Festical de Merce, Barcelona´s main Event!

Around the 24th of September Festival de La Merce takes place in Barcelona. This 5 days festival is the biggest festival in Barcelona and takes place at the end of the summer, just for the start of the autumn. The festival is held in honour of Mare de Deu de la Merce, the Patron Saint Of Barcelona. In 1902 the first edition was held.

In these few days hundreds of activities are being held on the Barcelona streets: there are musicians and street artists who are performing amongst the public. Moreover the festival consists out of a lot of traditions: human castles, giants, beasts and various guests of the Mediterranean. It´s not only the street which is used as a theater since the sky is the limit, there are multiple performances done in the sky, acrobatic things, balloons and ultra lights.

One major element which is coming back in a lot of festivals is fire. Since the Spaniards/Catalans believe that fire is scaring the ghosts away. During the festival there are big musical fireworks and a fire run.

Al the events are held on the streets therefore we advice people to try avoiding the city centre by car, since it will be impossible to drive.

People see the fire run as one of the festival highlights, during this run there will be a lot of fire and fireworks. The run consist out of groups whom are dressed up as dragon´s and walk around with a lot of sparkling and bright fireworks. Due to this fact it´s advisable to take protective clothing, hats and glasses since a lot of the sparkler fireworks sprays into the crowd. There are 2 versions of the festival, one is especially for children. The main difference is the use of fireworks, during the children edition the crowd won´t be sprayed with fireworks.

The second highlight are the Human Towers. These towers attract a lot of people to plaza Jaume: the main aim of the tower builders (Castellers) is to build a human tower and have a young child climbing to the top and stand up.

The festival is seen as Barcelona´s main street event; therefore this would be the perfect occasion to visit Barcelona and enjoying its culture. During these 5 days you can see 500 different events, with highlights as the Fire run and Human towers. FlatsByDays can offer multiple apartments two streets off plaza Jaume, the location of these Human Towers.

Barcelona during the 20th century

During July 1936 the Spanish civil war broke out. The city and Catalonia were Republican, most public services and enterprises were collectivized by the Cnt and Ugt (Unions). During the beginning of the civil war the republican power diminished. Since the city was under control of anarchists. On March 15, 1938 Barcelona got bombed, this happened under the command of Italian dictator Mussolini and these bombs were dropped on request of General Franco. After a battle of a year Barcelona fell into Nationalist Hands on 26 January 1939.

Because of the Nationalistic control Barcelona´s autonomous instructions were abolished and it was not allowed to speak Catalan in public life. Since Barcelona was Spain´s second city, Barcelona got more industrialized. Due to this fact there started a large-scale immigration from the other parts of Spain. This led to rapid urbanizations, area´s like Bellvitge and L´Hospitalet de Llobregat got swallowed up. All the inhabitants of these area´s needed to get to Barcelona, this led to the development of the metro, tarmacing the streets and installation of traffic lights.

In 1970 Barcelona had 1.557.863 inhabitants which lived with 15.517 people on one square kilometer.

After General Franco died, Spain became a democracy. Especially in Barcelona the pressure of change was enormous, since Barcelona and Catalonia suffered the most of his Regime. During the 80´s 90´s Barcelona had 2 major events: 1986 Spanish accession to the European community and the summer Olympics in 1992. These events led to a better international reputation and an increase of tourism.

Take a look at our apartments, where you can find a wide variety of apartments throughout the old city center.

Barcelona it´s History Part 2

During the roman time the Jewish religion had been tolerated by the Romans, however the Jewish suffered of discrimination. Anyhow the Jews still had an important influence on Barcelona. The word Montjuic of the Montjuic Mountain means mountain of the Jews.

During 711 the Moorish forces arrived at the Iberian Peninsula. After they concurred and devastated Tarraco, Barcelona surrendered peacefully. During these years Moorish rules applied in Barcelona ( Barshiluna). The cathedral was converted into a mosque and there were extra taxes for the non-Muslims.

However the Moorish control didn´t take long while Louis the Pious captured Barcelona in 801. This was his most southerly gains form the Moors. The area around Barcelona became the Spanish Marches (which was a buffer zone between them and the Moorish), with Barcelona as seat of the county.

In 1162 the area was inherited by Alfonso 2 of Aragon. Barcelona was an important city for him since it was the biggest settlement in Catalonia ( 4X the size of Girona). Since it´s location at the Mediterranean Sea the economy of Barcelona transferred directly trade. In 1469 Ferdinand 2 of Aragon married Isabelle 1 of Castile. Due to this marriage the two most important royal lines were united. After the marriage centre of political power became Madrid and because of the colonization of the Americas the financial importance of the Mediterranean trade reduced.

During the beginning of the 18th century the successes in the New World lead to a war between some of the major European countries. This led to the abolition of the Catalan autonomy, and ultimately to the end of national influences in Barcelona.

As the rest of Europe the industrial revolution arrived in Catalonia. All the Catalonia cities became important industrial centers, which led to an increase in wealth. After the revolution Barcelona was annexed by Napoleonic France and became a part of the French Empire.

In 1888 Barcelona hosted the Universal Exposition; this led to urbanizing of Barcelona. Barcelona absorbed some of there outskirts. One of them was Eixample(which means the extension).

