The Red Bull Air Race Series was started by the energy drink company Red Bull in 2003 to advertize their brand name and provide a fun and competitive event for the world´s best pilots. 

Pilots from all over the world compete throughout obstacle courses at different locations in order to earn points toward their record.  The pilot who has consistently finished courses in the fastest times and earned the most points is the world champion at the end of the season.  Britain´s Paul Bonhomme and Austria´s Hannes Arch are currently in the run for the world championship. Come watch as Paul and Hannes skillfully take on the toughest course Barcelona can provide.

The event takes place this Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd and 4th, from 12:00-18:00 on Saturday and 12:00-19:30 on Sunday.  Saturday is a qualifying day and Sunday is the race day solely consisting of the best pilots.  Follow the link below to read more about the event and view the full schedule for this weekend!

Red Bull Air Race Championship

To find a place in Barcelona for easy access to the show, please visit our website: ComeToBarcelona!

 The year: 1687. The event: Barcelona was up against a horde of deadly attackers. The outcome: the city was delivered through the divine intervention of the Virgin of Mercy. Legend has it that Barcelona was afflicted by a plague of locusts such as never seen before and who threatened to destroy the city. To the rescue came the Virgin of Mercy, who saved the city and was to be forever remembered in history, immortalized in her new role as the patron saint of Barcelona and starring figure of La Mercè.  

Flash forward to February 23, 2009, the date that marks this year´s annual return of Barcelona’s largest, most renowned festival, La Mercè 2009. Activities commence in earnest today, as the streets of the city will soon be overflowing with music, parades and many citizens taking pride in their city´s holiday.   

Understandably, with a festival that boasts over 500 attractions, it may be a little difficult to cram them all into the short amount of time five days contains before the festival comes to a close on Sunday the 27^th. Luckily, Come2BCN is here to help, with a list of don´t miss activities, ranging from parades to fireworks to music.

La Xambanga de Gegants (Wednesday the 23^rd at 21:30 starting at Plaça dels Àngels): witness this Parade of the Giants as locals don oversized costumes and take to the streets for a long march throughout the city.  

La Diada castellera (Thursday the 24^th at 12:30 at Plaza de Sant Jaume): come watch as troupes of profession acrobats create human towers, each trying to set a new record for most people stacked on top of each other.

El Correfoc (Saturday the 26^th beginning at 20:30 in Porta Cambó): this fire run consists of a gauntlet of fireworks as people dash through them to the accompaniment of music

Manel, Billy Vision and The Dancers and The Hives (Saturday the 26^th at 19:30 at Antiga Fàbrica Damm): come see this concert with a fantastic lineup of performers

El Piromusical (Sunday the 27^th at 22:00 in Plaza España): these synchronized fireworks bring the celebration to an end.

After what is sure to be an exhilarating week at La Mercè, make sure to maximize your experience by resting up in one of our Barcelona apartments.    

It all began in 1933 when Miguel Boadas, a Catalan born in Cuba, wanted to use his experience as a bartender in the mythical “Floridita de La Habana” to bring the art of mixing drinks to Barcelona.

The classic interior of Boadas

In spite of the fact that it's currently an “in” bar in the trendy scene, and that it's located on the corner of Tallers and Las Ramblas (one of the most touristic corners in the city), Boadas Cocteleria is one of the few refuges of authenticity in the center of Barcelona. Intimate and cozy, with a long wooden bar and matching bar stools, its walls filled with paintings and decorative art, the service is handled by a batallion of veteran waiters impeccably dressed in classic smoking jackets.

At first glance it might seem that we've found ourselves in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. And here is where we notice one of the key features of this bar- it's eclectic and refined clientele. Here mingle the most loyal barflies, locals celebrating special occasions, and foreigners- all smartly dressed. This is due to the throwback bar code employed by the bar, and enforced diligently by its doorman. Don't even think about entering here with shorts on, it's explicitly prohibited. In Boadas the atmosphere is groomed to be cordial and enjoyable, even if it may fill to capacity rather quickly (thanks to its small size). In any case, Cocteleria Boadas merits a visit from any visitor who enjoys to imbibe in a classically classy setting. The cocktails are classic too, and there is one for all tastes: Vodka Collins, Bloody Mary, Gimlet, Rob Roy...

