Increase in Property taxes for touristic accommodation in Barcelona

Council’s plans for touristic accommodations approved in March

The municipal council has approved the Special Urban-Development Plan for Touristic Accommodation (PEUAT). The PEAUT regulates tourist accommodation establishments, as well as youth hostels, collective residences with temporary accommodation and tourist apartments. The council is trying to convene a sustainable urban model while improving the quality of life for city residents. For instance, this plan includes forbidding the construction of new hotels in the city center. On Monday, the mayor, Ada Colau has presented the strategic tourism plan to find solutions on how to manage tourism.

Why was PEAUT implemented?

Every year, the number of tourist rises in Barcelona. Last year the city’s residents were outnumbered by an estimated 32 million visitors, about half of them were day-trippers. There are currently 75,000 hotel beds in the city; about 50,000 beds in legal tourist apartments and 50,000 in illegal ones. Furthermore, 17,000 flats are now tourist apartments; therefore, the resulting shortage has driven up rents that are now the highest in Spain.

According to a survey carried out by the city council in October, the city’s biggest problems is unemployment and tourism came at the second position. As a result, the council decided to manage Housing for Tourism (HUT). Therefore, to avoid an excessive number of HUT and guarantee a balanced territorial, a new license will be permitted in uncongested areas when a HUT ceases activity. However, this proposition has met fierce opposition from the tourism industry. Indeed, they claim that the law demonizes tourists and says that limiting growth can only hurt an already weak economy.

Finding the right balance between locals and tourists.

The action plan has established different measures; one of them being managing the flux of tourists by implementing taxes. As a result, there will be an extra cost for tourist who visit the city without spending the night. Also, people who use their apartment for touristic purposes will have to pay a higher amount of property tax (IBI). Indeed, the mayor Agustí Colom stated that “We have to find the right balance between the sectors which want to open the city up further to tourism and those that want to close it”; He also believe that this change needs to be implemented on a wider scale with other big cities of Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Palma, Bilbao…).

Barceloneta and Sagrada Familia as a first trial

Another point that has been raised was the measures on the «area of great influence (EGA)» to reduce the impact of tourism in these areas. Therefore, the Council decided to implement certain measures for this summer in la Barceloneta and la Sagrada Familia. These actions have been discussed with the environmental representative and, as a result, they may forbid the circulation of cars on busy streets during certain days of the week. Alternatively, they can reduce the circulation of scooters and Segways such as the previous summer.

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Source: la Vanguardia El País Catalonge

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Barcelona crea ayudas para rehabilitar el interior de pisos

El Ayuntamiento de Barcelona extenderá las ayudas a la rehabilitación de los edificios y a la reforma del interior de los pisos, unas subvenciones que hasta ahora no otorgaba el consistorio. Sí las da la Generalitat, pero no en la capital catalana. Son ayudas para hacer reformas que permitan conseguir la cédula de habitabilidad, mejorar la accesibilidad o el aislamiento térmico o acústico, una convocatoria que se publicará en los próximos días. Source: El País

1 March 2016

Barcelona crea ayudas para rehabilitar el interior de pisos

Mayor Colau asks to limit the rent price for apartments

Mayor Colau aks the State and Government to amend the legislation on urban leases.

9 March 2016

Mayor Colau asks to limit the rent price for apartments

There is no electoral program, right or left-handed, or city government that does not include in its master plan the idea of “taking back La Rambla for the Barcelonians.” With so many empty promises and phrases devoid of meaning this topic certainly deserves discussion at the podium.

9 March 2016

Taking La Rambla Back for Locals

Spanish hotels raise their prices four times more than the world average

9 March 2016

Spanish hotels raise their prices four times more than the world average

More than half of the buildings in the Gothic Quarter have tourist flats

The overall number of beds in apartments and hotels almost equal those of permanent residents! More than half (52%) of the buildings in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona have tourist flats and the overall number of beds in apartments and hotels almost equal those of permanent residents. This was revealed by a report called Tourist Apartments, Hotels and Population Movements carried out by researcher Agustin Cocola, whose thesis focused on the impact of visitors on the Gothic quarter. Cocola brought this report to the debate on the planning of tourist accommodations that the city initially approved on Thursday and which will determine where new hotels will be opened and not. The Specific Urban Plan for Tourist Accommodation (PEUAT) will regulate the sector (tourist apartments, hotels, lodging…) depending on tourist pressure and the urban fabric of each neighborhood. The program will also be involved with the outcome of the 35 hotel projects affected by the moratorium on new licenses that Mayor Ada Colau passed two weeks after taking office last July. PEUAT will demarcate the areas where new tourist accommodations cannot be opened while closing existing ones; areas where tourist accommodations can open if the current supply and other growth areas are closed. The author of the study, Cocola, who is currently researching at the University of Cardiff and Lisbon, bases […]

9 March 2016

More than half of the buildings in the Gothic Quarter have tourist flats

A gap in the schedule makes it possible to visit the Park Güell for free

Tourists visit the park when there is no one controlling access in order to save money on entry! A few minutes after six p.m. the security bands limiting access to the monumental part of the Park Güell are untied, allowing the entry of dozens of tourists who were previously waiting without tickets but with plenty of patience. The visiting hours are gone, but these folks know that is not properly like that. They know the trick: from 6:15 p.m. you no longer need to pay 8 euros to be photographed next to the salamander or to visit the pillared hall. It is the “happy hour” of Park Güell, during which no one needs to pay and everything is allowed. At the main staircase, there are no security guards or personnel to guide tourists. Above, in the Plaza de la Natura, tourists flock to the wavy portico. They jump on the trencadís and do everything necessary to take the most original picture of their trip. This would be impossible during the rest of the day, as a watchman would ask them in a more or less friendly way to respect the heritage of the park. But at this time there is no one left with a yellow vest on, and the […]

9 March 2016

A gap in the schedule makes it possible to visit the Park Güell for free

Foreigners drive up the prices of luxury apartments in Barcelona

Foreigners made 20% more buys than last year! The demand of foreign buyers has driven up the purchases and prices of luxury apartments in Barcelona last year, according to the explanation of Joan Galo Macia, CEO of Engel & Volkers in Barcelona. Foreigners made 20% more buys than last year, focusing their demand on the Eixample and Ciutat Vella districts, which has led to selling prices in the area already exceeding the average of the upper area. Foreigners, explained Macia, buy apartments to live in and also as an investment. They look especially for flats with tourist licenses, which, because of the moratorium on new licenses, have risen in price. “They seek to rent out their properties during periods in which they are not going to use them. Because of the improvement in flight connections, Barcelona has become for many Europeans a city in which to have a second home.” The power of demand and lack of supply of homes for sale with these characteristics lead Macia to predict that “prices will increase 20% this year,” following the increase of 14% already recorded last year. In the whole city, explained Macia, “prices also will recover with increases of 12%. They are increasing because they are still far from the levels of a few years […]

