Bread and Butter Barcelona

From the 16th to the 18th January 2008, the Fira de Barcelona will once again welcome the hugely successful biannual Bread and Butter Barcelona (BBB) fashion trade show to the city. More than just a showcase for the latest trends, fashions and creations this show is a very important platform for the movers and shakers of the industry, from the well established industry giants like Hooch and Bench to emerging talent. Furthermore, this is an opportunity not just for designers but also fabric producers and other related industry producers to show the cutting edge of creativity. The July 2007 event registered 91.000 visitors at the event and the first one of the new year promises to be equally as successful.

The trade show will take place at the Fira de Barcelona on Avenida Maria Cristina (near Plaza de España) from 10-19h on the 16th and 17th and until 18h on the 18th. Entry is totally FREE you you do need to register on the website before 4th January 2008. Check out the official BBB site for more information and reservation for the event:
http://www.breadandbutter.com/winter2008/

If you are interested in visiting Barcelona for the most important trade show for denim, urbanwear and sportswear, check out accommodation offers in the city.

Christmas in Barcelona

Supermarket shelves are filling with assortments of nougat, dried fruits and chocolate, glittering light displays are being erected as we speak on las Ramblas and the now cooler nights are filled with the beginnings of a festive charm. This can only mean one thing: Christmas is upon us. For those planning to spend the Christmas period in Barcelona, here’s a brief outline of the main events, traditions and practical information regarding a stay in the city over the festive period.

As a general rule shops will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Most will be open until at least lunchtime on Christmas Eve but it certainly isn’t advisable to leave all of your shopping until then. Many restaurants will be open on Christmas Day but be prepared to book in advance and expect slightly higher prices that usual. All museums and attractions will certainly be closed on Christmas Day, but you’ll find that certain attractions such as Park Guell and the Sagrada Familia will be open for limited hours on the 26^th December.

You won’t find the same abundance of wooden chalet Christmas markets as in Germany or the East of France, but Barcelona too has its own seasonal Christmas market ‘Santa Llúcia’ which takes place from the 1^st of December onwards in Plaça de la Catedral. Fill your Christmas stockings with all sorts of tradition handicrafts, Christmas ornaments and look out for the infamous ‘caganer’ figurine that lives in the nativity scene. Most places have their quirky traditions and Catalonia is most certainly no exception. This incongruous figure is found defecating somewhere on the manger scene and is a very common feature of the nativity scene throughout Catalonia. See the 'lovely ' picture for further illustration...

Another slightly bizarre Catalan tradition is that of the ‘caga tío’, a wooden log which makes an appearance in home a few weeks before Christmas. Then, a few days before Christmas the ‘caga tío’ goes to fatten up (with presents) and mysteriously reappears on Christmas Eve when the children beat him with a stick until he ‘releases’ the presents…

So if you’re planning to stay in a Barcelona apartment over the Christmas period, there will be plenty to keep you amused, from the more normal to the frankly bizarre range of Catalan traditions. What’s more, Barcelona is such a popular destination for visitors at this time of the year that you shouldn’t encounter any problems finding restaurants or bars open in the evenings.

Mexican Fiesta in Barcelona

One of the biggest festivals happening in Barcelona this month is the Mexican festival for Independence day. This Mexican festival, Mexican Independence Day is celebrated September 15^th and is the most important non-religious holiday in Mexico. The fiesta is celebrated as part of the Semana de Mexico Festival which includes a wonderful array of food, mariachis which is the 5 piece guitar group playing traditional Mexican music. Also they have gritos which are ritual shouts or cries of freedom and independence and of course it wouldn’t be Mexican without tequila!

The city of Barcelona will be painted with all the colours of Mexico and the events taking place at Plaza Reial and Poble Espanyol.

Check online for cheap Barcelona hotels during the month of September.

For a more comprehensive Barcelona guide.

The Month of La Mercè

The month of September is a great month for tourists staying in Barcelona Spain Accommodation as this month Barcelona celebrates its biggest annual festival; La Mercè, the Patron Saint of Barcelona.

