AMAZING AUTUMN in SAVE THE DATE!
Autumn Edition 2013
BORN CULTURAL CENTRE
Sept 11th Inauguration Contemporary & Medieval culture
LA MERCÈ FESTA MAJOR
Sept 20th – 24th Awesome free street party!
INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL
Sept 25th – Oct 20th Multilingual comedy festival
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
Oct 19th – Dec 1st Quality shows in top venues
WELCOME to BARCELONA
APARTMENT BARCELONA
This Mediterranean city with its mild autumn climate invites you to enjoy seafront strolls, share tapas and drinks on the outdoor terraces of many lively bars and restaurants, and take advantage of endless sightseeing, shopping and other leisure activities. We wish you an amazing and unforgettable experience!
La Mercè Festival
International Jazz Festival
Celebrate good times, come on...
Jazz in the city
WHEN WHEN September 20th – September 24th, 11am-4am October 19th – December 1st WHAT WHAT Spectacular street festival celebrating local tradi- Quality jazz ensembles and soloists from around tions and music
the world
WHERE Streets and squares in the city centre
WHERE Various venues, incl. Palau de la Musica & L’Auditori
WEB www.merce.bcn.cat
WEB www.barcelonajazzfestival.com
Just when you thought the summer was over the party-loving city of Barcelona bites back with the big one. This almighty “festival of festivals” spills out from many stages and venues throughout the city, including Pl. Reial, Pl. Catalunya and Ciutadella Park. Join two million people and choose from over 600 activities and events, including an all-star music agenda. Every folkloric element of local culture is represented, from the towering castellers, or human castles that can reach up to nine storeys high, to epic correfocs with dancing devils skipping through the streets brandishing twirling fireworks alongside fire-breathing dragons. Don’t miss the regatta ships in Port Vell and the International Pyrotechnics Festival. Fireworks displays will happen throughout the festival, the highlight being a magnificent closing show accompanied by music.
This autumn Barcelona hosts a remarkable series of inspiring and innovative contemporary jazz and jazz spin-off concerts. If you’d like to enjoy an evening of live music in one of Barcelona’s most emblematic venues then book your tickets now. Highlights include Valdés and his Afro-Cuban Messengers presenting a new album “Border Free” at the Palau de la Música on the 30th Oct. The Tindersticks bring their eclectic indie-rock vibes to BARTS on Parallel on the 31st. Solo pianist Alfredo Rodríguez and the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès unveil a special tribute to the 20th century musical genius George Gershwin on the 23rd Nov. If you’re in Barcelona on the 1st Dec, don’t miss the Catalan all-star big band led by Andrea Motis and Joan Chamorro. This sensational show includes new music especially prepared for the closing show at L’Auditori.
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Autumn Edition 2013
New! Born Cultural Centre International Comedy Festival Barcelona´s past, present & future
WHEN
September 11th Inauguration
WHAT
Barcelona’s new arts and cultural centre in the Born district
WHERE
WHEN
September 25th – October 20th
WHAT
The world’s first and only multilingual comedy festival
WHERE
Carrer del Comerç, 2
Various venues & local pubs
WEB www.elborncentrecultural.bcn.cat
WEB www.barcelonacomedyfestival.com
After 12 years of work and an investment of 84 million euros the Born Cultural Centre finally opens its doors. Formally the city’s main market, this space now offers visitors a contemplative journey back in time to Barcelona’s Medieval and Roman past. The permanent exhibition in Sala Villarroel is entitled “Barcelona 1700, from its stones to its people.” It displays 1,500 of the 3,500 items which were recovered during the excavation. These illustrate daily life in the 17th and 18th century, with a special focus on what life was like before the Siege of Barcelona of 1714, when Catalunya fell during the bloody Spanish War of Succession to the Bourbon army and lost her independence. Sala Casanova tells of life in Barcelona during the 11 months of the Siege. Arts and cultural events are also held here, check program for details.
Catch major international headliners and discover new talent at this multilingual comedy festival. Edinburgh award winner Tony Law serves up a maximum nonsense overdrive on the 27th Sept, and Barcelona Improv Group let rip on Sept 28th. Nikolay Lukinsky presents a unique show in Russian, also on the 27th. Infamous scholar, smuggler, and scribe Howard Marks has a new show on the 5th Oct, and Marlon Kicken delivers a show in Dutch. Local stand-up collective S.U.C.K (Stand Up Comedy Kills) get giggles flowing on the 25th. Barcelona Improv Festival: Nov 6-10. With English speaking improv comedy from around the world. No two shows are alike as this is pure unscripted and spontaneous free-form funniness at its very finest. www.barcelonaimprovfestival.com 3
Fresh fruits & juices at the Boqueria
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Autumn Edition 2013
Delicious… Delightful…
Visit the Boqueria Market
A feast for the eyes and imagination
Did you know that the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, located on the Ramblas, dates back to 1200 when it was a travelling market attended by local farmers and merchants? It wasn’t until 1914 that the indoor market with its iconic metal roof was established. It is now Barcelona’s best known and most popular food market, with stalls selling a wide and colourful variety of exotic fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, sweets, nuts, spices, fresh juices, and delicatessen specialty products. There are also various tapas bars and restaurants. 5
Flamenco, the art that touches the soul
Olé, olé, olé!