9 March 2016

Foreigners drive up the prices of luxury apartments in Barcelona

The tourism plan of Mayor Colau contains no economic study

The new regulations to limit the hotels does not account for the impact of such restrictions on the tourism sector! Ada Colau proposes to limit the opening of hotels in Barcelona with a plan that does not evaluate the impact of the new regulation on the economy of the Catalan capital, or on the finances of the City. The Special Urban Plan of Tourist Accommodations that started to be processed yesterday only plans to allow 12,000 new hotel rooms in Barcelona, all located on the outskirts of the city. This restrictive law attempts to mitigate the inconvenience caused in neighborhoods that host around 20 million visitors per year with arguments like that Apartments in the Gothic quarter is so saturated that it has six hotel beds for every ten residents. This type of rationalization is threshed in detail through an extensive record of 147 pages which, by contrast, spends less than one page on the economic consequences of the regulation that Colau wants to have approved before the summer. In the document – to which El Mundo has access – the Government of Barcelona argues that “there is no element that justifies the elaboration of an economic evaluation.” The municipal executive alleges to technical reasons, such as that the law “does not specify […]

15 March 2016

The tourism plan of Mayor Colau contains no economic study

“There must be a future for taxi drivers and for Uber”

Interview with Joanna Drake, General Director of Collaborative Economics (Uber, Airbnb and others) of the EU Will the EU back away from Uber, Airbnb and other platforms? Our role is not to prohibit or to allow, but to find the best balance: there must be room for both Uber and taxi drivers. How do you think you can guarantee that? We collect information and investigate: we speak with all parties and next July we will give a guide to member states with the help of which to make their decisions. What will you suggest? In this guideline they will be able to study how different countries and cities manage collaborative economy and they will be able to design their own model within the single European market for goods and services. Do you see them as a risk or an opportunity? I think the big question is: can collaborative economy platforms create new businesses and jobs or just replace others? Just ask taxi drivers, hoteliers, travel agents, journalists … Okay, but you also have to listen to thousands of residents of outlying areas who were unemployed and now make a living by renting rooms or providing transportation services in areas to which taxis do not go. However nice it sounds, it will hurt here. […]

15 March 2016

“There must be a future for taxi drivers and for Uber”

The port of Barcelona expects 2.6 million cruise passengers this year

Increasing in ships that have the Catalan capital as the beginning and end of their itinerary! The Port of Barcelona expects to match the historical record of travelers set in 2011, a year in which it received 2.6 million cruise passengers. The forecast increase compared to last year is due to an increase in ships that have the Catalan capital as the beginning and end of their itinerary. There will be 14 of these. The type of passengers of these cruises, known as turnaround cruises, are the ones that spend more money in the city. According to a study on the economic impact prepared by the University of Barcelona, the average daily amount spent by these cruise passengers is 202 euros. The forecast increase is also due to the fact that the Port of Barcelona is starting to break the seasonality associated with the cruise ships. To the cruise vessels of Costa and MSC, which since a few seasons ago operate from Barcelona in the winter, Norwegian Cruise Line is added. In 2016 a total of 750 ships and 40 shipping companies are predicted to operate in the port of Barcelona. Luxury and high end ships are a trend that will grow. Three Sundays will be the busiest days: […]

16 March 2016

The port of Barcelona expects 2.6 million cruise passengers this year

Vacation bookings for Semana Santa grow by 7% in one year

Gradually the tourism industry begins to feel the economic situation improving! Tourism continues its recovery. Vacation bookings for Semana Santa, an indicator of the evolution of this sector, increased by 7% compared to travel booking of last year, according to the Corporate Association of Specialized Tourism Agencies (ACAVe). “Gradually the industry begins to feel the economic situation improving. In this case, because of the increase in vacation bookings during periods such as Semana Santa,” said the president of the ACAVe, Martí Sarrate. Andalusia, Catalonia, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands continue to occupy the first place for tourists looking to enjoy the first rays of sunshine of the season combined with cultural offerings. Extremadura is beginning to become a destination point for Spaniards and so is the Ribera del Duero, a gastronomic and oenological destination. Among the international destinations, Paris, London, Berlin and Rome remain at the top. Warsaw and Moscow continue to offer circuits through the old continent with cultural and gastronomic offers that include any kind of tourism. Japan has already been established as a long distance destination, followed by the Maldives. South Africa, Thailand and Indonesia are the preferential choices for those who manage to extend their vacation for a few days, along with […]

16 March 2016

Vacation bookings for Semana Santa grow by 7% in one year

Catalan towns to conduct DNA analysis on dog feces

Three Catalan municipalities plan to test dog droppings with the aim to locate and fine owners who fail to clear up after their pet! Albert Batalla, Mayor of Lleida since 2008, made it clear right from the day he was sworn into office to do something about the “antisocial behavior of people who do not pick after their pets on the street.” Since then the town has put in motion a plan to identify these wrongdoers by extracting DNA from excrement left on the street, identify the dog and fining the owner €300. This will be done with a technology commercialized by a company founded by 11 scientists at the Barcelona Autonoma University (UAB). “There are residential communities in the U.S. where, before renting out an apartment to someone with a pet, they force the owner to provide genetic information on the animal,” explains Óscar Ramírez of Vetgenomics, “If excrement shows up somewhere, it is identified and the owner gets sanctioned. Incidents have been reduced 100%,” they say. The firm has already sold the idea to Sitges and Parets. The principality of Andorra has also shown interest. “The way it works is simple,” explained Ramírez. “The owner takes the dog […]

23 March 2016

Catalan towns to conduct DNA analysis on dog feces

A Library for Foreigners in the House of Muñoz Ramonet

One of the houses of the state will be a public library dedicated especially to the foreigners who live in Barcelona! Buildings have as many lives as people who live in them. This house first belonged to the Marquess of Alella, then it was the residence of the financier Julio Muñoz Ramonet of questionable reputation and now by the will and testament of the latter it will experience a new existence. One of the houses of the state will be a public library of the neighborhood, but with an international theme, dedicated especially to the foreigners who live in Barcelona. This is the new role assigned by the City Hall and the Muñoz Ramonet Foundation to one of the two buildings bordered by Muntaner, Maria Cubi, Laforja and Aribau streets. It will be a specialized library with 40,000 volumes in seven languages in order to meet the expectations of local neighbors and 267,578 foreigners of more than 150 nationalities who live in Barcelona, in collaboration with the foreign institutes that have headquarters in the city. The draft of the City Council calculates that the renovation of the building will cost 3 million euros. The property has plenty of history. In January 1931 […]