FlatsByDays can offer apartments all around the city for instance our Cathedral apartment and our Gothic apartment. Living in the Gothic area will lead to an experience of this History.

The third and last part will be about the 20th century and Barcelona right now (Architecture, city etc)

Barcelona, a city with a long History!

The history stretches back 2000 years ago when Barcelona was named Barkeno. It was an easily defensible city due to its location (between the sea and the Collserola ridge). The city was settled by the Laietani in the third century, on the Taber Hill (now: Ciutat Vella) and at Laie (Montjuic).

There are a lot of myths concerning the history of Barcelona. At the moment there are two founding myths. The first one is about Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca (father of Hannibal) who came up with the name Barkeno. People believe that Barkeno is Iberic for Barcelona. The second myth is about Hercules. When Hercules was searching for the Golden Fleece one of his nine ships was lost, Hercules decided to locate the ship. He found the ship but it was completely wrecked: however his crew survived it and was taken to a beautiful location with the name Barca Nona (Ninth Ship).

After the Carthaginian control the Romans conquered the whole Iberian Peninsula. The north-east of the Peninsula was the first region to fall under the ´new´ Roman Control. When the Romans settled Barcelona they called it Barcino, in contrast to now Barcino was less important then Tarraco (Now: Tarragona) and Caesaraugusta (Now: Zaragoza). Barcino was controlled by Tarraco. However Barcino had a strategic position on the Via Augusta which allowed a commercial and economic development and it enjoyed immunity from imperial taxation.

During the Roman Control Barcino´s main economic activity was the cultivation, the cultivated wine was widely exported over the Roman Empire. Barcelona´s main public building was a temple which was dedicated to Ceasar Augustus.

As you can read Barcelona is a great city with a beautiful history. With our apartments around the old city centre (Portaferissa, Bellafila and Opera) you can be a part of the wonderful history.

Next week the blog will be about the period after the Roman Control. The Christian communities and Jewish influences.

Public Transportation in Barcelona

The metropolitan of Barcelona has 1.6 Million inhabitants. These people need to be transported all around the city: due to this fact Barcelona has reliable public transport. There are different ways of transportation to travel around the city.

Maybe the quickest and easiest way is the Metro. The Barcelona metro is going all around the city and is open until 24.00(Monday-Thursday), 2.00 AM (Friday), All night (Saturday). Since the metro is going everywhere it´s a nice way to transport inside Barcelona. We recommend you to buy a T-10 ticket, this ticket costs 7.95€ and includes 10 tickets. 1 Ticket is valid for 1.15H, which means that changing from bus to metro in 1.15h is free.

The Bus is also a nice way of transportation. Since there´re so many stops around the city, you can come more close to your destination then by metro. The only downside is that the bus takes longer. Barcelona has special bus strips, due to these strips the busses won´t slow down by traffic. The busses are also using the T-10 tickets.

If you decide to ´escape´ from Barcelona for a day it´s recommend taking the train. The trains in Spain are pretty punctual and cheap. A round ticket to for instance Sitges is 7€. Sitges is a beautiful small village with a beautiful beach. We can recommend you to go there for a day to enjoy its beautiful beaches. The trains are using their own tickets, and can be bought at the stations. Barcelona has multiple train stations (Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gracia and Estacio Franca). Passeig de Gracia has a metro station as well so it´s pretty easy to hop from metro to train.

FlatsByDays has a variety of apartments which are very close to the public transport. Our Bellafila apartments are just in the middle of metro station Liceu (Green) and station Jaume (Yellow), due to this fact you can get from our apartments everywhere by taking public transport.

The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona´s pearl!

The Sagrada Familia is one of the symbols that stand for Barcelona. The Sagrada has been under construction since 1882, the church will be consecrated by the Pope on November 7, 2010.

The church was designed by Antoni Gaudi, whom is still very important for Barcelona since a majority of his creatures are still in wonderful shape and can be found in Barcelona. After his death in 1926 the work continued under the direction of Gaudi´s friend, Domenech Sugranyes. Barcelona is still trying to finish the constructions in 2026 (100 years after Gaudi´s death).

It took Gaudi 5 years to finish the entrance. From that moment on Gaudi realized that the constructions would take a tremendous amount of time. Therefore he opened in 1909 the Sagrada Temporary schools. These schools were designed for the children of the workers and for the local children who were members of its community. During the last months of his life he became so involved that he decided to live next to the church. He lived in a room next to the workshop; this room was used for making scale models, doing sketches etc.

Just after his death the team moved on by using Gaudi´s original plans and drawings, due to this fact the four bell towers were completed in 1930. During the civil war the construction stopped, throughout the civil war multiple parts of the temple were damaged and desecrated. Therefore after the civil war the restoration of the crypt started. It took until the end 80´s of the 20th century to finish the outside of the Temple. From the begin 90´s the team started building the inside of the Gaudi´s creature. Since the Sagrada has been under construction for so long, they are restorate the temple as well. This means that they are building and restorate the temple.

The construction on the temple is not supported by the government. The initial stages were funded by private funds. At the moment the construction is paid by the entrance tickets and by private donations through the friends of the temple fund.

