Calçots!! The best places to eat them in and near Barcelona

Posted on March 29, 2012 by admin

Visitors to Barcelona this month are treated with a Catalan gastronomic treat, the Calçotada.

A calçot is a large green vegetable belonging to the onion family, though it looks more like a leek with a green stem and white edible section. Eaten with a romesco sauce, they are absolutely delicious. There is only one way to prepare them to make the best of their flavour, and that is over a charcoal grill. At the table they are dipped in Romesco, composed of olive oil, hazel nuts, pine nuts, nora peppers, roasted garlic and roasted tomatoes.

In a traditional calçotada meal Calçots are eaten as a starter and followed by a selection of meat, also cooked on a charcoal grill, this typically includes rabbit, lamb, pork, chicken and Catalan butifarra sausages. Needless to say copious amounts of local Penedes wine are needed to wash this all down.

Often the best Calçotada spots are Masies, old stone Catalan farm houses in the countryside or outskirts of Barcelona, such as Can Carbonell or Can Martí, both offer great views of the city in the rural setting of Collserola National Park.

However idyllic eating outdoors in the spring sunshine is, it is not always compatible with city living and some excellent Calçotades can also be found in Barcelona too. The Bodega Monumental in Sants or Quina Barra in Sant Martí, or in the Eixample, Caliu de L’Eixample are very good choices.

Masia Caldimoni and Restaurant Devesa are good options north west of the city near Badalona.

Bon profit!!!

Posted in Activities - Spring, Barcelona Gastronomy | 7 Comments

F1 Barcelona 2012

Posted on March 28, 2012 by admin

The Barcelona F1 2012 is staged at the Catalunya Circuit in a small town called Montmelo, just 20km North-East of Barcelona.

The main race takes place on Sunday the13th of May 2012, with practice and qualifying sessions from Friday the 11th of May to Saturday 12 May 2012, so you can make a weekend in Barcelona of the event with a 3 day pass. See our Barcelona apartments for accommodation during the Barcelona F1 2012.

Tickets for the F1 can be purchased from Feelathomeinbarcelona at a discounted rate of 20% for all clients during the event, or from the official website. To reach the Catalunya Circuit you can catch the train from either Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gracia or Clot rail stations in Barcelona to Montmelo station, the nearest stop to the Catalunya F1 race circuit. It takes half an hour and costs 2.20€ one way.

Once at Montmelo you can walk to the race circuit but it is not a nice walk along some large roads, taking aroughly 30 minutes. There is a shuttle bus between the Rail station and the Catalunya circuit, free of charge for people with tickets.

Posted in Activities - Spring, Barcelona a world city, Barcelona Apartments, Barcelona F1 2012, Sporting activities in Barcelona, Transport in Barcelona | 10 Comments

The Nao Victoria visits Barcelona

Posted on February 24, 2012 by admin

A Replica of the Nao (ship) Victoria, the first ship to circumnavigate the earth, is docked in Barcelona and open to the public until March 2012. This replica of the Victoria is in port before completing a round the world voyage to celebrate and raise awareness of the first circumnavigation of the globe, in which her namesake took part between 1519 and 1522, as one of 5 ships in the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan.

This was the first expedition to successfully round the perilous Straights of Magellan at the tip of South America and subsequently circumnavigate the globe, linking up with Portuguese territories in the South Seas.

This replica of the Victoria also sailed around the world between 2004 and 2006 – sailing some 26,000 miles and visiting 17 countries. Visitors to this 26m long and 7m wide ship will experience the conditions of the historic journey and see an exhibition about both circumnavigations of the globe.

Victoria is docked in the Port Vell at Moll de la Fusta. Entry costs 3€, or for €4 you can visit the Nao Victoria, the Barcelona Maritime Museum and the Maritime museum’s schooner Santa Eulalia, which is also docked at Moll de la Fusta.

Opening times:
Open to general public: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00
Guided tours of 1 hour only on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Schools and groups should contact the Barcelona Maritime museum for reservations.