30 March 2016

A Library for Foreigners in the House of Muñoz Ramonet

RACC proposes limits on tour bus traffic in Barcelona

To solve mobility problems caused by the large influx of visitors, RACC suggests to limit access to a large central quadrant of Barcelona! Until now, the debate on tourism overcrowding Barcelona, reopened by the municipal government of Ada Colau, has focused almost exclusively on issues related to accommodation. The plan of the government was presented a few days ago, marking the end of a process initiated on July 1st, 2015, and began by applying the suspension of new licenses for hotels and other tourist establishments. However, this plan fails to tackle other issues, among these the mobility problems caused by the large influx of visitors in certain areas of the city. Yesterday the Royal Automobile Club of Catalonia ( RACC ) put this issue on the table and suggested, based on previous studies, a number of proposals. Among the highlighted suggestions was to regulate the activity of coaches by limiting access to a large central quadrant of Barcelona, bordered by the streets Numancia i Tarragona, on the one hand, and Sardinia, on the other, the Ronda General Mitre, at the top, and Parallel avenue, Passeig Colom and the street Doctor Aiguader in the area nearest to the coast. This limitation suggested by RACC would not affect the […]

1 April 2016

RACC proposes limits on tour bus traffic in Barcelona

The opposition allows Colau to freeze tourist apartments

Thanks to the support of the PSC and the abstention of other groups, Colaus’s plan to freeze tourist flats was approved! Ada Colau has gotten away with it again. Yesterday the opposition allowed her to approve her plan to freeze tourist flats, which involves Apartur, the main employers in the sector. Thanks to the support of the PSC and the abstention of other groups, except the PP which voted against, the opposition fully validated the plan of the municipal government yesterday, although it accused Colau and her team of subjecting them to “blackmail”. On May 3 the last moratorium on the licensing of tourist apartments expires. If the plan were to be rejected, this would have produced a massive influx of applications for new licenses awaiting approval, expected in July, of the plan which regulates the sector as a whole, a situation that the opposition was also not willing to allow. CiU, C´s y Esquerra Republicana reluctantly admitted to having voted, while the CUP defended a city free of tourist apartments. The PSC, however, was in favor of give “a vote of confidence” to Colau and her councilors. Apartur, which includes 70% of tourist apartments of the city, questioned the ways of Colau, and lamented the lack of debate […]

4 April 2016

The opposition allows Colau to freeze tourist apartments

CEO of Open Camp declare Barcelona Mecca of Sports due to the conversion of the Olympic Stadium into a sports park! If Hollywood is the Mecca of cinema and Orlando of cartoons, Barcelona could become the Mecca of sports. So says the CEO of Open Camp, Paco Medina. This happened because from June 16th, when the Olympic Stadium converted into a sports park through an initiative unique in the world opens its doors, visitors will be able to make their athletic dreams come true for a day. It is not virtual reality. The technology helps offering real experiences and feelings. For a few minutes you will kick off against a professional goalkeeper or you will run alongside a professional runner. All this experience will be augmented with the personal broadcasting that each participant will have: “Time before departure, your flag, your name, music and image will help convert the visitor into the protagonist.” Medina explains that the park aims to promote fun, entertainment, and competition: “Many people do sports to compete, but to be here is to feel the sensation of practicing a sport or another, since there are some twenty experiences to live throughout the day,” he concludes. The park will open at ten in the morning and stay open until seven in the evening […]

4 April 2016

Barcelona The Mecca of Sports

FC Barcelona new signings are French internationals and arrive from Ligue 1 in France! The last few days has seen two FC Barcelona new signings arrive. Both signings are young and exciting talents and will form part of FC Barcelona’s exciting new squad for the forthcoming season. Both FC Barcelona new signings are French internationals and arrive from Ligue 1 in France. Samuel Umtiti has arrived from Olympique Lyonnais and is a dominant centre back who has played over 170 first team matches and made three international appearances for his country. Umtiti featured heavily for France at this summers Euro 2016 and played in the final as France lost out to Portugal. FC Barcelona have paid €25 million for the defender and he should provide competition to established players like Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano. Alongside Umtiti, FC Barcelona new signings also include Lucas Digne. Digne has been signed from French Champions Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and spent last season on loan at the Italian side, AS Roma. The 22 year old, left full back, has signed for an inital €16.5 million and will support Spanish International Jordi Alba throughout the forthcoming season. Digne has plenty of attacking talent as well for […]

15 July 2016

FC Barcelona New Signings

A spectacular ambience and fantastic performances across the three days event! Cruïlla Festival in Barcelona closed last Sunday July 10. This was the 8th edition of this annual summer festival. It was a crazy weekend. The ambience was spectacular and the crowd savoured the festivals wonderful programme of events. Fans who attended the Cruïlla Festival enjoyed some fantastic performances across the three days event. The constant flow of rhythm and sound left spectators mesmerised and wanting just “one more tune”. Fridays line up saw crowds live it up with the likes of Rudimental, Damien Rice and Crystal Fighters. The weather and music didn’t disappoint as thousands spent the day dancing away in the Catalan capital to some instantly recognisable anthems. Saturday saw the attention shift to the likes of James, Alabama Shakers and Robert Plant. The Alabama Shakers were outstanding and helped to add to the carnival atmosphere from the previous day. Sunday afternoon saw the event come to a climax as Elefantes and Calexico brought the festival to a close. Cruïlla festival also showcased some amazing street food and spectators benefitted from free WiFi and the brand new Cruïlla Market. The Cruïlla market was a raging success and allowed local designers and […]

8 July 2016

Cruïlla Festival

Barcelona can become a global reference point for sustainability, innovation and social development! Barcelona, although one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world, has an opportunity to become a global reference point for sustainability, innovation and social development. The general assembly of Barcelona recently appointed a new President and declared that they won’t miss this chance to enhance the Barcelona brand as part of the Barcelona Global Challenge. The Barcelona Global Challenge aim is to attract both talent and economic activity to the Catalan capital. The new President, Gonzalo Rodés a lawyer with a background in investment banking, and his non-profit organisation are committed to furthering the cities entrepreneurial spirit. Focusing on a “global not local mentality“, Mr Rodés and the board wish to further coordinate the cities brand ambassadors to promote Barcelona all over the world. As part of the Barcelona Global Challenge the organisation will aim to position the city and promote both its culture, calendar of spectacular events and economic competitiveness to the rest of the world. As part of this strategy the assembly will continue to invest in new and exciting projects to further develop the city as well as identifying the key challenges for the region. Barcelona […]

