ​​and it is held for a few days close the Corpus Christi date (June 19, 2014 ). Several courtyards and cloisters of the church of some buildings particularly valuable to see and they are open to the public for the occasion. Everything is garlanded with flowers.
Contact: bcn.cat

Sónar Festival
June 12 to 14
The legendary International Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art is held for three days over two main sites: the fair at Plaça Espanya in Barcelona and a number of spaces, out in L’ Hospitalet quarter, on the outskirts of the city. The festival in 2014 features Massive Attack, Skrillex, Four Tet, Caribou, Richie Hawtin and Bonobo, along with a number of small bands and DJs less known on the electronic scene.
Contact: sonar.es

Photo CC BY by Mac9

Sant Joan
June 23 to 24
The feast of St. John is the big party night of the year, when huge bonfires in the streets and on the beach take place, and when the fireworks fill the sky at night until dawn. 24 June is a public holiday and, generally, it is the quietest day of the year.

The Diada
September 11
The National Day of Catalonia provides marches, demos and free concerts in the streets. Plaça Catalunya and Via Laietana are often scenes of scuffles with the police.

Barcelona is beautiful by day and by night. Its nightlife makes it the perfect city for those who are not in couple, such as groups of friends who like to have fun, or for those who want to listen to good music, or for those who loves discos or either for those who want to enjoy a drink while listening to music jazz. In short, nothing is missing in this wonderful city. You can spend the night in Barcelona in one of the many bars.

Dry Martini

A beautifully stylish cocktail bar that is located in Barcelona with wood paneling, leather sofas and bartenders in white uniforms with nautical finishes.
Address: Carrer Aribau 162-166, Eixample .
Contact : 00 34 93 217 50 72
Opening Hours: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 Mon.-Thu.; 1:00 to 3:00 Fri.; 18:30 to 03:00 Sat.; 18:30 to 2:30

Harlem Jazz Club

One of the favourites bar when it comes to nightlife, Harlem offers a wide range of musicians and genres.

Address: Carrer de Sobradiel Comtessa 8 , Barri Gotic .
Contact : 00 34 93 310 07 55 ; harlemjazzclub.es
Opening Hours: (July-September) from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 Tue. to Thu. , 8:00 to 5:00 a.m. Fri., Sat. (October to June) from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 Tue. through Thu., Sun.; 20:00 to 05:00 Fri., Sat.
Admission: € 6 (including a drink) Tue. -Thu., Sun. € 6 to Fri., Sat.

Photo CC BY by 8300

Marula Café

The Marula specialty is soul, funk and latin, with live music in the evening and then with some of the best DJs in the city playing until the wee hours of the morning .

Address: 49 Carrer Escudellers, Barrio Gothic .
Contact : 00 34 93 318 76 90; marulacafe.com
Opening Hours: 10:00 p.m. to 05:00 Mon.-Thu., Sun.; 10:00 to 06:00 Fri.; Sat. 10:00 to 06:00.

City Hall

A relaxed nightclub where the music varies depending on the night#; it could be techno, minimal or more (see the website for the programs of the evening) .

Address: Rambla de Catalunya 2-4 , Eixample .
Contact : 00 34 93 233 33 33; cityhallbarcelona.com
Opening hours : Midnight – 06:00 every day.

Along the main shopping streets of Barcelona you can read many well-known names: Benetton, Diesel, Accessorize, Miss Sixty and so on, together with the Spanish chains such as Zara, Mango and more. Being a quite compact city, shopping in Barcelona is simpler than buy the goods online. Walking the beautiful Passeig de Gràcia you can all the main fashion-chains. For small boutiques you have to take the side streets.

Its patchwork of architectural styles shows dark Gothic facades next to harlequin, colourfoul buildings and also astonishing modern architectural creations by  Jean Nouvel, Herzog and de Meuron. A day can be well spent admiring these buildings, while shopping and ending up dining either in any one of the Michelin-starred gastronomic temples or in one of the tasty family-run small restaurants.