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Emirates announces direct flights to Barcelona from New Zealand

Posted on January 27, 2012 by admin

Good news for New Zealanders, who will now be able to choose between two gateways into Spain when the Emirates airlines introduces direct services to Barcelona from July 3 2012, after doubling frequencies to Madrid from July 1.

The airline is boosting to its services in Spain on the heels of mounting demand for its Madrid service, launched in August 2010.

Its no surprise Barcelona is so popular with the people of New Zealand. Not only does it offer a wealth of gothic and art nouveau architecture, art galleries, world class restaurants, wineries, sandy beaches and the Montserrat mountain range, it also offers exactly the kind of outdoors lifestyle and sunshine that makes life in New Zealand so enjoyable.

The European Cities Monitor 2011 named Barcelona as the top European city for employees’ quality of living and the 6th most attractive city in Europe to do business, so the new flight route also has significant business implications for trade between the two countries.

Posted in Barcelona a world city, Getting to Barcelona | 13 Comments

Carnival Barcelona 2012

Posted on January 26, 2012 by admin

The Spanish Carnival season is celebrated all over Spain, in every region Carnival has its own unique character and traditions.

Barcelona has always had its own flavour of festivities, and this year, 2012, Barcelona City Council is launching a new carnival model that seeks to recover the distinctive historical character of its celebration in the city. So instead of a central procession there will be several smaller processions around the city, and ancient traditions such as the carnival dance, the arrival of the king, and the burial of the sardine are making a comeback.

These customs originate in the carnival traditions of the 15th and 16th century and have been revived with the collaboration of the historians.

As well as the revival of long lost traditions, Carnival this year will be about greater public participation, following dialogue with the organisations and societies that take part in Carnival, it has been decided to involve the residents, associations, schools and markets of Barcelona’s districts.

The Carnival schedule is still being finalised, but to date events confirmed include:

- Dijous Gras, or Fat Thursday, on the 16th of February. Celebration will centre around the Santa Caterina Market, with the collaboration of other markets across Barcelona and will include the presentation of the carnival’s seven ambassadors.

- The Carnival King (Carnestoltes) will take place on Passeig del Born, where he will parade with his retinue, preceded by his ambassadors, this will be followed by a masked ball (16th of February, 5.30-9.00pm.).

- Carnival parades (18 February) – to be held in the different neighbourhoods and organised by each neighbourhood’s carnival association.

- The main carnival event will take place in the Born neighbourhood (19th of February) and includes two masked balls, the “Batalla” (battle) and the “Gran Sarau” (big dance), and will be divided into three parts: at 5 pm the kids’ “sarau”, at 6 pm the carnival parade and battle or “taronjada” (orange fight), and, finally, at 6.30 pm, the typical carnival dances and masked balls will take place in the patio of the Convent de Sant Agustí, on the Passeig del Born, and in the train station concourse.

- The burial of the sardine (22nd February) will take place in Parc de la Ciutadella and will be accompanied by a series of activities for children.

If you are in Barcelona in February, make sure you join in the carnival fun! See our Barcelona apartments if you need to reserve accommodation.

Posted in Activities - Spring, Barcelona for Children, Carnival time in Barcelona | 16 Comments

Mobile World Congress 2012 Accommodation

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin

Mobile World Congress 2012 is fast approaching. Running from the 27th of February to the 1st of March, the venue as ever is the Fira Montjuïc in Barcelona.

The leading global mobile telecomms conference, its mission statement is ‘redefining the mobile’.

The visitor statistics from 2011 make a compelling case for MWC as a must attend event. Attendance was at an all time high of over 60,000, with the largest ever senior-level audience at more than 58%. Over 1400 exhibitors were in attendance s were over 2,900 press members representing 1,500 media outlets. Also in attendance were over 12,000 Mobile App Developers.

Accommodation is highly in demand during Mobile World Congress. Hotel rooms can be hard to find, and their prices are raised for the duration of the event. This makes a rental apartment an attractive option. We offer apartments very close to the Fira site, see ent-barcelona.html”>Gran Via A and Gran Via B apartments are no more than 5 minutes walk away, as is the Joanot apartment. See our Fira apartments section for a full list of apartments in the vicinity of the Fira.