20 July 2016

Barcelona Global Challenge

Drinks in Barcelona are extremely price competitive in comparison to its European neighbors! According to a recent study, drinks in Barcelona including coffee and beer are extremely price competitive in comparison to its European neighbors. Whether its an early morning hot drink or a cold beer on the beach, the average prices in the Capital of Catalonia continue to help locals enjoy their home and tourists enjoy their holiday. If, like most, you enjoy a coffee then you’ll be happy to know that the average price in a bar or restaurant in Barcelona is only €1.11. In two of Spain’s biggest neighbor countries, France and the UK, a coffee will set you back €1.50 and €1.80 respectively. That’s 26% and 45% higher than the prices we enjoy in Barcelona. This study completed by the Barcelona City Council is encouraging news for tourists who want to make sure their money goes further when they are on holiday. Following this extensive research it has also been revealed that beer prices in Barcelona are extremely good when compared to other countries. The average “cold one” in Barcelona costs €1.58. In France that price rises dramatically to €5 and in the UK to €3.50. All […]

20 July 2016

Drinks in Barcelona

Barcelona confirmed as a leading urban destination! Tourist leading Barcelona has once again been confirmed as a leading urban destination in Europe. Following an extensive study completed across 110 major urban cities using official statistics, Barcelona was the only non capital city outside Munich to feature in the top ten for overnight stays. Barcelona has always been a go to place for tourists from all over the world, and this study has further enhanced the cities glowing reputation. Ranking sixth (6th) within this list of emblematic destinations Tourist leading Barcelona is already one of the world’s leading cultural centres. The city has a diverse and dynamic economy and is home to some of the world’s most recognisable brands. Barcelona generates approximately €170 billion a year (GDP) and is dedicated to both its residents and tourists and improving the general quality of services and life in the area. The Catalan capital had 17.7 million overnight stays in 2015 highlighting that urban tourism is more popular than other types of tourism. The fact that Barcelona is a huge city and has an extensive range of beaches allows the region to be both diverse and appealing to different types of tourists throughout the year. This seasonally adjusted activity […]

20 July 2016

Tourists Leading Barcelona

The extensive and efficient bus, rail and metro system of the city that provide quality services to residents and tourists The transport links in Barcelona are already some of the best in the world. The city has an extensive and efficient bus, rail and metro system that is the envy of many other European cities. The local government continue to invest into this network to aid the local economy and provide quality services to residents and tourists in Barcelona. Following a recent announcement the Government of Catalonia has committed to a new project to extend the Llobregat-Anoia line of the Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat (FGC). This extension between Plaça Espanya and Gracia is estimated to cost €321 million and includes the addition of three new stations. This continued investment in the transport links in Barcelona will also see the Plaça Espanya station undergo a remodelling. This move and extension of services will ensure that the densely populated area of Eixample receives a new and improved infrastructure to assist its residents. By increasing the direct access to the city centre, and removing the need to change metro lines with either the L1 or L3, it is estimated that more than 68,000 users each day […]

22 July 2016

Transport Links in Barcelona

Official opening of the Barcelona tech hub! Barcelona Tech City, home to a group of global technology specialists, saw its official opening in July at the emblematic Palau de Mar. The centre will be home to about 80 different organisations and over 1,000 technology professionals showcasing Barcelona’s ability and potential to be considered as one of the world’s tech hubs. Barcelona Tech City intends to position itself as a market leader embracing startups and supporting established operators. The centre will embody the power of the technology sector in Catalonia partnering with national service providers including Telefónica España and Caixabank. Giants like Trovit, Uber, eDreams and Airbnb are amongst the businesses represented within Barcelona Tech City as the project aims to ensure Barcelona is the digital hub in the Mediterranean. The regional government are keen to see Barcelona attract quality and future talent and to see Catalonia turned into “a smart community.” The Barcelona Tech City project is seen as a strategic sign that the cities tech sector is growing, providing more jobs to the local economy and attracting investment. Barcelona Tech City is being celebrated as a continued indicator of progression within Barcelona. Alongside other sustainable innovation projects this is seen as an important step in furthering […]

27 July 2016

Barcelona Tech City

Tourism becomes the second concern of residents According to recent satisfaction surveys conducted by Barcelona Council, tourism is the second greatest preoccupation among residents after unemployment. The annual survey, which has been running for ten years, last year introduced the matter of tourism which since has immediately risen to the top of issues. In fact, of those that participated, the 12 poorest neighbourhoods marked tourism to be the main problem of their community. The survey also includes factors such as traffic problems, which has increased from 2015, and insecurity, which come in third and fourth position respectively. The results of the survey were of significant concern that Gerardo Pisarello, the spokesperson for the government, has encouraged continuing to undertake methods of control such as the ‘Plan Especial Urbanístico de Alojamientos Turísticos’ (PEUAT) which seeks to regularly inspect tourist properties, as well as encouraging the use of the tram, reducing the noise of vehicles and extending the metro to Zona Franca to try and control traffic problems. Although the Barcelonans marked the government 6.3/10 there is a common demand for political improvement as only 39.6% of the 73 neighbourhoods were very or quite satisfied with the services that the government provided. Despite this, […]

3 October 2016

Tourism becomes the second concern of residents

Best Places in Barcelona If you are visiting Barcelona and you are not sure where to start, here are some recommendations of the best places to visit in Barcelona. There is something for everyone, from those who appreciate culture to beach lovers. La Sagrada Familia – Possibly the most iconic building in Spain, the Sagrada Familia is the architect Antonio Gaudi’s most famous work. Construction of it began in 1882 and is still ongoing. The architect himself had an active role in the building of the Sagrada Familia until his death, however slight alterations from the original designs have occurred over time. If you are looking for accommodation in Sagrada Familia area. Barrio Gótico – One of the oldest and most picturesque areas and situated in the heart of Barcelona, the Gothic area is not to be missed. During the Gothic period churches and palaces were created in the style of the time which are surrounded by narrow, medieval streets. Once here, there is access to many of the well known Plazas of Barcelona. If you are looking for accommodation in the Gothic area. Parc Güell – Park Güell was opened to the public in 1926 and since then its […]

3 October 2016

Best places in Barcelona

JxSí and CUP organise a referendum for September 2017 The political groups JxSí and CUP have agreed to a referendum for Cataluña’s independence in September 2017. This has come as a result of demands made by the president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, for the parties to discuss matters face-to-face instead of confronting one another. He has also stated that a referendum requires agreement between both sides in order to succeed and therefore independence should be celebrated in September, despite the CUP wanting to do it in July. This agreement will also include creating a committee to monitor, control and carry out the referendum effectively. The government believes that this will create around 7,000 new jobs and therefore help unemployment. It also states that the referendum must be undertaken away from any potential influence or stance from the state. JxSí firmly believes that Cataluña’s progress is prevented by belonging to Spain and have strong disagreements with the state’s way of control. According to the party, the state is giving all of its services abroad and therefore ignoring the problem of Cataluña. This has increased concern for what Puigdemont’s true priorities are. The president has also faced problems from the other parties […]