The La Mercè festival officially takes place on September 24th 2007 however there are over 500 activities and events happening all over the city from the 22nd.

Amongst the hundreds of activities include:

-The Festival of Music: concerts and street performances all over Barcelona
-The Festival of Tradition: castellers (human towers), capgrossos (dwarves with big heads), gegants (giants )and an entire menagerie of festive animals, accompanied by guests from Mediterranean countries.

-The Festival in the Sky: acrobatic air show featuring jets, balloons and gliders and more
-The Festival of Fire: all types of sparks, from the pyrotechnical fireworks and music show to the correfoc (literally a fire-run)

For a more comprehensive Barcelona guide.

Joan Gamper Trophy

The Joan Gamper Trophy is an annual pre-season football competition hosted by FC Barcelona. It is named in honour of Joan Gamper a founding member, player and later president of the club and was inaugurated by Enric Llaudet, one of Gamper’s successors as club president. It is one of several summer trophies played for in Spain and considered much more than a pre-season "friendly". This year's game takes place tonight, 29th August, and FC Barcelona will play Inter Milan and looks to being a great game. The home team with their fantastic record at the Nou Camp against last year's runaway Italian champions of Serie A. Although both teams have just started their respective league campaigns, each will produce a strong team as both teams will definitely want to win the Joan Gamper trophy. All the Barça stars will be there like Henry, Ronaldinho, Messi, Xavi and also Inter's stars like Ibrahimovic, Crespo, Viera and Materazzi
The game kicks off at 22.00 at the Nou Camp.

Getting There
If you are staying in a Barcelona hotel at the moment are thinking of going to the game then getting there is easy. Either you can take the metro (blue line) to Collblanc, or (green line) to Maria Christina. From there the stadium is well signposted and you will probably here the roar from a good distance.
Ticket prices range from €25 to €120

For a more comprehensive Barcelona guide.

Partying at Club Pacha Barcelona

One of the places to go to dance all night is in Barcelona is club Pacha, which is part of the super club brand Pacha. The brand has many Pacha club all over the world from places like Pacha New York, Pacha London and Pacha Marrakech not to mention Ibiza!
When you think of a party holiday away you could be renting a hotel pacha ibiza just along the road if you were staying in Ibiza town. Now that is very expensive, so another place to visit a Pacha club is in Barcelona which is one of the best of the whole brand. If you are looking for a great Pacha experience then you should visit Barcelona as only this summer the club has had Djs like David Guetta, Eric Morillo, Deep Dish, Wally Lopez and Paul Oakenfold to name a few.
The music is typically electronic but ranges between whichever night you go to and whichever DJ is playing. So you can catch some house, electro, or techno, whatever your taste.
During the summer months "el pacha" is open 7 nights a week but will eventually reduce to only Friday and Saturday during the winter seasons.

Accommodation
In the area of Les Corts it's easy to find a Barcelona hotel pacha is close from there but also you might prefer to stay nearer the city centre.
A Barcelona hotel in Les Corts at a great price won't be hard to find online.

Getting There
Discoteca pacha, as the locals call it, is located in the south side of the city at Les Corts. The best way to get there is on the Metro (green line) to the very last stop at Zona Universitaria. From there club Pacha is very close and you shouldn't have any trouble reaching it.

Weekend Dance September Festival

I can't wait for the Weekend Dance festival to begin, is maybe what you are thinking, but if you don't know about it, then it is a September festival held in Barcelona. It is the first year of Weekend Dance so there is a lot of speculation as to whether it will be a success however at the festival you will be able to see a whole host of acts you would normally here from the nightclubs dance scene. At the festival this year artists headlining include; Massive Attack, Faithless, Deep Dish, Sven Vath, Vitalic(live) and Hernan Cattaneo to name a few. The dance weekend takes place on Saturday 15th September. The tickets are priced at €40 until the 26th August and then will probably go up by €5. The venue for the September festival is the Forum which is located at the north side of the city. To get there you can take L4 (yellow) line metro to Maresme de Forum.