Posted in Barcelona Apartments, Mobile Wolrd Congress | 3 Comments

Description of a typical Barcelona apartment

Posted on January 12, 2012 by admin

The classic Barcelona apartment building, in which most of its inhabitants live, was built at the the end of the 19th or start of the 20th century in the art nouveau architectural style for which Barcelona is world-renowned.

The Eixample area is the late 19th century area of Barcelona that was built almost in its entirety in the art nouveau style. The Eixample is made up of city blocks that are hollow in the middle.

In this context, it is normal to talk of apartments as being either ‘interior’ or ‘exterior’. An apartment that is ‘exterior’ faces the street, and the outside of the city block. An apartment that is interior faces onto the interior of the city block, where you sometimes find a park. There are some apartments that re both interior and exterior, these typically are quite long and narrow.

Most apartment buildings in Barcelona are about 6 stories high, high rises or sky scrapers are not common. The naming of the different floors can be confusing to the unitiated, the ‘first floor’ can in reality be the third floor (or fourth floor if you are American and consider the ground floor to be the first floor). After the ground level you first come to an ‘entresuelo’ level, roughly this translates as inbetween. Then you come to a principal level. The principal was traditionally the finest and most expensive in the building, before the invention of the lift, when it was better to be close to the ground. After the principal comes the first, second and so on. Some buildings will have just an entresuelo or just a principal.

Nowadays nearly all buildings have a lift, typically this is a modern lift installed within the inner stairwell of the building.

Most apartments have two or more bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, a lounge and sometimes a separate dining room. Many also have a terrace, or a ‘gallery’, which is an agreeable space with large windows at the back of the building, facing the inner courtyard. Often these apartments are quite dark inside compared to dwellings in other countries, this is cooler in the summer months. All our apartments have air conditioning and central heating as well.

It is very typcial to have one or two balconies facing the street, with French windows. Normally these will have attractive original wooden doors, and normally louvred shutters to block direct sunlight in summer. Many windows also have external blinds.

A highly attractive and much sought-after feature of many Barcelona apartments is their floor tiles. These have charming art nouveau patterns, usually detailed and colourful, they are the result of local workmanship and many traditional designs are now being produced once more.
With their decorative floors and French windows letting in warm mediterranean sunshine, the traditional Barcelona apartment is a highly agreeable space to live in or to stay in while visiting Barcelona.

Posted in Architecture in Barcelona, Areas - The Eixample, Barcelona Apartments | 7 Comments

Barcelona switches on the Christmas lights, LED style

Posted on December 2, 2011 by admin

This week the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, activated Barcelona’s Christmas lights in Plaça Catalunya.

Thanks to LED technology, Barcelona is upping the ante while many cities cut back on their Christmas decorations. New LED technology means the city is able to put on
the lights for longer at less cost; the Christmas lights go on two days ahead of schedule, and off a day later than usual but the cost is down from 200,000 euros to 10,000 euros. This innovation is keeping the streets bright and cheerful in the face of the economic downturn, and the aim is to stimulate activity and commerce in the city centre.

Rambla Catalonia can exhibits another curious and novel aspect of the Christmas festivities in Barcelona, in the shape of 27 enormous pieces of pasta about half the size of a person, grouped on the walkway between Provença and the Gran Via.

One other important innovation this year is the installation of an ice rink at Plaça Catalunya, the rink is 40 x 30 feet wide, covered by a semi-transparent dome and has capacity for 300 skaters. Another highlight this year are the large six feet tall Christmas trees the city council is installing all throughout Barcelona.

If you are visiting Barcelona this Christmas you will be sure not to miss the decorations if you venture into the city centre. The gothic quarter is wonderfully atmospheric and should not be missed at this time of year.