3 October 2016

JxSí and CUP organise a referendum for September 2017

Alcácer signed to FCB whilst Munir transfers to Valencia The 23-year-old forward, Paco Alcácer, has recently been signed by Barcelona football club for 5 seasons. The club paid 30 million euros to Valencia FC, the player’s previous team. Alcácer was on the point of ending his contract with his previous team, Valencia FC, for who he played 119 matches in total, including the League, FA cup, Champions League and European League, and scored 43 goals. Recent statements have said that the player will appear publicly after his agreements with Valencia have finished. He said that the decision to join Barcelona was an obvious one that he could not turn down, as it is a bigger team with more opportunities to play, more matches to play and the possibility of winning titles which is what he is most excited about. This decision also increases his ways to improve as a player. Every player wants to do the best in his sport and this was his option. Also, he is aware that people need time when moving clubs, in order to adapt, trust the manager, learn to train with different people and then improve. Both the player and the Valencia club have […]

3 October 2016

Alcácer signed to FCB whilst Munir transfers to Valencia

50% tax help for poorer residents Barcelona has started subsidies for less economically stable families. The ‘Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles’ (IBI) will offer families help by paying 50% of their taxes. 3.5 million euros is going to be put towards the scheme which will help around 20,000 households. Gerardo Pisarello, the first lieutenant of the mayor, has stated that help will be given to families with little money who either own or are renting property. The government will contribute the equivalent of 50% IBI, up to a maximum of 175 euros. He said that they expect there will be lots of applications because of the financial demand on families. This subsidy has been introduced because of the increase in tax for property that values from 300,000 euros, which they believe will affect around 2% of people. It will help those who cannot apply for extensions or benefits from the law, including single parent families, unemployed, those who do not have pensions that contribute to living, ‘Renta Activa de Inserción, as well as those who have used up their benefits, and others. The applications will be available from 5th October until 4th November and can be located at any ‘Oficina de […]

3 October 2016

50% tax help for poorer residents

TITAN supports sustainability and respect for the environment A new production line, Titan Cadence, is making changes to their Spanish companies to ensure that they follow new laws of sustainability and respect for the environment made by the EU. Respect for the environment has become a main focus for TITAN’s production in their new line CADENCE which focuses on being ecological. The company has gained certificates of ecological quality and excellence, Aenor and ISO 9001 for their work on this. The company’s products have become top of the market and design as they are able to maintain a high quality whilst also improving ideas of this form of production and revealing the importance of making products that are not damaging the environment. TITAN strictly control the changing of their technology by looking at potential impacts on the environment before they do anything. Recent EU laws have put restrictions on the number of solvents that are released into the atmosphere, as well as production of new ones. From this TITAN have improved the products themselves and the production processes to make them more respectful to the environment, particularly by the reusing and recycling of used materials. They want to continue making […]

3 October 2016

TITAN supports sustainability and respect for the environment

Film institute opens cinema exhibition in the street Can Pistoles, the old name for the Capitol cinema, is attempting to show the graphic walls that it had in the past. The cinema institute, which is located along Las Ramblas, has made an exhibition which contains photographs and pictures from 1926-1989 as well as a video about the people who were involved in decorating the walls of the old cinema in the graphic style. The biographer of the artist Antoni Clavé, who decorated the cinema, has said that the exhibition will help to reveal the painter’s work trajectory. It will also reveal information about the owner and innovator of public communication, Antoni Solé who had a role in the design of the cinema. Solé wanted the viewer to connect with the film when they entered the room and so hired people to look like a character of the film being shown, in order to involve the audience before it began. The cinema showed films of lots of well known genres such as horror, adventure, crime and westerns which was unusual at the time. The owner was also bold in his film choices and when films such as ‘El Judas’ were released, they […]

3 October 2016

Film Institute opens cinema exhibition in the street

Boat sales surge because of smartphones Barcelona boat show has released new technology to improve navigation. Boat steering has not changed dramatically over history but what is changing is the tools which are used to steer and complete jobs on the boats. Technology companies are constantly giving a range of services to sea sports but what is always the most useful for everyone is the mobile phone. Between the 12-16th October the international boat show, La Fira de Barcelona, will take place where around 20 start up companies will offer boats the option of finding a closer port and will tell them if their anchor is suitably placed, all from the screen of technology. 670 vessels will be the evidence that boats can be better connected and managed. 2015 Salon Nautico Barcelona Boat Show The competitiveness of prices in this service means that companies are using strategies such as exclusivity to sell their products. The app Portadvisor which was released in April 2016 uses the advice and experience of other users to search for ports, coves and beaches for navigators. By selecting options, the user can look for the closest port with available places to moor, the port with best […]

3 October 2016

Boat sales surge because of smartphones

Possibility of opening more hospital beds The council’s health commissioner, Gemma Tarafa, has said there is margin to open many more beds in Barcelona hospitals. A survey by the government has discovered that 41 of 84 of the city’s health providers are private. Tarafa has suggested there is a change in the model of private health sectors to make them public. A report has stated that the Department of Health will give 220 million euros to public health. The commissioner has talked about these matters saying that more can be done to help public health than what is done at the moment. Ideas for improvement have been given to the ‘Consorcio Sanitario de Barcelona’ (CSB) that looks at current data and actions that can be taken about private sectors, which could reduce them by half. The plan is to introduce public provision and make processes public, as well as other ideas. During the process the health commissioner found that 150 beds were closed in the Centre Fórum, 250 public beds were closed and 100 were also only being used occasionally which they want to reopen, and also open operating rooms in the afternoon. The main issue that needs to be […]

3 October 2016

Possibility of opening more hospital beds

Where to invest in housing in Barcelona The rental profit is the biggest consideration for investment in a house. This information is important to be able to make decisions on buying, long or short term rental and other financial problems. The market value of a property is decided from its topology and location. If data is closely analysed by each characteristic, it will show information about the residential situation which is useful for owners and investors. The real estate market follows definite rules when looking at houses, for example rented houses with less surface area are more profitable per metre squared. It has been revealed that in Barcelona houses with a typology less than 80m2 get up to 8% more rental profit. This is most seen in the areas of Barrio Nuevo and Horta Guinardó. In the area Sans Montjuïc the profit is over 7% and La Bordeta it is over 6.5%. In larger houses although it is assumed that it would be less profitable, data reveals that houses from 110-250m2 have around 3% profit. In the zone of Sant Martí houses of 140-180m2 have even obtained a profit of 6%. In Ciutat Vella, el Raval and Sant Antoni for […]