For those looking for a last minute deal on Barcelona apartments, then this could be a great incentive to book up.

For a more comprehensive Barcelona guide.

Mas I Mas Jazz Festival

The San Miguel Mas i Mas Festival started in 2003 and has established itself as a popular music and jazz festival event during the hottest summer nights in Barcelona.

The 2007 festival 2007 kicked off with a special concert on 24th July by Catalan rumba star Peret showcasing 50 years of rumba hits.

So far the festival has gone with great success with other concerts which included the Buena Vista Social Club on 26th July, Cuban singer Lucrecia performed with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra on the 27th July and the Perico Sambeat Flamenco Big Band on 7th August. Many tourists staying in Barcelona hotels all round the city have given the festival positive reviews so far.

Great ideas for Barcelona hotels at any time of the year.

The Mas I Mas festival finishes with a flourish with performances by the Orchestre Arabe de Barcelona on 4th September and Alaska & Nacho Canut presenting Fangoria on the 5th September

The concerts take place at various Barcelona clubs and concert venues all over the city including the Auditorì, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Teatre Grec, Moog and Luz de Gaz, to name a few.

For a more comprehensive Barcelona guide.

Gracia Festival "Festa Major"

For those lucky enough to be renting Barcelona apartments in Gracia right now then they are in for a treat. The Gracia festival or Festa Major is the week long festival held in the Gracia neighbourhood of Barcelona and takes place between the 15th - 21st of August 2007.

Although tourists renting Barcelona apartments can experience festivals for each of it's districts this is by far the biggest of the neighbourhoods festivals in Barcelona and basically becomes one big street party. If you are looking out of your Barcelona apartments in Gracia Many streets in neighbourhood are decorated and there is live music everywhere. The Tabalada Infernal is one of the most popular and festive events of the Festa Major which is the drum parade, where drummers from the colles de foc, fireworks groups, parade round Gracia's streets. In addition to this people who enjoy fireworks will be impressed with the Correfoc as it is a popular light and fire event which draws hundreds of eager spectators, who will be chased by groups of people with fireworks. Another popular tradition in Catalonia is the human castles and Gracia fills up with colles castelleres building human castles that are amazing to see live. The final act of the festival is the Castell de Focs.
For more a more comprehensive Barcelona guide.

Jazz Concerts at Ciutadella Park

In Barcelona the jazz concerts held at Ciutadella Park have become synonymous with the summer months, along with the warm weather. Organised by the city's Parques y Jardines (parks and gardens department), the jazz concerts at Ciutadella Park have become very popular. So for those looking to leave their Barcelona apartment one night to experience some light musical entertainment for free should head to the park.

Entrance is free and the concerts are held every Wednesday and Friday at 10pm and for those not looking to travel far, then there are plenty of Barcelona apartments for rent in Borne, the area next to the park.

Getting There
If your Barcelona apartment is further away then you can take the metro on the red line to Arc de Triumph and walk down Passeig de San Juan or take the yellow line to Jaume I and walk along Calle Princesa.

Ciutadella hosts the jazz series every summer, inviting a diverse array of groups to perform in the park's charming little gazebo (next to the fountain). You'll find artists like the Juan de Diego Trio, Aiguavia Quartet, Carola Ortiz Quartet, Luna Cohen Quintet, José Alberto Medina Trio or the Latin Soul Band. Check out the complete programme listing!

This concert programme has been a Barcelona fixture for close to ten years and is considered one of the most established and popular summer events offered by the city of Barcelona.

For a more comprehensive guide of Barcelona, then look online.

Booking Nou Camp Tickets

The new La Liga season begins the 26th August and there will be many people booking Nou Camp Tickets to see the world famous FC Barcelona play and show off their many new signings including:Thierry Henry, Yaya Toure, and Eric Abidal. Along with these new faces, they will have a chance to marvel at it's current stars: Ronaldinho, Eto'o Messi, Xavi to name a few.
FC Barcelona will be looking to win back La Liga from their arch rivals Real Madrid who they threw away their title to towards the end of last season.
The first home game is 2nd September and for the many tourists looking to book Nou Camp tickets, it is important to know where to buy them.