The Bellafila Apartments are just some metro stops away from this beautiful creation of Gaudi

Montjuic, the hill with a history!

Who is coming to Barcelona will see immediately the mighty Montjuic. Montjuic is ´Hill of the Jews´ in medieval Catalan. From this hill you can overlook the harbor, to the southwest of the city centre. Since the location was so ideal the top of the hill was the location of several fortifications: the largest fortress has a ´black´ history while it was the site of several executions up to the ´Franco time´.

The Montjuic hosted some events over the years. One of the major were the 1992 Olympic games, when several stadiums were located at the Montjuic: until 2008 the Olympic stadium was the home of football club Espanyol.

The roads in the slopes facing the city were four times the home of Spanish grand prix: due to a terrible accident which killed 4 people the grand prix never returned to this historical location.

Next to the Olympic stadium you will find Palau Sant Jordi: this venue is used as ´concert arena´ since many artists, like Madonna, Mika and Kiss, already performed at the Palau.

During the summer the mountain is the home of an outdoor cinema. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, film enthusiasts can see a selection of national and international movies. These films are offered in English; therefore this is an ideal location for tourists. Besides you can take you picnic basket since the screen is located on a big field of grass. More information at The Sala Montjuic Website

FlatsByDays is offering multiple apartments (Ramblas Santa Monica, Bellafila Prl, Bellafila 1b) which are just a metro ride away from the Montjuic. The Montjuic is the ideal location for making beautiful pictures of the city visit the castle garden or visit the Miro Museum.

Beaches in Barcelona

Today´s forecast, sunny and 24 degrees: it´s summer in Barcelona and the beaches are getting more attractive.

In Barcelona you will find a variety of beaches which are located over the whole coastline (See Picture).



Since the big clean up for the 1992 Olympics the beaches became a magnet for locals and visitors. Therefore there is taking good care in maintaining a clean sea and beach, the beach is tested daily and is accessible for disabled, there are lifeguards, sun beds and showers.
One of the most beautiful beaches is the Nova Icaria: it is the closest one to the marina and is therefore crowded. Due to this fact there are a variety of beach bars, restaurants and a large promenade.

Second beach is the Bogatell beach. This beach is twice the length of it´s neighbor(Nova Icaria). Since the beach is depressed it cuts all the noises down and it feels like you´re miles away from Barcelona. At the beach are no bars and restaurants, but you can find some restaurants on the boulevard.

The next beach is Mar Bella. This beach is located next to Bogatell but is divided by a school which can teaches you how to windsurf and kayak. Near to the beach is a wonderful park which is perfect for a picnic or siesta in the shade.

Last but not least is the Barceloneta beach. This beach is the most popular for tourists since there are a dozen of restaurants, from American-style to Catalan style. On this beach you will find a lot of people and due to that fact it´s really cheerful.

If you´re interested in planning a day trip to one of the beaches. It would be a good idea to look as well to the beaches which are located around Barcelona. Cities like Sitges have even more beautiful beaches which are not artificial and are just a short train ride away.

Tip: During the night of the 23th of June (tomorrow) Sant Joan is taking place. During this national holiday people are making bonfires and there are firework shows around the beaches. Since everyone is going to the beach the atmosphere is very relax and cheerful.

With apartments (Bellafila 3a, 3b and Bellafila 1B) on just 10/15 minutes (walking distance) from these beaches, FlatsByDays can offer you a joyful and relax holiday in sunny and interesting Barcelona.

Book your apartment at FlatsByDays during Bob Dylan´s peformance at Barcelona

On the 24th of June American singer/songwriter Bob Dylan will perform in Barcelona at Poble Espanyol. Active for over 50 years Dylan is an icon in the global music industry with hits as “Hurricane”, “Like a rolling stone” and “Forever Young”. The highlight of his career was during the sixties were he made the most of his awarded material. Tracks like ´Blowin in the Wind´ and ´The times they are a-chagin´ became anthems for anti-war and civil rights movement. Dylan which had some great skills on a variety of instruments (guitar, harmonica and keyboard) wasn´t a normal performer, since he made music in almost every kind of genre (from folk to gospel). With 11 Grammies, 1 Academy and 1 golden globe award Bob Dylan is one of the most awarded artists in the world. This Oscar nomination and award was a beautiful start of the new millennium, this price was awarded because of his song; “Things have Changed” which was made for the movie ´Wonder Boys´. Due to this Oscar people realized that Bob Dylan was still alive and was still ready to surprise the globe once more. In 2006 Dylan started a career as a DJ, hosting a weekly radio program where he was playing songs which were selected around a chosen theme. During his 100th show n April 2009 he played “Woody Guthrie - So long, it´s been good to know yuh” which has led to numerous speculations that Dylan ended his radio show. During his summer tour throughout Europe he is going to play twice in Spain, on the 24th in Barcelona and on the 26th at the Azkena rock festival. So this will be a unique chance to see this stunishing American singer/songwriter live.