10 October 2016

Where to invest in housing in Barcelona

Los Tarantos flamenco says NO to Female Violence

One week of Flamenco Shows to fight the Female Violence The 25th November 2016 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The aim of this social movement is to encourage people across the world to respond to this global problem. In 2014 in Spain alone 59 women were killed by violence from men. This shameful statistic reveals a lack of awareness which then inspired the company Flamenco Dorado and the Sant Boi Council to create ‘Nosotras, Vosotras y Ellos’, a flamenco performance taking place for one week from 21 to 27 of November 2016 in Los Tarantos, a famous tablao in Barcelona. The performance, a fusion of classical music, flamenco and poetry, will make people more conscious of the fact that violence against women is still an everyday issue. The entire show is an expression of the cycle of male violence from the beginning of the relationship to the psychological and physical abuse. The artists will make the event visually effective trying to also reveal the females’ feelings of guilt after this behaviour takes place. Los Tarantos started in 1963 as a Flamenco bar for locals but it is now one of the most important places […]

21 November 2016

Los Tarantos flamenco says NO to Female Violence

Thousand of women run in aid of breast cancer

Last weekend, more than 29,000 people gathered to run the annual 7.8km distance in aid of breast cancer. This year had more women running that ever.

7 November 2016

Thousand of women run in aid of breast cancer

The In the last year, the air quality in Barcelona has fallen dramatically, surpassing the acceptable threshold set by the World Health Organisation.

9 November 2016

Health Concerns in Barcelona

El Prat becomes second busiest airport in the EU

El Prat becomes the second busiest airport in the EU last month, with the amount of passengers rising 9.8% from figures last year.

9 November 2016

El Prat becomes second busiest airport in the EU

New Electronic Vehicle Regulations in Barcelona – the city are cracking down on seaways and scooters being used on the main road.

14 November 2016

New Electronic Vehicle Regulations in Barcelona

The Barcelona restaurant industry is in need of more professional waiters. The vast majority of the city’s waiters have received no professional training.

14 November 2016

The Barcelona Restaurant Industry is in need of More Professional Waiters

Wooden houses are making their way into Barcelona – new multi-storey wooden housing that are more sustainable and eco-friendly are being built in the city.

15 November 2016

Wooden houses are making their way into Barcelona

Fears that El Prat Airport is Reaching full Capacity and causing delays – with 6,700 flights being recorded one day last August.

16 November 2016

Fears that El Prat Airport is Reaching full Capacity

Barcelona-Home triumphs at the European Holiday Home Awards

Barcelona-Home has been awarded for the second year running by European Holiday Home Awards, a competition held by the European Holiday Home Association. It’s another success for the company after winning the award for the ‘Best Pet Holiday Home’ in 2015. The aim of the event is to showcase the best holiday rental proprieties from some of the biggest holiday companies. This year the expert judges awarded two Barcelona-Home proprieties in the ‘Best Holiday Home in a European Capital’ and ‘Best Pet Holiday Home’ categories. This kind of honorable mention is a testament to our hard work at Barcelona Home, not only from our employees but also thanks our valuable customers. As a main leader in the holiday rental industry, we offer the highest quality of services; we provide the most superior standard of accommodation, transportation and leisure activities to ensure that our customers have the best stay possible in Barcelona. What differentiates us is the fact that we make our clients feel at home. That’s why the Barcelona-Home team consists of professionals from over 20 different nationalities that allows us to communicate easily and efficiently with our customers and partners. Moreover, to ensure we maintain the best possible […]

16 November 2016

Barcelona-Home triumphs at the European Holiday Home Awards

80% of Tourists don’t go inside La Sagrada Familia – a study has been carried to find trends of visitors in an attempt to control the influx of visitors.

17 November 2016

80% of Tourists don’t go inside La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona to win supply guarantee of reused water

Regenerated flows in the El Prat treatment plant will reduce drought risk Barcelona has agreed to extend the guarantee of water supply after the recent threat of water shortage. Within the next six months, the city of Barcelona will reinforce the supply system by taking advantage of the flows which are treated at the El Prat Wastewater plant to the river mouth of Llobregat. This will then be reused indirectly for human consumption. The Operation of the water-regenerating station of El Prat, will allow the city to use resources which were previously being wasted. Once the water is regenerated, the flows will connect to the river by pumps, through a parallel drive; This will then be discharged at Molins de Rei. When the flows carry on through the river course, they can then be picked up and purified at the Sant Joan Despí plant, in Aigües de Barcelona. The new resources will serve mainly to solve the issue with the water shortage, which is a frequent event in the Barcelona region. The water-regenerating station is able to produce a volume of 60 hm3 per year- up to 75 hm3. However, This process can only function at full capacity during emergency situations such […]

11 January 2017

Barcelona to win supply guarantee of reused water

La Tortilla de Patatas a book of David De Jorge and Javirroyo

Chef David De Jorge and the cartoonist Javirroyo present a book about hilarious tortillas, in opposition to the haute cuisine The potatoes omelette is one of the dishes for which our gastronomy deserves to be declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and Chef David de Jorge, known for the work Robin Food, together with the writer and artist Javirroyo, have come to talk about this, about The Tortilla God. Why? They explain it: the tortilla is a thermometer. “If you put a good tortilla in a bar, you also ask for the menú. If it is bad, you go running.” In times when the gastronomy takes almost the dimension of art and the culinary realities are leaders of the audience, the book that publishes Debate is both a recipe book and a comic book. A mocking huckster yet very intelligent. In the book, a part from the tortilla, there is an other main character: The Killer Onion, the previous emblematic character of Javirroyo. It was an hundred pages comic edited by Subterfuge Comix, that collects good part of the adventures carried out by that peculiar personage. Under that explicit name is hidden a masked vegetable, an ‘asexual vegetable’ that sows terror among his garden companions. A […]

9 January 2017

La Tortilla de Patatas a book of David De Jorge and Javirroyo

Barcelona made a campaign to promote the supply of products of proximity and increase the presence of organic food! The Mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau signed a year ago the Urban Food Policy Pact. It is an agreement for the creation of an active international platform of cities that share a clear objective for a healthy diet, food projects, fair trade, and promote responsible and sustainable consumption. With this Pact, acepted by more than 110 cities around the world, the “Green Markets” campaign was born. The campaign aims to promote the supply and consumption of local products and increase the presence of the fresh organic product, and to give visibility to the markets of Barcelona as healthy eating places. The Green Markets campaing started in 2015 with a pilot test in the Llibertat market, and revolves around three main axes: – Promoting sustainability – Promoting product proximity – Encouraging the presence of organic products in the markets. Now, after a year, Barcelona has seven green markets: Clot, Concepció, Horta, Llibertat, Les Corts, Sant Martí and Lesseps. The goal is to reach the 39 municipal markets of the city within the campaign. With this campaign it has been detected that 20% of the fruit […]