There are many online sites where you can book Nou Camp tickets like the FC Barcelona website. These are handy for big games and guaranteeing good seats as you have the option of choosing your seat however sometimes they can be slightly overpriced due to the many tourists who visit the sites.
Another option is to purchase your tickets from the various ticket offices in the city. Just search online for the nearest one to you. There are various ones along Las Ramblas.
You can also go to the Nou Camp stadium to purchase tickets also and the office is open Monday to Thursday, from 9.00 to 13.30 and 15.30 to 18.00 / Friday, from 9.00 to 14.30 / Saturday from 9.00 to 13.30 on weekends of matches played at the Camp Nou. Getting to the Nou Camp is very easy using public transport.
A very popular hotel near the Nou Camp is Hotel Atenea and is highly recommended for those who want easy access to the stadium.
The final option is very handy, where you can buy Nou Camp tickets using the Caixa cash machines which are located on almost every street of the city. You just use your card at the machine and follow the simple instructions to book your preferred seat and your ticket is printed for you right at the machine.
Tickets are priced according to their opponents and are rated from A(big opponent) to C(lower opponent or friendly), with the exception of Real Madrid which is A+ and is almost impossible to get a ticket for. I would advise you look at a guide of Barcelona for more information on the city.

Carl Cox at City Hall, Barcelona

This Thursday the 2nd August Club4 presents Carl Cox at City Hall, Barcelona for a one off special performance as part of his busy summer schedule across Europe and all over the world. Usually Carl Cox is used to playing huge superclubs across the globe, like his weekly night in the world famous Space in Ibiza in front of thousands of clubbers. However this week he will perform at the smaller venue, City Hall infront of a couple of hundred spectators looking for hard techno beats. The venue City Hall only has a capacity of 650 people and the concert has only been advertised on posters across Barcelona for a week due to the predicted high demand for tickets, but those on Carl Cox's website mailing list will have known about the concert for a month now. The doors open at 11.30pm and tickets cost €25 before 1.30am without a drink and €30 after, also without a drink. If you are thinking of going then it would be advisable to arrive early to ensure entrance as this will be without doubt a very busy night.
Another option would be to try and book your ticket in advance by phoning Otto Zutz nightclub office on 932380722 as they are part of the group which owns City Hall. Here you can buy tickets cheaper, (probably for around €20) and with the guarantee of getting in. Find the address below Otto Zutz c/Lincoln 15 08006 Barcelona This is just another example of how Barcelona is a great clubbers destination, with many great DJs performing here, so look online for great deals on last minute Barcelona accommodation this summer.

A Night at The Movies

If your looking for something different to do one night in Barcelona on a limited budget then why not head to Montjuic castle to watch a film at the Outdoor Cinema. It sounds a bit crazy, right? But really though, from the 2nd of July this summer until the 3rd of August you can sit in the gardens at Montjuic and see a selection of films from all over the world. The majority of films are old classics and you won't see any of the current blockbusters in Yelmo Icaria for example, however they do have a few very recent ones showing, like Million Dollar Baby (2004). Due to its increasing popularity, now Montjuic has increased the amount of screenings from 2 to 3, so now you can view a film 3 times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The park opens at 8.30 so if you want to go for a picnic or Botellon before the screening at 22.00 or 22.15, then you can. It's a great way to spend a relaxing night whether it's with a group of friends, alone, or maybe even a great idea for going on a date. ;)
Also, it won't ruin your bank balance as it only costs 4 euros for a ticket and you can purchase your ticket on the night from 8.30, or probably more advisable, you can buy them from a Caixa in advanced. The capacity of the cinema is 2500 and it is becoming more and more well-known so maybe it's a good idea to book in advance, especially if you know there is a popular film showing.
The final screening will be the 3rd August and you can vote online as to what film you want to see from a choice of Madeinusa, Una Historia Verdadera and Oldboy.
So, if you have a night with nothing planned and fancy something a bit different then why not watch the onscreen stars under the real stars! Give it a try!
For more information look for a Barcelona guide online.