FlatsByDays can offer you a variety of apartment throughout Barcelona which can combine this concert to an unforgettable stay in Barcelona. With apartment all around the city centre there are apartments according to everyone´s wishes. We can offer you a variety of one- two- and more bedroom apartments. As a one bedroom apartment we can offer you our Bellafila 3a apartment which is located in the gothic quarter. Another beautiful apartment in the gothic quarter is the two bedroom apartment Opera. So do not wait and book your trip to Barcelona to see Bob Dylan and the beautiful city of Barcelona.

Impression of some of our beautiful apartments

Impression of some of our beautiful apartments

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Book your apartment at FlatsByDays during the Motogp

On the 4th of July 2010 the MotoGP circus will set feet on Catalonian soil. After 6 races Yamaha´s driver Jorge Lorenzo is leading by a astonishing lead of 25 points on number 2 Dani Pedrosa. The big question is if he will expand his lead and will celebrate his next victory in Catalonia. The race will take place on the famous Circuit de Catalunya, which is used as well during the Formula 1 GP. The circuit is famous because of it´s surprises, out of nothing a strong seawind can come up or it can start raining. During the first race on Spanish soil (Jerez), Lorenzo was able to win the race and defeat Pedrosa. All eyes are focused on this 23 year old Spaniard. Will he be able to win the both Spanish races? There will be a lot of pressure from the crowd but as well from his competitors. While we don´t have to forget Italian Stallion Valentino Rossi (which is currently on place3) who already won the Catalonian MotoGP for 6 times in the last 10 years. One of the other guys that won is Dani Pedrosa, the currently number 2. The race will be a real rivalry between these 3 wonderful drivers. Next to the MotoGP the 125 and 250cc class will also compete on the circuit.

For the real MotoGP lovers we can offer some lovely apartment in the Barcelona city centre, which is located an hour from the circuit (which is easily reachable by shuttle bus). So combine this wonderful race with the city of Barcelona. With apartment like Bellafila 3a, Opera and Portaferrissa we can offer you a variety of apartments throughout the old Barcelona city centre.

Rent your Holiday apartment during the Grec Festival

The Festival Grec de Barcelona is an annual summer festival held in Barcelona. The festival is formed by theatre, music, dance and circus and is organized by the Barcelona City Council. The festival is named after the original venue, the Grec theatre on the Montjuic Mountain.

The festivals first edition was held in 1976. It started as a collaboration between a group of actors and directors, who were interesting in innovating the theatre in Barcelona. From 1979 the organization is in hand of the City Council. This first edition is still feeding the Grec Festival. The festival has still the same base but has transformed and renewed every year. Frederic Amat creates the complete 2010 festival image. Besides creating the image he helped the organization by producing a show in cooperation with a Japanese theatre company.

This cooperation will give the 2010 edition a special extra; while there will be combination of the Mediterranean and Japanese sensibilities. Japan is one of the most fascinating countries for theatre.
This year the Grec Festival will join forces with the electronic Sonar festival, while theatre and music is one of the most amazing combinations: the festival will start together with Sonar on the 17th of June and will end at the 1st of August.

During these dates we can offer you some of our nice apartments. Besides the city and the Grec Festival you can come ´home´ in one of central based apartments. If you are interested to come with a bigger party we can offer you our Bellafila Prl or Bellafila 1b apartment which can house groups up to 10, besides we have some smaller apartments like Opera, Portaferrisa, Santa Monica and Bellafila 3A.

We are looking forward welcoming you in one of our apartment during the summer months!

Rent your apartment for the Fortuny Exhibition

Until the 27th of June La Pedrera de Caixa Catalunya will be the home of an interesting art exhibition. The main artist where this exhibition is based on is Mariano Fortuny Madrazo (Granada 1871 - Venice 1949). Mariano was the son of Catalan painter Marià Fortuny i Marsal. Mariano was seen as a multitalented man who was called ´the little Leonardo´. Besides this ´title´ he was referred as ´the magician of Venice´. He got this title because art was not the only area he was working in, next to this he worked in engraving, stage design, lightning technology, photography, textile design and fashion.

After the death of his father Mariano and his family moved to Paris. Mariano studied painting by copying the great masters. One of his teachers was Rogelio de Egusquiza, which learned Mariano the Wagnerian ideas: due to this ideas Mariano got more and more interest in theater. Mariano Fortuny came up with his own staging system the "Fortuny System", made up of an indirect lighting device and a quarter-sphere dome, which covered the stage and acted like a large reflector. His idea was picked up by the German company AEG which installed this system in the main theaters in Germany and Italy.

In 1889 the Mariano family moved to Venice. In Venice Marino tried to become one with the city. He captured the city by paintings and by photographs. For Mariano Venice became on the one hand ´a symbol of beauty´ and on the other hand a foundation of suggestion which achieved his never-ending search into creativity.

The exhibition will be in Barcelona until the 27th. The exhibition is not only focused on painting but on every aspect of art he was working with.
We are offering apartments which have a twist of art as well. Our Art Deco and Art Nouveau apartments are decorated with pieces of art which where used during those times.

Sant Joan, book you apartment at FlatsByDays

Sant Joan is celebrated every year at the start of the summer season and the day with the longest period of daylight. It is always celebrated on the evening of June 23th and June 24th is a public holiday. Sant Joan takes place from sundown to sunrise on the eve of Sant Joan day which is also called ´Verbenas´.