28 November 2016

Barcelona bets on greener markets

Barcelona fines fifteen Student Accommodations for posing as hotels

Student Residences that accommodates tourists will be fined up to €600,000 for breaching the law Prosecutors of Barcelona City Council have been investigating illegal tourist floors in Barcelona and have now found evidence of a growing number of student residences posing as tourist accommodations. The local council have reported that, within the last few months, over fifteen residences that were allegedly intended for students, have been admitting tourists of all ages who were spending a few days in the city into their residence. The lodging was also openly advertised on their websites and was easily accessible to the public through popular internet platforms The 15 cases of illegal tourist accommodations were then identified in many different areas of the city: four have been found in the district of Ciutat Vella, one in Eixample and in Les Corts, two in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, four in Gràcia and one in Horta-Guinardò; followed by two more residencies in the Melon district. The city council had then announced that, within the following days, they would have implement a regulation that would restrict Student residences to illegally operate as tourist lodging apartments and will solely accommodate students. The deputy Mayor of Urban Planning, Janet Sanz has explained that, companies legally identified as […]

10 January 2017

Barcelona fines fifteen Student Accommodations for posing as hotels

The Greek Amphitheatre will expand in August thanks to tourist taxes

From next summer, Barcelona will expand its cultural arts performance with an investment of €300,000 The deputy mayor of Culture, Jaume Collboni, has announced that, from August 2017, the Greek Amphitheatre is expected to be opened with an “artistic quality programming”, funded through a budgetary contribution of €300,000 from the Fund for the Promotion of Tourism of the Generalitat. Collboni has mentioned that the aim for this event is to gather tourists and the locals who are staying in august into this symbolic place and spectate art performances that are “rich of culture”; such as music and dancing as well as many other types of performing arts. Currently, the Generalitat collects approximately €43.5 million from tourist taxes, of which €22.2 is gained from Barcelona. Public contest Collboni stated that it is “incomprehensible” how, for so many years, the Catalan capital never planned a cultural event in August to match with other activities that are happening in other European cities. For this reason, the city is very committed to this project. “From the tourist taxes collected by the Generalitat- he continued- The City Council is able to allocate certain parts to what it thinks is most convenient. Currently, rather than investing on tourism […]

10 January 2017

The Greek Amphitheatre will expand in August thanks to tourist taxes

New Council plan to further protect the old town of Sant Andreu

Several buildings and the centre of Sant Andreu district have been documented The Barcelona City Council previously decided to officially carry out a plan to protect and preserve one of the city’s oldest town formerly know as Sant Andreu de Palomar; now a district. The planned provisions are set, with the aim to protect the district from Orfila Square to Meridiana Avenue and from Calle de Ignasi Iglesias to the junction of Calle Grau with Gran de Sant Andreu. A selected number of buildings, together with the “old town” as whole, have been register. The first step of the project was already achieved and the period of public display is expected to beginning soon, with the approval expected to be definite from December to January the latest. Some parts of the old town compromises of very important and personal historical fabrics of Sant Andreu de Palomar going back to1897. This fabrics includes some of the most preserved concentrations of, what was then, urban morphology and the built census in the old town of the city of Barcelona. In this area you will be able to find some of the fine examples of the original ground floor-based houses. Some of the […]

10 January 2017

New Council plan to further protect the old town of Sant Andreu

Blanco will shut down all its stores after filing for Bankruptcy

Popular clothing store Blanco filled for liquidation The clothing company Blanco has decided to lay off all of its 850 employees as well as closing its chain of stores, compromising of 120 establishments. According to Europa Press, the decision was made after the firm submitted a liquidation form before the Commercial Court of Toledo. Other similar sources have mentioned that the closure of Blanco stores and dismissals of all the employees will be carried out progressively, after the judge approves of the request to liquidate the business, with a liability of €133 million. On the other hand, members of the Labours Union, have stated that “Blanco is dead, it has no sense style“. They further made clear that, after the judge approves of the liquidation, a negotiation to schedule the closure, together with “the best possible conditions” for the workforce needs to be set, as the company owes 23 days of November payroll. During the Christmas season, the fashion company officially closed its website ( www.blanco.com). Blanco has been under the new management of AC Modus for three years, however, as they were not able to find a “suitable investor“, the company was forced to file for bankruptcy all over Spain and Portugal. This is […]

31 January 2017

Blanco will shut down all its stores after filing for Bankruptcy

2016 was by far the year of Trump, Brexit and many more ridiculous events. Food also had its own shine of foolishness. Here’s 3 types of food that needs to be terminated in 2017! Spain had its fair share of ridiculousness this past few years, with a stream of food trends that took over our bars, restaurants and social media. While some have been around for a few years, some have burst into the spotlight very recently. The irritating thing that these foods have in common is that you can find them wherever you go; that’s annoying. Like invasive species, they came into our bar tables and took over the foods that we had before, growing popular everyday. For this reason, we pray that 2017 is the year that would stop this madness or at least, help us rationalise our consumption. Here’s 3 groups of food trends that we would gladly bid goodbye to in 2017. The most bizarre Out of these three, we predict the baos to take over every corner of Madrid; though we are praying for the day that squids go back inside normal breads. The worst case scenario is that this trend could take over all of Spain. That might […]

2 February 2017

Food trends that should stop in 2017

Adif and Renfe will joining one single union to compete in Europe

Public Labour chiefs commissioned the creation of a public railway “holding” company to face 2020’s liberation Adif, a firm that manages the models and designs of railways, and Renfe, a failed transport operator company, have announce that they will re-unite in one single society. Adif’s huge financial crisis and restrictive dependence to the fee charged to Renfe itself for the use railways and stations has resulted into a disadvantage in competition which can negatively affect the 2020 liberation of rail transport. To find a solution for these two firms, the Ministry of Public works and transport decided to initiate procedures to join Adif and Renfe into one single public holding. The plan of the Ministry is to bring back the previous rail model, similar to the one in France and Germany, but with a “holding” structure and separate accounts for both companies to make sure to fulfil the requirements- called the fourth railway package. Adif accumulated a huge debt of 16 billion euros, originated by the expensive investment of the AVE lines. This has then caused Adif to increase the charges to Renfe- almost its only client- in order to decrease the level of disadvantage in the public operator competition. In the last […]

10 February 2017

Adif and Renfe will joining one single union to compete in Europe

The Perfect Venue for your Event in Barcelona!