From Barcelona To Benicassim

One of the biggest music festivals of the year in Spain is about to begin this week, but finding it could be the problem.The 13th Festival Internacional de Benicassim begins Thursday 19th July so it's important to know what it's all about.

Benicassim is a small, tourist, town located between the cities of Barcelona (275 km north) and Valencia (80 km south) next to Castellon de la Plana. However over the past few years it has become more famous for the huge 4 day music festival held there every July . The real hardcore fans usually set up their tent on Thursday morning, for the festival's first performance that day, and then the party doesn't stop until early Monday morning, when all the zombies awake with whatever remains of their belongings to head home.

This year there are many huge artists have performing like The Hives, Kings of Leon, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Arctic Monkeys, The Go! Team, Vitalic and DJ Yoda.

It is popular with Spaniards and foreigners alike

, with people traveling there from all over Europe and some parts of the world to enjoy this wonderful event.

The only thing is, like many festivals, it is situated in the middle of nowhere so it is important to know exactly how to get there. The majority of people heading to the festival will travel from Barcelona, Madrid or Valencia and if you don’t have a car then it can be quite tricky to get there via public transport.

If you are staying in Barcelona, you must take the ARCO or TALGO service from Sants Estacio heading for Alicante where you can get of directly at Benicassim Renfe station and from there you can easily find your way to the festival. You can book train tickets online which would be advisable to make sure you get good seating. The journey takes about 2 hours 30 mins and the average price is about 27 euros but if you book in advance, you can get much cheaper tickets.

The FIB festival in Benicassim is the one that ev eryone wants to go to at the moment, so why no t get planning for next year?

If you want to find a more comprehensive Barcelona guide, just look online.

Barcelona Balloon Festival

This weekend, if you have accommodation in Barcelona and looking for something different to do this weekend, away from all the madness of the party city of Barcelona and the festival, Summercase, then head to Igualada.
Not many people will have heard of this town, roughly 50km from Barcelona, past Terrassa. However every year at this time it hosts one of the biggest Hot Air Balloon Festivals in the whole of Europe. From the 11th to the 15th of June Igualada will see over 25000 people come to watch and be fascinated as they eventually are launched up into the sky. Apart from the wonderful array of colours to excite all the spectators, the festival offers market stalls and the opportunity to try some local cuisine to complete the programme. If you are a holiday maker staying in an accommodation in Barcelona then you can easily reach the event by taking the R9 train from Plaza Espanya to Igualada.
So if you want a break from the madness of the city then why not enjoy a day of relaxation admiring these huge, colourful balloons.

Another Month, Another Festival!

Just when you thought you had recovered from the effects of Sonar last month, Barcelona has offered up another festival to blow your mind. Summercase, which was launched only last year hits Barcelona and Madrid simultaneously over the course of this weekend. The good thing is, it doesnt matter which of the cities you're in, because you'll see the exact same lineup. On Friday 13th July, Madrid will host one half of the festival at Viñas Viejas, Boadilla del Monte, meanwhile Barcelona will host the other half ar Parc del Forum near the beach. Even better, the following night each lineup will interchange and move to the other city for the Saturday night so that all the Madrilenos and Catalans get a chance to see everything on show. Over the course of the weekend, this rock/dance festival will have performances from acts such as Arcade Fire, James, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Lily Allen, Kaiser Chiefs, Scissor Sisters and many more. Also many big electronic acts and Djs such as The Chemical Brothers, Air, 2 Many DJs, Felix the Housecat and LCD Soundsystem. This impressive lineup hopefully will ensure a great festival with thousands of people already having bought their tickets.
Prices are €115 for the weekend package but you can also purchase daily tickets for €75 at FNAC or online at the official website www.summercase.com.

Although popular with the locals, Summercase also draws alot of tourists from all over, especially to Barcelona, due to the fact that they can find cheap accommodation and plenty of beaches to suntan, before hitting the dance floor to stomp their heart out to some filthy beats!!!

Attention Shopaholics!

Incase you haven't noticed, there is a war going on, all over the city of Barcelona! The majority of the action seems to be happining in places such as Corte Ingles, Zara, Desigual, and other major stores. The madness has spread out onto the street with people rushing up and down Portal Angel, Las Ramblas and Passeo de Gracia searchin for good deals on clothes, music etc.
It's wild out there at the moment, but good reason to be. From personal experience, it looks good with chains offering a wide range of goods at great prices. It all kicked off on Sunday 1st July and will continue until August 31st. So for all you would-be tourists searching for summer accomodation in Barcelona for the beach, the sights, the culture; well now you've got another reason to come. Some hardcore retail therapy!!!
But be careful, these shoppers stop for noone!




If only..eh?

Homage to Sonar

For those of you who made it to Sonar this year then, congradulations, but for those of you who didn't then heres some reasons why you should definately go next year!
It takes place round about 14th/15th June and is a showcase of art and cinema mixed with music which has become more and more electro-techno over the last few years.
The official website describes it as 'Three days and three nights in touch with the most up-to-date developments and featuring the most relevant national and international artists.' 'Sónar is the essential meeting point for an alert public, cutting-edge artists and the most influential professionals from the sectors of music and modern arts.'

Sonar by day takes place at the MACBA and CCCB just off La Rambla where most tourists find cheap Barcelona accommodation. Here is where artists showcase film and other forms of contemporary art with Djs performing ambient sets for all the visitors.
However the real party is a Gran Fira 2, just outside the city centre where 80000 clubbers go over the 3 days to party til the sun comes up.
This year, the usual big hip hop performance was carried out by the world famous Beastie Boys who played a great set. Other more famous DJs rocked the place with some unbeleivable sets.
For example Timo Maas ended the Friday night with a truly amazing mix....

Watch More Videos Uploaded by www.bebo.com/TonyBale

Is it a Mirage or Monegros?

Who would want to be stranded in the desert? Full of sand, miles and miles of horizon with noone to talk to. It would be awful! Or would it? Well it depends whereabouts you are.
Take Lleida, Catalunya for example. If you ended up there on 7th of the 7th, 2007 then you might stumble across 45000 people dancing about in 5 huge tents, to hard techno beats along with some hip hop too.
The festival attracts people from all over Spain to party in the desert from 7pm til 2.30pm the next day!!
You'll meet some wild and wonderful people who are so happy to stomp the night away to some of the worlds best electronic artists.
Nowadays, it has become the fashion to "do the festivals" and people are jetting all over Europe in search of the new coolest place to be. Some say, that Sonar or Primavera sound has become a bit too image conscious and lacks true atmosphere. In other words, its become all about the big shades and designer clothes.
You won't find that at Monegros. It's filthy, grimy and the people are happy with it. It's a unique setting (a desert!) and is relatively easy to get to by bus from Spain's major cities. I rented an apartment in Barcelona and travelled from there. The bus leaves from the city at about 3pm and arrives about 6 for the beginning of the festival. You can dance the night away until 3pm the following day were your bus will take you back to Barcelona, where im sure you will have no problem falling asleep on the journey home.
Heres a clip of the Prodigy from last years festival...

If your looking for something different this summer, then i would advise you give this a look.
I mean, when else can you walk into the pub and start a story with, "So, i was bouncing around in the desert last Saturday....."

For a more comprehensive Barcelona guide then just look online.

PRIMAVERA SOUND

Last weekend we had a great time, for 4 days listening to great music at the Primavera sound festival at the Forum centre. It was an impressive lineup which attracted visitors from all over the world. For all the electronic music lovers, heres a great video of Nathan Fake:




Enjoy!