The traditions of Sant Joan are split in 5 elements:
- Fire
- Water
- Herbs
- Fireworks
- Food

Fire: There will be bonfires all around Barcelona. People throw for instance old furniture into the fires, what is symbolizing ´out with the old in with the new´. Another tradition is that you write your wishes in the air.

Water: Wather is symbolizing cleanness; people can clean there sin in the water.

Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme and Verbena (the herb that gave name to the fiestas!) are collected and eaten on Sant Joan. The herb verbena was offered to the Gods in ancient times. The smell is very powerful.

Fireworks: People believe that they scare ghosts and witches away by the bangs of the fireworks.

Food: Food is not a special element of Sant Joan. During every festival or party Catalan people tend to eat a lot, while it is a part of the culture.

So do not wait and come to this ´feel good´ festival! Partying from sundown to sunrise and enjoying to old Catalan rituals : ) We can recommend you our Opera apartment which offers an oasis of tranquility!

Sonar Festival Internacional de Música Avanzada y Arte Multimedia

Just one month to go and one of Europe´s major electronic music festivals will take of. From the 17^th until the 19^th of June Barcelona will be taken on a journey by the beats of the Booka shade, Plastikman, Hot Chip and many more.

Sonar which is organized since 1994 is known as one of the major European festivals. Besides the festival, sonar is an important convention for people out of the music industry. During these dates the whole city will be transformed in to one big stage, while people all over the city are partying.

Tickets are still available and start by 39€. Sonar is offering as well passpartouts, which will give you the best sensation and entertainment.

Besides all these sensations is it important to have a rest and a good place to stay. This is where we come in. With apartments all over the historic city centre, we can offer you a comfortable stay during the festival dates. For instance our Portaferrisa apartment which is a 2 bedroom in the centre situated apartment.

See you at sonar?!

Impression of some other apartments

Impression of our Bellafila apartments

Formula One in Barcelona

On the 7-8-9th of May the Grand Prix circus will set feet on Barcelona soil. The formula one is considered as the cream of the crop of the motorsport. Since the FIA introduced some new rules the race got more and more spectacle, while a victory is not anymorea depending on the speed of the car but on the skills of the driver. Especially while the no.2 and the no. 6 only differs 9 points, which made the races even more interesting.

Circuit de Cataluña is located in Montmelo which is a 30 minute ride from Barcelona city centre. The circuit is famous because of the possibility that the wind changes drastically during the day. Wind is a significance factor in the Formula one given the importance of aerodynamics to formula one cars.

Besides going to the grand prix you can visit the beautiful Barcelona as well. With tons of bars restaurant and sight sees Barcelona can offer everyone a nice/enjoyable and comfortable see at the Mediterranean see.

We can always offer several apartments to make your stay as comfortable as possible. For instance our Bellafila 3b apartment, which is located in the city centre and close to everything you need.

Looking for a business apartment during one of the Barcelona tradeshows?

Who thinks that Barcelona is just a city to relax, party and enjoy the beautiful city is wrong. Almost every week Barcelona is the place to visit all kinds of different trade shows. Especially during the autumn you can find the fairs and shows all around the city.

If you are looking for accomodation during one of these shows, we can offer high-quality business apartments. With the possibility that we can accomadate a group of 32 people. In our bellafila apartmentcomplex.

Agenda:

If you are missing your favourite trade show feel free to add him in the commenst and we will update our calender.

Concepto Bano	11-MAY-10 to 15-MAY-10
Instalmat	12-MAY-10 to 15-MAY-10
Pasarela Gaudi Novias	18-MAY-10 to 21-MAY-10
Barcelona bridal Week	18-MAY-10 to 23-MAY-10
Tecniexpo Automation	19-MAY-10 to 21-MAY-10
International Logistics & Material Handling Exhibition	25-MAY-10 to 28-MAY-10
Avante	02-JUN-10 to 04-JUN-10
Expoaviga	08-JUN-10 to 10-JUN-10
Second Hand Vehicle Show	11-JUN-10 to 20-JUN-10
Entrepreneurs Fair	16-JUN-10 to 17-JUN-10
The Brandery Trade show	27-JUN-10 to 29-JUN-10
Expohogar	24-SEP-10 to 27-SEP-10
Liber	29-SEP-10 to 01-OCT-10
Antiquaris Barcelona	02-OCT-10 to 10-OCT-10
Salon International Caravaning	09-OCT-10 to 17-OCT-10
International book fair	12-OCT-10 to 14-OCT-10
SITEM	16-OCT-10 to 17-OCT-10
Barcelona Meeting Point	19-OCT-10 to 24-OCT-10
Hostelco Expo	05-NOV-10 to 09-NOV-10
Salon Nautico International de Bacelona	06-NOV-10 to 14-NOV-10
Salon Del Hobby	19-NOV-10 to 21-NOV-10
Expominer	19-NOV-10 to 21-NOV-10
Creativa Barcelona	26-NOV-10 to 28-NOV-10
EIBTM	30-NOV-10 to 02-DEC-10
International Auto Retro Barcelona	04-DEC-10 to 08-DEC-10
Ocasion Expo	04-DEC-10 to 12-DEC-10
Festival De La Infancia	27-DEC-10 to 04-JAN-11
Cosmobelleza & Wellness	26-FEB-11 to 28-FEB-11
Infarma Expo	01-MAR-11 to 03-MAR-11
Graphispag Expo	22-MAR-11 to 26-MAR-11
Sonimagfoto & Multimedia	23-MAR-11 to 27-MAR-11

BOOK WITH FLATS BY DAYS YOUR TOURIST APARTMENTS IN BARCELONA DURING THE FIFA WORD CUP 2010

In 65 days and 6 hours the FIFA World Cup 2010 will start. Host South-Africa will compete during the opening game against Mexico. A game during the world cup will result in crowded and colored streets all around the world.