Posted in Areas - The Old Town & Ramblas, Christmas and new year Barcelona, Shopping in Barcelona | 10 Comments

Ten top tips for renting a Barcelona beach apartment

Posted on November 25, 2011 by admin
  1. Make sure the apartment really is close to the beach. In Barcelona there are no ‘Beachfront’ apartments because there is a road directly behind the beach. However in the residential district behind the beach you can find apartments no more than 5 minutes walk from the beach.
  2. Only book an apartment near the beach if it has air-conditioning. The last thing you will want on returning from a day’s sun and sea is a hot apartment With aircon you can enjoy a comfortable and relaxing environment and will sleep much better.
  3. An apartment with a terrace will offer you a place to sit and enjoy the sun, to relax with a cold drink or to enjoy eating outdoors. Many beach apartments have a terrace or else a communal terrace for the whole building on the roof.
  4. Check your Barcelona beach apartment is near to some public transport. The beach district stretches from the edge of the centre all the way out of the city. All of this area is agreeable to stay in, and its different areas all have interesting and distinct characters.  If you are staying away from the centre do not worry as there are many metro stops and bus routes, to make life easier you should find an apartment that is near to a public transport stop.
  5. Visit a chiringuito. Chiringuitos are Spanish beach bars – a place to have a drink on the beach, under a parasol and with your feet in the sand. These are very enjoyable and relaxing places, often playing chill-out music. They can be found all along the beach and are an essential Barcelona beach experience.
  6. Rent a bicycle. The beach is the perfect place from where to explore Barcelona by bicycle as there is a beach promenade all along its length offering a safe and scenic bike ride. From here you can cycle all the way into the historic centre, there are many bike lanes which are much safer, or into other parts of the city to see sites such as the works of Gaudi.
  7. Get to the beach early. It is recommendable to go to the beach early to claim a good place near the water and to be there before the sun is too hot. Around mid day many people will leave the beach to eat and escape the midday sun, and return again late in the afternoon.
  8. Leave valuables in your safe or in the apartment. Most Barcelona beach apartments come with a safe and it is better to leave valuables such as large sums of money, bank cards, passports and consumer electronics here while you are at the beach. This way you will have a more relaxing day ay the beach knowing that you do not need to constantly worry about your valuables.
  9. Be prepared. If you are renting a Barcelona beach apartment it will come with all the towels you need for washing, but not beach towels. Take your own beach towels, sun screen,  and water. A beach umbrella is a good idea and can be purchased in most supermarkets in summer time for under 10 euros. When you leave the beach, pick up your litter and dispose of it in one of the bins provided.
  10. Try the beaches outside of Barcelona too. It is very easy to catch a train from Barcelona either north or south, the train follows the line of the shore. When you sea a beach you like, you can simply get off and visit the beach. There are many fine beaches outside of Barcelona that are also worth visiting for a change of air.

Where to Stay

There are many options available. Perhpas the most popluar spot is is Poblenou where we offer the Poblenou Beach building with 12 Barcelona beach apartments. Here another option is he Marquet Beach building with 4 more Barcelona beach apartments.

Close to the Port Olympic and Port Vell is the quaint former fisherman’s quarter of Barceloneta. Here we offer the Sant Miquel building offering 4 apartments by the beach.

Right at the edge of the city centre, the historical Gothic Quarter and close to las Ramblas, is the Colon Building, right next to Barceloneta metro station, where the Gothic Quarter meets the Barceloneta, with 16 Barcelona beach apartments. The Colon Building also boasts a roof deck with a pool with stunning views of the old port and of the sea.

As well as these recommendations, see our Barcelona beach apartments section for other interesting rentals by the beach.

Should you need any convincing that the beach is the best place to stay in Barcelona, here are 5 compelling arguments for the beach.

Posted in Barcelona beach apartments, Barcelona Beaches | 16 Comments

A quick guide to Barcelona neighbourhoods

Posted on November 11, 2011 by admin

Barcelona is a densely populated city, its expansion checked by the Collserola Mountains to the west and the mouths of the Llobregat and Bèsos rivers to the south and north. Within the city are many different neighbourhoods with very different historical and physical characteristics.

In this page we offer a quick overview of the main residential areas of the city. See our city guide for more in depth information on Barcelona’s districts, activities, transport connections and much more.

Given its excellent public transport this makes Barcelona a very easy and convenient city to get around. You will not be inconvenienced in any way if you are not staying right in the centre.

