Transfer Options for Barcelona

If you are booked to come to the lovely city of Barcelona - you may wondering how you are going to get to your destination once you arrive. There are several options for travelers looking to get in the city....There are the main 'gateways' into the city which include 2 airports and a large cruise port:

EL Prat Airport: BCN main airport.

1) Taxi: There are numerous taxi stations in front of the airport terminals. Cost: = approx. 25 euros. Time: 25-30 minutes.

2) Airport Bus: Leaves every 7 minutes from the terminals: stops several times en route to the city center - final destination Plaza Catalunya. Cost: 3.80 euros. Time: 35 minutes.

3) Train: The train leaves from the station located at the airport every 30 minutes. Cost: 2.50 euros. Time: 40 minutes

Girona Airport: (serving mostly Ryan Air flights)
1.) Bus: Airline provides shuttle service to city center for every flight. Check the Girona Airport website for details. Cost = 11 euros. Time: 1 1/2 hours.

Cruise Port
Located 10 minutes from bottom of La Rambla (city center) where there is a taxi stand and metro station.
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Barcelona in the news!

You must have heard the exciting news about Barcelona. Reviews from New York Times, the Travel Channel and the ‘who’s who’ have all raved about this Mediterranean wonderland. Even Woody Allen has decided to make his next movie using the city of Gaudi’s birthplace as his backdrop...

So you would like to come for a visit? But when and where is the question I here most often. Barcelona has a temperate climate and enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year – so you’re bound to find comfortable weather whenever you come. However, if you’re looking for optimal weather (and beach time!) than I would suggest anytime between April and October. Want to avoid the hoards? Than try planning a trip before or after August.

The city has numerous ‘Barrios’ – each with a distinct and human feel. Looking to be central and in the action, than search for apartments or hotels in the Barrio Gothic. This is Barcelona’s most famous district and steps from the famous Las Ramblas. Feeling a bit more bohemian – than go central and budget area of Raval or hit the Gracia district up town for a change of pace. However, my personal favorite when it comes to style, charm and location is the Borne area.

Nestled between the city’s main Parc Ciutadella, the beach and Barrio Gothic, the Borne offers numerous pedestrian-only streets dotted with dozens of cafes, shops and restaurants. A few years back, the neighborhood went under a huge revitalizing project yet it maintained its classic Catalan charm.

For more details about the weather, events and what’s happening in this glorious city, than go to: http://www.barcelona-culture.com/ and enjoy the city...Saludos!
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Barcelona, Spain – Festivals and events: La Feria de Abril

Every year in Barcelona, Spain, at the end of Abril, there is a festival called ‘La Feria de Abril’. La Feria de Abril is worth a visit if you are staying in Barcelona for a few days in spring. La Feria de Abril is held in an area called ‘Forum’ by Barcelona beach, at the furthest northern extremity of Barcelona coast line, a newly developed area.

La Feria de Abril is dedicated to the Spanish people from the south of the country, especially from Andalusia, who immigrated to Barcelona. This is the reason why flamenco plays such a big role in Le Feria de Abril in Barcelona. If you like this dance form, you will be able to enjoy watching a lot of different performances in various tents. Also, you will be able to dance to flamenco music, as in many tents it is possible to get up and dance.

The entrance to La Feria de Abril, in Barcelona, is free of charge and the festival occupies a big open-air area. This area is occupied by various stalls where visitors can buy products typical of Andalusia, such as food, wines, handicrafts and flamenco shoes, dresses and shawls. Also, there are several tents in which flamenco music is played and danced and in which you can sit down and eat and drink, or just drink standing up, while watching a flamenco performance. The most popular and typical food in the Feria de Abril, Barcelona, include fried small green peppers (pimientos del padron); fried anchovies (boquerones fritos); fried squid; jamon (Spanish ham); torradas (big slices of bread, dressed with olive oil and tomato juice and with on top a choice of various ingredients such as Spanish ham, anchovies, grilled peppers) and more.

La Feria de Abril in Barcelona, is a very good idea to spend a day or night out in Barcelona, during your trip. This festival usually lasts three days in a row, it is held on a week end at the end of April every year and it is open from 10 am to 1 am (even later on Saturday night).

You can book accommodation including Barcelona apartments and Barcelona hotels with Holiday Velvet.
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Barcelona events – The Spanish Grand Prix

Barcelona is going to be the place to be in a few weeks time, with the next Formula grand prix to take place at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on the weekend of May 12th and 13th.

In recent years the success of Spain’s Fernando Alfonso has led to huge demand for tickets and accommodation in Barcelona during the May 12th and 13th weekend. If you are making plans to be in Barcelona on that weekend then you are advised to book because hotels and property rental prices could increase over that period.

For those of you looking to buy tickets for the grand prix, tickets for the stands are still available and it is expected that the areas which are sold out will become available again, a few days before the race. Tour operators tend to buy in bulk and some of these tickets go back on general sale a few days before the race, if any tickets remain unsold by the holiday and tour operators.

Sports fans who live or plan to be in Barcelona on 10th June might also be very interested in the world popular Catalonian MotoGP which will involve the likes of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden.
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ART: Barcelona FC Museum

If you are a fan of football and interested in its history then the Barcelona FC Museum is the right destination for you. In 1920s club founder Joan Gamper dreamed of setting up a museum in Barcelona, but he didn’t succeed due to numerous reasons. In 1984, Joan Gamper’s dream became a reality, when President Joseph Luis Nunez was the head of the club. The museum was expanded in 1987, 1994 and 1998, now it is spread over a vast area of about 3500 sq. meters. This is the best museum in the world pertaining to the game of football. Yearly visitors to this museum are in excess of 1,160,000 and all around the world a number of such museums take ideas from this museum.

A visit to the museum takes you through to the four main sections of the museum and to the beautiful Nou Camp stadium itself. The club is almost a century old and the museum houses the numerous trophies won by the club, a series of photographs, sporting gears, a large number of objects and also hosts audiovisual shows taking you through the great history of the club.

Col·lecció Futbolart by Pablo Ornaque, arguably one of the best individual collection of football history is permanently leased to the museum. This collection exhibits the football history right from its origin to the present day. In the other part of the museum there is ‘The Art Gallery’, which houses the work of the famous artists of the country like Dali, Miro, and Tapies. Temporary exhibtions are also organized on the premises which are devoted to the history of poster art pertaining to the club.

If you wish to research the history of the club, a visit to ‘The FC Barcelona Center for Documentation and Studies’, which is housed at the second floor of the museum, will be of great help. Newspaper and periodicals section, a library, historic archives and a photographic archive are the four main sections of this Center. This Center is full of the cultural heritage of the club.

A special tour called the Camp Nou tour gives you the chance to get familiar with the stadium. The tour takes you to the opposition changing rooms, through the tunnel to the main pitch area, the TV studio, the press rooms and the director’s area. This Barcelona tour gives you a chance to see the new dugouts across the stadium. The tour also gives a chance to enjoy a panoramic view of the magnificent stadium and various FC Barcelona facilities.

ART: Barcelona Beaches & Parks

Barcelona is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe and is a great place for entertainment and art - and also for beaches and parks.

PARK GUELL
One of the most popular parks is the Guell Park. Commissioned by Eusebi Güell and designed by Antoni Gaudi, Guell Park Guell contains amazing stone structures, stunning tiling and fascinating buildings and was created as a stylish park for Barcelona aristocracy. There are also many other parks that boast beautiful gardens, statues and fountains that can be considered to be works of art. The parks of Barcelona are inviting and appealing and can provide a nice relaxing spot for anyone that appreciates nature and a peaceful atmosphere.

BARCELONA BEACHES
When visiting this great city, one must also check out the beaches, you cannot skip the beaches of Barcelona! Like many city beaches, the beaches in Barcelona are extremely popular and draw people from all ages. There are also locations available around the beaches where extra curricular activities such as jogging and biking can be done. There are also water sports on offer at some of the beaches that can provide kayaking and others. The main beach of Barcelona is in Barceloneta, which is in the heart of the city and next door to the marina and the port.

To find out more on Barcelona please visit our about Barcelona section.

ART: Barcelona Sonar Festival

Barcelona is well known for the music festivals and the Sonar Festival is one of the most popular. Every June, the Sonar Festival is a progressive music event held over three days and three nights. The festival was held this year from the 15th of June to the 17th of June. This was the 13th edition of the festival and featured both national and international artist that are well known.

The Festival boasts of over 300 activities and includes Dj sets, concerts and film. The festival uses all the latest technologies to provide a state of the art entertaining festival using all forms of multimedia. In Sonar Festival 2006 there were all kinds of music from electronic music to dance sounds as well as other exotic music types such as the sounds of Jamaica. This is a meeting point for artists, the public and music professionals from all sectors of music and the modern arts. There are two very distinct and separate parts to the Sonar Festival. The ‘Sonar by day’ which is held in the Museum of Contemporary Art, and features not only great live music and DJs, but also art installations, screenings of low-budget films, and also fairs where you can buy records. The ‘Sonar by night’ part attracts some of the biggest names in avant-garde and techno music.

This city has much to offer and has great food and accommodation in Barcelona. If you are seeking accommodation in Barcelona there are many hotels and other accommodations such as apartments that can provide luxury and comfort. Barcelona is a gem of a holiday destination with activities for persons of all ages.

Thinking about going to the Sonar festival in 2007? check out some of Holiday Velvet's apartments in Barcelona and the Gothic Quarter:

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