Tons of websites are talking about the disappointing ticket sales. A lot of people do not want to pay the expensive tickets, or think that South-Africa is still very unsafe. This is why Barcelona could be a great alternative. Thousands of enthusiastic football fans will come over to Barcelona, to enjoy the football, the weather, beaches, culture and nightlife. During the last European Championships the Barcelona City Government placed huge screens on some of the important squares and tourist attraction spots such as Port Vells, Plaza Catalunya and La Rambla. This will create a unique atmosphere, and it almost looks like that Barcelona is one of the hosting cities in South-Africa.

With tons of places (pubs screens etc) to watch the games, Barcelona will be the ideal spot the come. During June the temperature will be above the 20C. So the beach will be an ideal location to get rid of the excitement of last night, and recharge the batteries for the next game and night out.

For the real football fans Barcelona can offer them enough. The Nou Camp stadium is a tremendous attraction, besides the stadium there is a museum and the possibility to enter the pitch. That will be your moment of fame; you can put yourself on the list with players like Messi, Rivaldo and Kluivert, all these guys played memorable games on this pitch. In the museum you can even get on the picture with the most beloved trophy in Europe, The champions league cup.

The most important part of this vacation would be to find an ideal tourist accommodation. This is where Flats By Days will come in. We can offer vacation apartments in the nicest area of the centre such as Cathedral, La Rambla, the Gothic Quarter and the Born. If you come with a big party, we can accommodate up to 32 people in 5 different holidays apartments located in the same Bellafila building which is at 5 minute walk from the Las Ramblas and a 15 minute walk from the Barceloneta beach. Celebration of World Cup is not just with friend, so why not taking you partner to a romatic and design flat? Check out our design flat Opera, stylish Art Deco and Art Nouveau vacation flats and our romantic apartments such as Portaferrisa , Picasso , Cathetral

So do not wait and celebrate the World Championships in Barcelona. Which country would you like to represent in Barcelona during the Championships?

Clubbing in Barcelona

Berlin, New York, Amsterdam, London and BARCELONA. What does these cities have in Common? Clubbing and nightlife!

Barcelona could be considered as one of Europe’s clubbing capitals. With clubs all over the city, Barcelona´s nightlife is even as impressive as the city itself.

Clubs like Shoko, Catwalk and Opium in Villa Olimpica, Razzmatazz in Poble Nou, City Hall in Plaza Catalunya, Fellini in La Rambla and The one and La Terraza en Pueblo Español are lifting Barcelona up in the club charts. Every week one of these clubs have a headline DJ on there agenda. From Jeff Mills to Kavinsky, From David Guetta to Axwell.

These clubs use there own Formula. Some are more focusing on chilling and relaxing while for instance the One and Razzmatazz are more for the hardcore clubbers, while they have more underground DJ´s on their program(eg. Butch,Marc Houle, Ben Sims Etc.). Opium can be considered as a more mainstream (house) club, what is attracting people that love the more ´commercial´ house ( eg. David Guetta and Daft Punk). So Barcelona can serve everyone with a club which they like ( Hardcore Clubbers, Chillers and Mainstreamers).

With flats/apartments all over the old city, you will be close to all clubs. Every clubber knows how hard the ´day after´ can be, while alcohol is not always your best friend. But there is a nice solution while you can become sober at the beach, while the beach is a 10-15 minute walk from our apartments.
Planning to go clubbing in Barcelona. We can even provide accommodations up to 32 people. So even large groups. With apartments like this Bellafila PRL which can accommodate 8 people.

We are looking forward to hear from you.

Ps. Don´t forget that Sonar is coming up as well.

FLATS BY DAYS OFFERS DESIGN APARTMENTS AND BOUTIQUE FLATS TO ART AND DESIGN LOVERS

Gaudi, Miro, Picasso and Dali are just some names of great Spanish artists; these mind blowing individuals are still respected all around the world. Coming to Barcelona will mean that you can still find their work all around the city.

What all these artists have in common is that they have a dedicated museum. The museums of Gaudi, Miro and Picasso are in the city of Barcelona, while the Dali museum is situated in Figueres. What is a 1.30 hour drive from Barcelona.

Gaudi who became one of the most famous art nouveau architects is well known for many architectural highlights in Barcelona. His most famous creations are the still unfinished Sagrada Famillia and the Park Guell. To get to Park Guell take the green underground line to Vallcarca. The Sagrada even have his own underground station.