The Old Town / Gothic Quarter

The Old Town is the historical core of Barcelona, the site of the original Roman settlement of Barcino. Densely packed, with narrow medieval streets, bursting with character and beautiful architecture, home to Las Ramblas, the Cathedral and numerous museums, it is without surprise that the Old Town is so popular with visitors. In recent years the Born district of the Old Town has risen to become one of the hippest in the city and the coolest place to hang out.

See: Las Ramblas, Cathedral Santa Eulàlia (La Seu), Santa Maria del Mar Church, Picasso Museum, Old Port, Hip Born District

Las Ramblas apartments and apartments in the Old Town and Gothic Quarter

Read more about  the Old Town in our city guide

The Eixample

The beautiful Eixample district forms the largest residential area of Barcelona and is art-nouveau town. Its wide, airy boulevards contrast with the dark winding streets of the Old Town, and its distinctive architectural style showcases some of the finest art nouveau building in the world – far more vivid in colour and form than its Northern European counterparts in Paris and Brussels. Formed in the late 19th century to cure overcrowding at a time of great prosperity in Catalunya, Architects such as Gaudi, Domenech I Muntaner and Puig I Cadafalch transformed the city, sites such as the Sagrada Familia, Casa Milà and Casa Batlló form a lasting testament to their unique vision.

See: Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Passeig de Gracia

Apartments in the Eixample, Apartments in Sagrada Familia

Read more about the Eixample in our city guide

Gracia

A village within a city, Gracia is super trendy and popular with the young and with families alike. Formerly an outlying village, Gracia was swallowed up by the Eixample in the 19th century though without any loss of its tranquil character, that of a village – low rise buildings, pedestrian streets lined with orange trees, plazas with terraces – generally a slightly bohemian and highly agreeable place to be.

See: Plaza Sol, Plaza Rius I Taulet, Parc Guell

Apartments in Gracia

Read more about Gracia in our city guide

The Beach –Barceloneta, Poblenou and Sant Marti

Blessed with over 4km of sea and sand, incorporating no less than seven distinct beaches, the beach district of Barcelona leaves little not to like. From the former fisherman’s district of Barceloneta, still technically part of the old town and replete with sea food eateries, to the vibrant Poblenou district, the beach front is the place for sun worshippers to stay to enjoy the sun, sea and sand. Chiringuito beach bars line the shore, the areas behind the shore are residential rather than lined with the giant all night discos infamous to some parts of the Mediterranean.

See: The beach!, Barceloneta, Port Olympic, some Chiringuitos, Rambla Poblenou

Barcelona beach apartments

Read more about the beach in Barcelona in our city guide

Sants

In prime location next to Montjuic Mountain, the Sants Railway Station (Barcelona’s main station) and the Fira de Barcelona conference and trade centre, Sants is big on convenience. Popular with business travellers for its quiet residential character and with families alike, Sants is a sure and safe option.

See: Montjuic, The Olympic Village, Poble Espanyol, Sants Market, Parc Miró, Miró Museum

Read more about Sants in our city guide

Apartments near the Fira de Barcelona

Poblesec

Also next to Montjuic mountain on one side, and the Old Town on the other, the Poblesec district is removed from the hustle and bustle and boasts a laid back village like atmosphere. The prefect striking out point for Las Ramblas, the Old Town and the Old Port and the sea, you will enjoy all the benefits of a central location here.

See: Montjuic, The Olympic Village, Poble Espanyol, Miro Museum, Las Ramblas, Old Port

Apartments in or near to Poblesec

Read more about Poblesec in our city guide

Les Corts / FC Barcelona

Home of the world famous FC Barcelona. The Camp Nou is the hallowed turf that is the home ground of the Blaugranas, or FC Barcelona, pride of the city. But there is far more than just football to Les Corts, where some of the best shopping in Barcelona can be found at L’Illa and at Pedralbes shopping centres. If neither shopping not football is your thing then the Museum of Decorative Arts in the grounds of a former palace is nearby.

See: Camp Nou, L’Illa, Pedralbes, Museum of Decorative Arts

Apartments in or near to Les Corts and the Camp Nou

Read more about Les Corts in our city guide

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments