Gran Premio de España or the Spanish Grand Prix is an important race in the Formula 1 calendar and is even more popular thanks to the success of the Spanish racing driver, Fernando Alonso. The Formula 1 race is held at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona and the race is usually held in April or May. In the early 1990s, the Williams’ team dominated the races but, in 1995, Michael Schumacher stamped his authority and proceeded to win the Spanish Grand Prix a total of six times, including the years, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. In 1996, during very heavy, rain, Schumacher crossed the finish in a Ferrari, which was the first win for the prancing horse team. Mika Häkkinen has won the Spanish Grand Prix three times and would have won it again in 2001, but his car broke down on the final lap. Fernando Alonso has really whipped up enthusiasm for Formula 1 in Spain and was runner-up in 2003 and 2005 and finally took the chequered flag for Renault in 2006.In 2007, Felipe Massa won the Spanish Grand Prix also for Ferrari and the following year, in 2008, Kimi Raikkonen won the race also for Ferrari. In ...

Barcelona is well known for its music festivals and the Sonar Festival is one of the most popular. Every June, the Sonar Festival - a progressive music event - is held over three days and three nights.The Festival boasts of over 300 activities and includes DJ sets, concerts and film. The Sonar is famous for making use of all the latest multimedia technologies to provide a state of the art festival. 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 DJ names in avant-garde and techno music.Please note: if you are looking to rent apartments in Barcelona during SONAR make sure to book well in advance! This is one of the busiest times of the year in Barcelona. Photo Credit: activefree | Where to buy tickets: Official ...