February marks the start of the De Cajón! Flamenco Festival in Barcelona. The festival will feature new outlooks on the traditional dance, as well as the standard flamenco we have come to know and love. With different events taking place daily, there is sure to be a show everyone will enjoy.

The history of flamenco has only been documented for the past two hundred years and its’ origins before that point are speculation. While it originally started as only voice following a rhythm that was beat on the floor, it has grown drastically since. Flamenco is now typically composed of four elements- voice, dance, guitar, and “jaleo” which refers to the foot stomping and hand clapping. Much of the basis of flamenco comes from the gypsies when they came to Spain from India.

It took sometime before flamenco was recognized as something worthwhile and it was originally only played in small private settings. Around the beginning of the 20^th century, people began to pay attention to and appreciate flamenco. Just as the music was gaining support, the various wars in the 1930’s put a halt to the progress that was being made. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that some passionate flamenco artists began to revive what was becoming lost. Many flamenco artists have become very well-known for their work and still continue to perform.

The De Cajón festival brings together various different aspects of flamenco. With artists from all over coming to perform, each showcase is sure to be different from the one before. The praised flamenco singer, José Mercé, will perform his cante jonde on March 8^th. The acts before and after him are sure to deliver and to focus on different elements of flamenco. Whether you’ve never seen or heard flamenco, it is an experience unlike anything else. While it is not as common in Barcelona as in other parts of Spain, it will be here for quite some time.

The festival continues until April 15^th, so there is plenty of time to catch a show or two!

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Have a taste for fine wines? Barcelona is quickly outclassing many other European cities with many high quality and affordable wines from wineries nearby in the Catalonian area. Take the Barcelona Wine Tour with a specialized wine guide for a day of touring Barcelona while enjoying all types of red and white wines. The tour begins in the Cathedral Plaza and then follows through to the Gothic Quarter for a bit of sightseeing before the tasting begins. Groups are then led to a medieval cellar, an exceptional building with stone walls and antique furniture with the essence of a medieval castle.

The groups are served together at a large table, choosing 5 wines each, and then repeating their favorite. A medley of cheeses, meats and bread is served to the table to enhance the experience and taste of each unique wine. The tour generally takes about four hours or so, making it a great tourist activity to do in the afternoon before a late dinner. Reserve your apartment in Barcelona today and sign up for an unforgettable day of delicious wines and sightseeing in the beautiful city.

With the weather warming up in Barcelona and along the coast of Spain, it´s the perfect time to take a day trip and see the fantasy Dali-land in Figueres, a small town about two-hours from Barcelona. The museu Dali is filled with some of Dali´s most famous works of art, and the renovated theatre is personally decorated and designed by Salvador Dali himself.  The museum is a surrealistic portrayal of Dali´s life, everything with no logical order and without any sort of audio guide, a request by Dali himself. You´ll be able to look closely into Dali´s personal life, specifically the boat hanging above the tire tower representing his soul mate Gala and the tears representing her death. Look next at the homage Dali paid to Mae West, a room where her face can be seen in the furniture only from a certain vantage point. You can spend hours in the surrealistic museum, looking at how Dali portrayed famous works of art in the most peculiar ways. 

If you haven´t had enough of Salvador Dali yet, take a trip from Figueres to Cadaques, about a 45 minute drive, to see the Dali House, his home where he created most of his bizarre artwork. His home, which he shared with Gala, proves how a person´s creativity can be expressed through all types of medium. His front door, a work of abstract art, was created when he asked the local fishermen to wipe their brushes on it when they finished painting their boats. The house is left almost exactly as it was when Dali moved out in 1982, after the death of Gala.

Dali´s house and museum are both reflections of Dali´s personality, fun and a little bit provocative. Before you leave Barcelona make sure a trip to Figueres or Cadaques is on your list of things to do, and don´t forget to book your Barcelona apartment today!

Snowcapped mountains full of ski lifts might not be the first picture that comes to mind when one imagines Spain, but just a few hours north of Barcelona, the Pyrenées provide a skier’s paradise. With peaks of over 3000 meters and accompanying ski resorts with more than one could ask for, a trip to hit the slopes in the Pyrenees is the ideal weekend trip for the thrill-seeking. 

Grandvalira offers the ultimate skiing and snowboarding experience. With more than 100 slopes and 64 lifts, it provides the largest skiable domain in all of the Pyrenees. No two slopes are alike, making each leap off of the ski lift a new adventure. While more experienced skiers make their marks on the black slopes, beginners can give the green slopes a shot, while snowboarders can shred powder in one of the three freestyle areas. Grandvalaria has peaks of over 2600 meters, providing both thrill and tranquility. Although slightly further from Barcelona than other ski resorts, the extra travel is sure to be worth it.

Roughly half the size of Grandvalaria, La Molina is a smaller, equally exciting ski resort outside of Barcelona. Also located amidst the beauty of the Pyrenees, it is the closest ski resort to Barcelona, roughly an hour and a half away. It has 53 slopes, ranging from beginner to expert. Complete with a snowboarding superpipe and a kiddie park, everyone is able to find their place at La Molina. With peaks of nearly 2500 meters and a great location, it is no surprise that La Molina is one of the oldest ski resorts in Spain.

Vall de Nuria is the smallest resort of the bunch, but its’ peaks are the highest. Peaks of over 3000 meters provide amazing scenery to complement the 11 slopes of various levels. With a new, enlarged snowpark and new boarder cross, snowboarders can hit the banks and get air like never before. Located in the Eastern Pyrenees, Vall de Nuria is a quick hour and forty-five minutes from Barcelona.

All three of these ski resorts provide excellent opportunities to hit the slopes, along with breath-taking views of the Pyrenees. With prices ranging from 35€ to 42€ for a day full of fun and adventure, it is sure to be money well spent. Barcelona provides many ways to experience Spain and a short trip up north provides another. Sure, you can take a trip to hike along part of the Pyrenees, but why walk when you can soar?

So visit us at ComeToBarcelona to ensure you’ve got an apartment to relax at when you’re done shredding the slopes!