For all of this, Boadas has gained a distinguished reputation en Barcelona, nay, in all of Spain, as one of the best cocktail shops in the country (along with Dry Martini). Its pioneering founder brought the art of the modern cocktail to the city, and for that we are all grateful, and a little bit happier. Enjoy a cool mixed drink and then retire to one of our hot Barcelona apartments and enjoy everything that the city's night life has to offer.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people walk along the Moll de la Fusta (Wooden Pier in Catalan) without knowing where they are walking. Though it may not seem like it at first glance, the Moll de la Fusta is one of the most significant architectural elements in Barcelona.

An aerial view of the Moll de la Fusta

This expansive wooden wharf is the maritime extensión of the Passeig de Colom and, as a pedestrian only zone, is ideal to stroll along and enjoy the sights and smells of the sea. Completely remodelled in 1987, the renovation converted the promenade into two levels. The lower level is situated along the water’s edge and lined with palm trees and benches, and the upper level is filled with restaurants, terraces and discos. Together, their design forms an impressive landmark of vanguard architecture.

Additionally, the lower part of the pier is an enjoyable promenade to walk along, and it’s popular too. On sunny days it becomes one of the busiest spots in the whole city. Adjacent to the Moll de la Fusta is the mailboat, the Santa Eulalia, a restored sailing ship that is now used by the Maritime Museum of Barcelona in their educational activities.

On the other side of the Moll we find Maremagnum, united by the now-famous draw bridge, whose raisings and lowerings have become a favourite tourist attraction.

Check out our special prices for apartments in Barcelona near the port, La Barceloneta and Passeig de Colom to experiences a few days of purely Mediterranean ambience on the water’s edge.

Barcelona's L’Aquàrium is the most important educational and touristic marine center in the world that focuses on the Mediterranean Sea and the life within it. Featuring 35 tanks, 11,000 animals from more than 450 different species, an 80 meter underwater tunnel, 6 million liters of water, and a massive Oceanarium (the only one in Europe), L’Aquàrium is a reference point for leisure and tourism in Barcelona- with over 14 million people having visited.

Experience the feeling of being with the sharks at the Aquarium!

Inaugurated on September 8, 1995; the aquarium has used the latest technology to recreate in the most accurate manner possible, all of the diverse underwater environs that are presented. All together L’Aquàrium is a diverse trip through the sea. The Mediterranean is the focus of L’Aquàrium, with the majority of the tanks dedicated to the flora and fauna of this most spectacular sea; but additionally there are tanks that exhibit the breathtaking colors and shapes of tropical waters, the Planeta Aqua exposition, and the educational space Explora!

In each tank there are displays that allow you to learn about each species and what characteristics make it unique. Besides the tanks, visitors may also see two re-creations of protected zones of the Catalan coast, learn about corals and various tropical fauna, as well as "swim with the sharks" by taking a trip through the plexiglass tunnel in the Oceanarium.

L’Aquàrium de Barcelona is located in Maremagnum, the leisure center located in the old port of Barcelona, near Las Ramblas and the neighborhoods of La Barceloneta and Born. Check too see which of our Barcelona apartments are available in this entertainment filled area of town and book today!

We here at ComeToBarcelona want to wish all of you a happy and peaceful La Diada- or the National Day of Catalunya. This day is especially significant to Catalans because it represents the day, in 1714, when soldiers fighting for the Bourbon monarchy conquered the city of Barcelona- effectively ending Catalunya's era of substantive self-governance. For on this day the institutions, rights, and lands of the Crown of Catalunya and Aragon were abolished by the victorious Bourbon force, effectively ending the War of Spanish Succession.

Hanging the Estelada from one's balcony is a common sight on La Diada

For more than 30 years, during the dicatorship of Franco, the observance of this national holiday was prohibited. Finally, after the restoration of democracy and the Generalitat (the Catalan government), the festival was once agin permitted to be celebrated. In fact in 1980, as its first official act, the newly restored Generalitat proclaimed La Diada (September 11th) as the national holiday of Catalunya.

Today is a very political holiday, and there are several memorials, rallies, and concerts occurring throughout the city. Many citizens hang senyeres or estelades from their windows and balconies as a show of support for Catalan self-determination. If you are here today, you will make many more friends if you understand the history and significance of this day, than if you don't.

So celebrate Catalunya, and an official holiday, and make sure you've got your apartment in Barcelona to do so!