Besides Gaudi, Barcelona had another great artist. In the name of Miro. A painter/sculptor who was born in Barcelona. He became well-known by his expressionistic sculpture and paintings. There is even a museum dedicated to him and is situated on the Montjuc. It’s really easy to get to the Montjuc. Take the green line from Plaza Catalunya or Liceu in Las Ramblas and get off in Paral-lel. At Paral-el you have to transfer to a little train that takes you up to the Montjuc ( while this transfer is done underground, you don’t have to pay an additional charge for the transfer up the Montjuc). Altenatively, get off in Plaza España and reach the museum via electric escalators.

Maybe one of the most impressive painters ever is Picasso. His museum is situated near the Ramblas and underground station Jaume.

While we think that art is a beautiful connection to apartments, we have a great choice of design apartments and boutique flats all located in the centre of Barcelona, very close to Las Ramblas and the main square Plaza Catalunya.

Here there are some example of unique flats on offer:

Picasso apartment located in el Born area, very close to the Picasso museum.

Art Deco and Art Nouveau in the heart of the historical centre and very close to Las Ramblas.

Cathedral, luxury flat situated in the historic centre of Barcelona. 75 m far from the cathedral and just 50 m away of Ramblas boulevard.

Opera , modern design flat off Las Ramblas

So book your apartment at flats by days, while we can make you arty stay in Barcelona even more impressive. With apartments all over the historical centre you will own a wonderful piece of art for some days.

Mika in Barcelona! 18th of April be there!

On Sunday the 18th of April, Mika, the extraordinary British singer- songwriter will
perform at Palau Sant Jordi Arena in Barcelona.

Mika became famous with his hits ´Grace Kelly´ and ´Lollipop´ in 2007. Three years later he is travelling around Europe to present his second album (The boy who knew too much). One of the highlights will be his show on the 18th of April in Barcelona, where he will rock the place down at Palau Sant Jordi. Together with his performance the 19th April in Madrid, this will be the only possibility to see Mika in Spain this year.

Barcelona will be an extraordinary location to get the ´once in a lifetime´ experience of seeing the astonishing Mika live. Barcelona the city which never sleeps, daytime or nightlife, Barcelona is always alive. The city offers tons of highlights, the Sagrada Familia, the Montjuic, Nou Camp, the Ramblas, the port, the beach and not to forget the total atmosphere of Barcelona, with its cosy bars, alleys and Tapas Restaurant.



During you exciting stay in Barcelona, you will off course need a place to come ´home´ and relax. This is where Flats by Days will be your best ´friend´. We offer all kinds of apartments from 1 to 30 people.

So do not wait and book your apartment at flats by days. Combine the exciting city of Barcelona together with a top class pop/rock star and a wonderful apartment to ensure a great experience.

We hope that we can welcome you in the future in one of our apartments.

Sonar! Europe´s best electronic dance festival

17, 18, 19 June we will once again enjoy the greatness of electronic music in Barcelona.


Available prices for Sonar ticket packages:

3 days and 2 nights - 155 euros

2 night ticket - 100 euros

sonar day ticket - 39 euros (from 12 noon to 10 pm)

sonar night ticket - 60 euros (from 9:30 pm)

If your looking for accomodation where you and your group of friends can stay we offer apartments in one building for up to 32 people just look at our website FlatsbyDays. This contains apartments with 3 and 4 bedroom apartments. The apartments are located in the center where all the activity takes place and within walking distance to the venues. We offer many different options for everybody so do not hesistate to take a look around!

Dj´s and artists:

The Chemical Brothers, Air, LCD Soundsystem, Plastikman, Jónsi, Dizzee Rascal, 2manydjs, Booka Shade, Hot Chip, Fuck Buttons, Aeroplane, King Midas Sound, Broadcast, The Sugarhill Gang, Matthew Herbert's One Club, Flying Lotus, Pete Tong, Joy Orbison, Zomby, Roska, Necro Deathmort, Mary Anne Hobbs, David M, John Talabot, Bradien, Speech Debelle, Emilio José, Uffie, Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu, Hudson Mohawke, Carte Blanche (DJ Mehdi & Riton), Nosaj Thing Visual Show, Delorean, The Pinker Tones, Noaipre, Sandwell District, bRUNA, Bomba Estéreo, Cora Novoa, Cluster, Mike Slott, BCN 216 + Tristan Perich, Bflecha, The Slew featuring Kid Koala, Eclair Fifi & John Computer, Machinedrum, American Men, The Blessings, Elektro Guzzi, Zigmat, dp-S, Lesley Flanigan, BCN216 + Cristian Vogel, Robot Koch, Larytta, Round Table Knights, Goldielocks, Tim and Puma Mimi

Fc Barcelona take on VFB Stuttgart!

After a rather dissapointing 1-1 draw in Stuttgart it is time for Fc Barcelona to show the Germans what they are really capable of. Even though a 1-1 result in an away game is not bad we all know that Barcelona is capable of much more. Thus we expect a great game in which the Catalans will show their true qualities. With an eye on the quater final all Barcelona needs to do is ensure that Stuttgart doesn´t score. If (which they most likely will) they manage to qualify for the quater finals we can expect another great CL match at Nou Camp on the 30th or 31st of March or the 6th or 7th of April.

