The Greek Festival is an event of great importance in the city of Barcelona.
This event began with a small group of talented artist and over the years has become a real project dedicated to new talents and art. Each year is different, adapting in relation to the various participating artists you will find some independent shows throughout the city but all related to the festival, the idea is to exchange the passion and love for theatre and arts.

Frederic Amat responsible for the image of the event which mission is scouting new emerging talents all around the world to bring you an amazing spectacle. The event is open to everyone. From June 16  until August 1.

 There is a wide variety of events that you can attend: circus, dance or music that you can  find in theaters and libraries in Barcelona.
You can choose the event that you like on the website of  Greek Festival and book your tickets online. Each show is independent and has its own space reservation.

Do you love the theater? ComeToBarcelona.com will book your accommodations so you can come and enjoy the beauty of art in Barcelona.

For the second consecutive year Barcelona is preparing to welcome you from 18-28 June 2010 for the Pride Barcelona 2010, one of the largest Gay Pride in the Mediterranean.

Thirty associations, diverse companies and entire LGBT community have joined forces to organize a new LGBT Pride in Barcelona. For ten days it will offer you cultural activities, sports, debates, and entertainment in the village situated Avinguda Maria Cristina; and of course, a huge Party!

 This large popular event will highlight what the city has more to offer. It will be expanded to other cities of Catalonia to make a bold initiative.

 Many films, exhibitions and artists will be presented during the event. The party will be concluded with a huge parade on June 28 Sepulveda Street, starting at 18h in plaza de Universitat.

Exemplary in regard to LGBT rights, Spain now joins the festivities of the global gay pride. It reaffirms its openness mind.
So enjoy! Book your apartment with ComeToBarcelona, to attend the Pride in 2010. You will be the privileged witness of a unique event among LGBT Prides around the world.

Coming up two weeks from now in Barcelona is St.George's Day, or El Dia de Sant Jordi. This nationally-celebrated holiday in Spain is traditionally the second most important National Feast in Catalonia. Celebrated on April 23rd, Catalonia is taken over with book stands and stands selling roses, as it is customary for lovers and friends to exchange these gifts on this day. The giving of roses has been an ancient tradition, but the giving of books is more recent, and based upon the deaths of Shakespeare and Miguel Cervantes on the same date.

La Rambla and Plaça Catalunya are the most frequented places on this day, as over four million roses and over 800,000 books are sold. These book sales account for nearly half of the yearly book sales in Catalonia! The Sardana, the national dance of Catalonia, is performed throughout the day in Plaça Sant Jaume, and many bookstores and cafes hold readings of classic novels such as Don Quixote. As the patron saint of Catalonia, this is an important and fun day for all of those around. Make sure you have a place to stay so you can witness this lovely celebration!

There is never a dull moment here in Barcelona, and this week is no exception. This week there are music competitions, concerts, art exhibits, and even an FC Barca game at home!

Tonight, Tuesday 23th, you should be sure not to miss:

Women taking the stage at the Espai Cultural Caja Madrid. The Sound of Lucrecia will be performing live along with the likes of Burbuja. These indie artists are sure to give an impressive, low-key show that will please any audience member. Take the night to relax and unwind to these talented women. Plus- it's only 2,5 €, so it really can't be beat!

And tomorrow, Wednesday 24th, check out the art exhibit "Life in Abstract" by Sebastian Murra. He mainly uses abstraction along with shapeless objects that he believes can create and invoke a whole range of emotions. This forward-thinker believes that through realizing ideas, one is able to change the world. If you're not convinced, check him out online, and you'll be aching to see the real deal. The show starts tomorrow at 8 and is free entrance. Swing by for some art and inspiration.

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Love is in the air this spring in Barcelona with Dia De Sant Jordi coming up on April 23rd! The Dia de Sant Jordi, or Saint George, is a holiday of romance and a day to honor the patron saint of Cataluña. The ramblas is packed with vendors selling roses and books, the traditional gifts given to women and men respectively on the holiday. By the end of the week, over 4 million roses and 400,000 books are bought in Barcelona, over half the book sales for the entire year! It´s rare to walk the streets of the city and not see a man or woman without a rose or book in hand, but singles never fear, the Dia de Sant Jordi celebrates the love between friends as well. Watch the dancing of the Sardana, a traditional Catalonian dance performed throughout the day and even join if the mood strikes, or take a coffee break in one of the many cafes and enjoy a book reading! So gather some friends or your significant other, make a reservation at a great restaurant, and join in on the love and celebration in Barcelona. Book your apartment for the weekend today with ComeToBarcelona!

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!

Written by Benjamin Palmer

This Wednesday, November 18th, two up-and-coming bands will be at the Miscelanea.  Both bands, Ghost to Falco (Portland, Oregon) and Narwhal (Barcelona, España) are unique in their style and personality.

Ghost to Falco:

The music of this American band combines poetic lyrics and the experimentation of original style.  The band´s inspiration comes from various and diverse sources such as: Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Steve Reich.  Although the band is the creation of a single man, Eric Crespo, he ofetn collaborates with other artists on his CDs and at live shows.  Two artists that Erc recently collaborated with are Nick Bindeman(Jackie O Motherfucker) o Rachael Jensen (Parenthetical Girls).  Eric is now on tour is Europe in order to present his third CD, Exotic Believers, which was recorded in a warehouse in Portland.  On this occasion he will be accompanied by Bud Wilson who will assist him on the drums and percussion.

Narwhal:

Narwhal is a band formed by two local musicians, Simon Williams (Jahbitat) and Cristian Subirá (Summer Recreation Camp).  Their music falls under the electronica category and is sure to please.

Más Info:
El concierto empieza a las 20h y cuesta 5 euros o 4 euros para los
socios de Miscelanea.

Miscelanea
C/Guardia 10,
Barcelona

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Often forgotten in the excitement surrounding Halloween is the day afterwards, November 1^st. This is a very important day in Spanish culture, All Saints Day. On this day, people remember their loved ones who have passed away.

Originally a day to remember all the saints of the Catholic Church, especially the martyrs, the day has since expanded to include all the deceased. It has become one of the largest days of celebration in Spain, full of many traditions. Cemeteries are adorned with flowers in remembrance and masses are offered there as well. Large family meals are typical, and afterwards roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes are consumed. The chestnut vender on the street is definitely something to look out for!

Another key tradition is Spain´s longest running play, Don Juan Tenorio, written by José Zorilla. In the play, the protagonist don Juan is depicted in the struggle between salvation and damnation, with the pivotal scene taking place in a cemetery, making it very appropriate for this day.  

Check out our page at ComeToBarcelona and look at our great Barcelona apartments so you can enjoy the traditions of a different culture!