We're not exactly sure how they're calculating, but the organizing group of Hipnotik hip-hop festival have determined that 2009 is the 25th anniversary of the arrival of hip-hop music to Spain. 25 years since the eruption of rhythm and beats on the Iberian peninsula. Not only that, but the organizers are also using this event to commemorate the invasion of graffiti onto the streets of Spain. Both of these things are good reasons for lovers of hip-hop culture to attend this festival, the silver anniversary of Spanish MCs, DJs, sprayers and breakdancers. The line-up for the festival includes a lengthy list of MCs on the mic, breakdancers on the dance floor, and conferences and talks happening outside of the stage. Especially notable is a presentation by Gabriel Berti that will discuss the history and evolution and Graffiti in Spain.

Other notable acts include Dive Dibosso, Mucho Muchacho, Eddy la Sombra, and 7 Notas 7 Colores, amongst others. Anyone who enjoys hip-hop music and is curious about this culture in Spain should not miss out on this event. Make sure you've got your fly pad in Barcelona to crash at after the after-party.

Where: CCCB & Mercat de les Flors
When: Today, September 11 until Sunday, September 13th
How much: From 12 to 22 euros, depending on the event.
Tickets & More info: http://www.hipnotikfestival.com

Book your apartment on line!

Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf, located between the Passeig de Lluís Companys and the Passeig de Sant Joan, was not constructed in celebration of any military triumph or battle won by the city. So, its history as a monument is neither epic nor military in nature. Rather, it was constructed to be used as the main entrance to the Universal Exposition which was celebrated in Barcelona in 1888.

Barcelona's Arc de Triomf

Its architect, Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas, was inpsired by the neo-Mudéjar style in his design of this 30 meter high monument. The exposed brick structure- a style rarely recreated in Barcelona since, features a varied selection of relief sculptures that depict various scenes and metaphors for industry, craftsmanship and business.

Josep Reynés, comissioned to create the main frieze of the Arc, created a representation of the city of Barcelona welcoming visitors to the Exhibition. With regards to the rear frieze, renowned Catalan sculptor Josep Llimona captured a scene of the Exhibition’s award ceremony.

The Arc de Triomf is an emblematic monumento of the city, and is a site that should not be missed. It’s located in a central neighbourhood of Barcelona, within walking distance of Plaça Catalunya, so it’s accessibility is easy for all visitors to the city center. Further, it is the namesake of a stop on the Line 1 (red) of the Barcelona metro. This stop, true to its name, leaves you at the base of this majestic Arc.

Finally, the Arc de Triomf is your gateway to the Parc de la Ciutadella – “the garden of the Barcelonins”- another emblematic sight of the city and an oasis of tranquillity and calm in the swarming metropolitan. Don’t miss out on either of these sights. Check what’s available, and reserve your Barcelona apartment in the touristic heart of the city, today.

Get to know Barcelona from the air by taking a trip through the city aboard one of the cable cars that inhabit the city’s skyline.

The views offered by the Teleférico (cable car) system are spectacular, and it is a worthwhile activity for all of those who are planning to visit Barcelona. The Teleférico was constructed for the Universal Exposition of 1929, and its route runs along the Port of Barcelona from San Sebastián Tower (in La Barceloneta neighbourhood) to the lookout point at Miramar, on the mountain of Montjuïc.

The cable cars run their course more than 70 meters above ground level and the views offered of Barcelona and its port can not be found anywhere else in the city. Recently, the cable cars and their corresponding infrastructure have been completely refurbished and modernized. Correspondingly, the Teleférico now serves two stations on Montjuïc, both designed by the architect Joan Forgas, one of which is found on the passage Miramar, and the other the Castle, respectively. Both of these stations have been remodelled and equipped to serve people with limited mobility.

The length of the new route measures some 752 meters; approximately 60 meters shorter than the old one due to the fact that new station is located outsider, rather than within, the grounds of the castle. There are a total of 55 cars in operation, each of which can hold up to eight people and feature panoramic windows. The service runs every day, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending depending on the season and the length of the day.

Although the Teleférico is open all year, the service may be limited or cancelled due to inclement weather conditions (for example high winds or strong storms). Still haven’t reserved a place to stay in Barcelona? Check the latest offers and availability of our apartments in Barcelona.