The Flamenco Experience Passionate poses in a vibrant whirl of skirts and fans, as rhythmic hand-clapping and lively guitars accompany elegant dancers. Flamenco has captured the heart of many visitors to Barcelona and we recommend you treat yourself to a show. Originally from Andalucia, flamenco expresses the firey temperament of Southern Spain and the Romani gipsy culture. It has evolved through the years, often fusing with other contemporary styles, and yet always retaining its distinctive cha6
racter. Find out which shows take place during your stay with a quick visit to the Tourist Office at Pl. Catalunya, or Palau Virreina at la Rambla 99. Popular venues include the Tablao Flamenco Cordobés, Las Ramblas 35, which was founded in 1970 and is highly rated amongst flamenco aficionados. Tarantos at Pl. Reial 17 offers three live shows every night. Or combine an evening of flamenco with a three course meal at legendary Tablao de Carme in Poble Espanyol.
Autumn Edition 2013
Bars & Nightlife
Gothic Bar Crawl Chances are you’ve already heard about Barcelona’s reputation for epic nights out on the town. Let us take you straight to one of the liveliest hot-spots in the Gothic district. Between the Ramblas and Via Laietana you’ll find the labyrinth of Barcelona’s old streets that once lay within the Roman city walls. A portion of the old wall can still be seen in Pl. Traginers, next to the outdoor terrace of Café Babel, a small restaurant that offers delicious tapas. Continue along Carrer Correu Vell and stop off at Andú for a glass of wine from their extensive selection. If you’re after freshly mixed cocktails or a recovery brunch the morning after, the Irish owned Milk Bar at Carrer d’en
Gignas 21 is recommended. A couple more of our favourite spots nearby are Dusk, at Carrer de la Merce 23, with great food, and a lively international crowd, and Las Cuevas del Sorte, at Carrer d’en Gignas 2 for its unique cavern-like ambience and innovative variety of special events. There are countless more great little bars and cafés to discover in this area, so follow your intuition, let yourself get lost, and you’ll be sure to find a night you’ll never forget.
Quatre Gats in the Gothic 7
Family escapes
Day Trip to Girona Are you feeling adventurous? The historic city of Girona is one of the most interesting places to visit in Catalunya, and is just 85km from Barcelona. Its Roman and Medieval past is fascinatingly well preserved within fortified enclosures, and its contemporary culture offers something for everyone, from museums and historic sights to bars, terraces, and countless spots where you can soak up the autumn sunshine. Girona’s Cathedral is a grand, imposing monument built between the 11th and 18th centuries. A must-see is the museum inside which holds the Tapestry of Creation, a woven piece of magic telling legends of the Creation. Several trains depart for Girona every hour. Train timetables: www.renfe.es Girona tourist office: www.girona.cat/turisme
Local footsteps
Alternative Walking Tours If you’d like to catch a glimpse behind Barcelona’s “mask,” and get a real insight into the many faces of its urban reality then these tours are for you. The Travel Bar (C/ de la Boqueria 27) organise a route with local guides who take the back streets and share their knowledge on contemporary issues such as sustainability, the squat scene, urban infrastructure and new community initiatives, as well as Barcelona´s vibrant street art scene, including some attributed to Banksy. Hidden City Tours is a new initiative that offers tours in the Gothic quarter given by specially trained homeless people. It is the first of its kind in Spain, and was inspired by a similar social project in London. Tours start on the 5th October. Travel Bar: +34 933 42 52 52 / www.travelbar.com Hidden City Tours: +34 655585156 / www.hiddencitytours.com 8
Autumn Edition 2013
Girona´s cathedral from the riverfront
Talk a walk on the other side 9
A short guide to
Gaudí’s Masterpieces Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí left a breathtakingly beautiful legacy. His Modernist vision of the late 19th and early 20th century is embodied in these unique and distinctive buildings which are some of Barcelona’s top sightseeing attractions, and which receive millions of visitors every year. No trip to Barcelona would be complete without marvelling at their organic forms inspired by nature and sparkling with Mediterranean colour. Spectacular views
Park Güell Gaudí’s landscaped gardens are truly magical. There is a famous ornamental pavilion with curved mosaic tiled seating, plus aquatic mandalas and images of the sun and moon in the “marketplace” area. Caves shaped like the inside of a whale evoke subterranean caverns. C/ Olot 7 M Vallcarca/Lesseps 10
Autumn Edition 2013
Sagrada Familia Each detail corresponds to a sacred geometry that is designed to provoke awe and reverence. Soaring arches, inscriptions and allegorical depictions of the life of Christ and other Biblical events are intricately woven into its stone surfaces and ceramic centerpieces. Pl. Sagrada Familia M Sagrada Familia
Modernist Basilica
Casa Milà (La Pedrera) This beautiful structure was originally Unique wavy walls built as flats. Its rooms boldly declare their Modernist splendour; period furniture adds to the effect created by irregular windows, intricate ceilings and unusual doorframe designs. Its colourful chimneys on the roof are a must-see. C/ Provença 261-265 M Diagonal
Casa Batlló
When Gaudí renovated the main faça- A fairytale come true de, internal walls, staircase and light, well no one could have imagined such a creative response. He dreamed of an explosion of colour and life, and gave it shape using broken, coloured glass, glazed ceramics and asymmetrical curves. Passeig de Gràcia, 43 M Passeig de Gràcia 11
Beautiful sea view and city apartments
Apartments
for your autumn adventure Your perfect break in Barcelona begins with choosing comfortable accommodation that makes you feel at home. Whether you are visiting with a group of friends and want to be at the heart of the action in the old town, or prefer a more relaxed family ambience by the sea or in the Eixample, you’ll find the right apartment with us. And once you’ve unpacked your bags it’s time to start exploring. Marvel at Gaudí’s Modernist masterpieces, enjoy fresh tapas at the Boqueria Market, or breathe the air of champions at the Barça stadium. Let Barcelona’s Mediterranean charm take you on an unforgettable journey.
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