Are you willing to attend this great footbal show with a couple of Friends then do not hesistate! Flatsbydays offers great apartments which are located in the centre with very easy acces to the stadium Nou Camp you grab the green metro line and before you know it you can hear the Barcelona chants. If you are a group of 8-10 people then check out our Bellafila 1B and Bellafila prl which are both just 5 minute walk from Ramblas. With great freedom and more than enough space the apartments are located in an area near many restaurants and pubs. Here you can celebrate the great footbal show with a few pints and your friends and possibly other local Barcelona supporters. So footbal supporters out there do not hesistate to step in and watch this awesome footbal show! There is footbal and there is Fc Barcelona!

2nd April Good Friday

5th April Easter Monday

The main Easter event in Barcelona is the blessing of the palms on Palm Sunday when Crowds surge into the Cathedral clutching bleached palm fonds bought from the stalls along Rambla de Catalunya and outside the Sagrada Familia

We have 5 beautiful apartments located near to the Easter Festivities in the center of Barcelona.

If you are looking for a 3 bedroom apartment click here

If you require a 4 bedroom apartment click here

Barcelona St Valentine´s Day

Barcelona Valentine´s Weekend

14 February

An evening in front of the sea, a stroll to the dusk through the recondite streets of the Gothic district, a coffee in the many squares in the heart of the city, a panoramic sight from the hills that surround Barcelona, an intimate dinner in some restaurant, fashion in the Born district or a stroll across the beach are some of the attractions that Barcelona offers to couples.

Let's surprise your love with a short break in Barcelona and discover how much magic Barcelona has to offer.

Flats By Days have a selection of romantic apartments for your stay during the Valentine´s Weekend. We will provide the apartment with champagne and flowers, the rest is up to your own imagination...

11 - 17 Febrero

Los sitgetanos y las sitgetanas salen a la calle para participar o para vivir las intensas jornadas de Carnaval, donde la imaginación y la fiesta responsables monopolizan toda la atención ciudadana. Durante estos días la villa se convierte en un escenario esencialmente caracterizado por la alegría, pero siempre dentro de nuestra forma de ser y de hacer, de acuerdo con nuestros parámetros y nuestra idiosincrasia como ciudadanos cívicos y educados que somos.

Durante los días del carnaval de Sitges la villa estará gobernada por el "Carnestoltes", el "Rey de los Poco Vergüenzas", con la presencia y la colaboración de la Reina del Carnaval, para extender un ambiente de fiesta y alegría en las decenas de actos sociales y culturales, en las diferentes "xatonadas" que celebran las entidades de la villa, y en las calles con los miles de disfraces que se pueden observar, llegando a su momento más importante con les rúas de la Disbauxa y del Exterminio.

De entre los actos principales, el Carnaval se inicia ya con la elección de la Reina Infantil del Carnaval en una de les entidades locales, el Casino Prado Suburense, y con el Gran Quinto Carnavalero en otra de las entidades locales, la Sociedad Recreativa El Retiro.

Jueves Lardo llega su Majestad Carnestoltas en compañía de la Reina del Carnaval. Una vez finalizado, su Majestad y su sequito se dirigen hacia el Ayuntamiento donde toman posesión del Ayuntamiento y se dirigen a todos los habitantes con la lectura del "predicot". Esa noche se celebran las populares xatonadas en el El Retiro, el Prado o la Agrupació de Balls Populars.
El viernes de Carnaval , Su Majestad "Carnestoltes", la Reina y su sequito visitan las escuelas e instituciones de la villa, durante el sábado aún continúan estas visitas y por la tarde acostumbra a haber música en la calle y actividades infantiles.

El domingo es un día clave en el Carnaval de Sitges pues tiene lugar la rúa de la Disbauxa, con unas 50 carrozas y más de 3.000 participantes aproximadamente disfrazados, recorriendo el centro de la villa. El martes sale la Rua del Extermini con el mismo recorrido y con un número mayor de visitantes que viene a disfrutar de esta fiesta. Los niños también salen a la calle disfrazados por las calles de Sitges los mismos días pero por la tarde.

El miércoles de ceniza acaba el Carnaval y se celebra el entierro del Carnestoltes. Los habitantes de Sitges lo pueden acompañar a él y a su séquito hasta al lugar del Entierro donde se procede a la lectura de su testamento
Además de estos actos principales hay muchos más que conforman la programación definitiva del Carnaval y que se hacen públicos con motivo de la proximidad de la fiesta.



11 - 17 February

The Bohemian resort of Sitges, the playground of Barcelona and a popular destination, celebrates carnival with particular verve. Up to a quarter of a million Catalans, Germans, Britons and other Europeans fill the city for a week of uninhibited revelry. Festivities commence on the Thursday before Lent with the arrival of the King of the 'Carnestoltes' and ends with the Burial of the Sardine (a large effigy) on Ash Wednesday. Highlight of the week is a grand parade of more than 3,000 costumed masqueraders and up to 50 floats. Sitges is a party town, and carnival is the party of all parties that's sure to appeal to fun lovers of every persuasion.