Barcelona-home, provider of amazing apartments, villas and other spaces ideal for any type of event in Barcelona! Barcelona is considered one of the best European Cities to make an event, not coincidentally it is among the top 5 in the world rankings compiled by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). The high quality of the venues and the transport facilities, as well as a mild climate allows the organization of every kind of celebration at any time of the year making the City a unique destination for MICE tourism. Anyway Barcelona is not only seen as the traditional business destination, it’s also considered as the great Set of Europe! The Catalan capital becomes the most filmed european city with more than 2,494 filming per year adding points as a favorite destination for every kind of production as documentary, feature film and advertising spots, all important indicators of the health of Barcelona as cinematographic and audiovisual set. The international echo of films such as “El perfume”, “Todo sobre mi madre” and, above all, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and the fact that Barcelona was the the only Catalan city that didn’t charge occupancy rates for cultural films, has triggered interest in the city as a stage. But […]

28 November 2016

The Perfect Venue for your Event in Barcelona!

FC Barcelona, another Champions League record

FC Barcelona secures a total of 13 consecutive wins; breaking the record for being the team to win most matches. In the first week of December 2016, FC Barcelona played against Borussia Moenchengladbach, winning a stunning 4-0. The Catalonian team, mainly consisted of reserves, making Mascherano, Iniesta and Messi the only headline players in the team that night. Before the game, Barça’s coach Luis Enrique admitted in an interview “I don’t really care about the result of this match”. In fact, he used this match to recover his best players after a difficult game against Celtic, scoring 0-2 which made them qualify to round 16 of the Champions League. Furthermore, after winning 4-0 against Borussia Moenchengladbach, Barcelona officially summed up a total of 13 consecutive wins while reaching the quarter finals. On the other hand, Arsenal is also showing strong potential, as the team has been very consistent during the group phases. Though they haven’t acquired any title yet, they have successfully reached the same classification as the Catalonian team. Following very closely is Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, both with 12 wins in the last 16 and 13 stages. Next on the list is Chelsea with 11 and Milan with 9 wins. FC Barcelona’s dominance in the world of football […]

13 February 2017

FC Barcelona, another Champions League record

Tickets for Ferrari Land go on sale for 60 Euros- with access to PortAventura included

The new theme park Ferrari Land will be open on April the 7th PortAventura World has decided to put the advance tickets of the newly built Ferrari Land Theme Park on sale. The Ferrari Land Theme Park, which is in the last stages of being completed, will officially open its doors on the 7th of April, which also coincides with the opening of the resort seasons. The ticket, costing €60 per adult, will also include access to PortAventura Park and will be valid for one day. There are also many different categories for people to choose from, such as the entry of both parks for two days for €70 as well as a three-day ticket which includes access to both parks and Caribe Aquatic Park, at the cost of €95. On the other hand, guests who already possess a seasonal pass or have access to PortAventura Park through resort hotels, are able to purchase a specific entry to Ferrari Land. Additionally, during the entire season, Ferrari Land will provide morning tickets- lasting from 10 am till 5 pm- and evening tickets – from 6pm till 1 am-. Five million annual visitors Statistics predict that Ferrari Land will attracts a million visitors and the resort will […]

17 February 2017

Tickets for Ferrari Land go on sale for 60 Euros- with access to PortAventura included

Ada Parellada: “The competition of eating Calçots is barbaric”

The Popular cook recently awarded as “Friend of Calçotada”, called the Calçots Contest as an uncivilized event. Calçots are the Catalan version of scallion or green onion but they are much larger in size and milder than the normal onion. Those found in Valls, Tarragona are registered as a protected geographical indication by the EU. They are a unique culinary customs that Catalonians are very fond of. They are harvested from the start of November and continues all the way through April. Though the Calçotada season starts in the same period and the festival originally used to take place from February to March. This changed after it turned out to become very popular and therefore the citizens decided to extend the period of the event. Traditionally, the Catalan version of cooking Calçots is by grilling them over flames and then wrapped around newspapers in order to make them tender. When served, diners would usually peel the outer layer and dip the Calçots in a special dip called Salvitxada (o salsa Romesco), made of almonds, tomatoes, garlic, pepper, vinegar and oil. The Calçotada Festival (Gran Festa de la Calçotada de Valls) is a traditional and promotional day around the “calçot”. During the party […]

17 February 2017

Ada Parellada: “The competition of eating Calçots is barbaric”

The Spaniard are leaders of the collaborative economy

The Catalonian Government against the growth of this business sector The collaborative economy is a sector that has been growing continuously in Europe. The Collaborative Economy is manly based on either lending, renting, buying or selling products for specific needs rather than profits or economic benefits. The collaborative economy teaches that, other than money, services can also be trading goods. In fact, a person can, for example, offer temporary accommodation to someone in exchange for english or french lessons. Though it is still early to predict whether this system will make a global impact or just partial coverage, it has proven to be very successful, as there has been a lot of sectors in the economy where they have collaborative businesses. The success of this sector is indisputable as the companies that are operating under this sector have experienced huge growth just by creating a simple business model where users can purchase or rent a second hand product, finance projects etc. In fact, based on the data provided by the National Commission on Markets and Competition (NCMC), This sector is expected to have “enormous future potential” and is still not showing any signs of slowing down. European experts are indicating that over 150 million […]

22 February 2017

The Spaniard are leaders of the collaborative economy

Major brands take over the most unique buildings

Global fashion apparels are taking over architectural buildings of Barcelona! It has been reported that number of several fashion brands companies are replacing some of the architectural buildings of Barcelona. A recent occurrence happened in Gothic, just over a month ago, where the global economic apparel, Teddy, newly launched a flagship store of five-stories high in the Cucurulla Square. The palace Castell de Pons is also another historic building that has been taken over by the fashion industry, as it has gone through renovations to become the house of two iconic businesses: the Fargas chocolate factory and the Monge philately. Though, in recent times, historical landmarks used to be converted into hotels, they are now turned into fashion stores instead; such as Plaza Catalunya, where, the new superstore Zara has established in the corner of Bergara Street, becoming a rising fashion landmark trend on Instagram. Another current renovation is H&M, as it’s finalising the remaining operations of one of its chain store located in the Life Building, one of the fanciest corners of Passeig de Gràcia. “These brands need large spaces in very specific parts to be able to open stores as it is part of a strategic role, which also improve the whole brand,” says Monica Manguillot, director of the real estate company Busquets Gálvez; “And the buildings in Barcelona are […]

24 February 2017

Major brands take over the most unique buildings

Tv station BTV expands and becomes betevé

Barcelona’s TV station launches a new website: betevé The public tv station of Barcelona BTV has gone through a whole new renovation. During the last week of January, the television channel changed its settings and layout, converting into betevé. The new website homepage quoted:” We changed not just the new graphical display, but also a much deeper development which, gradually, it will improve“. “Betevé“- officially written in lower cases- is the fusion of two words: Barcelona and television; “this change is about thinking beyond a specific territory and technology“. betevé is seen as a point of contact between the people and the world, with the purpose of bringing culture and integration closer through TV, radio, social media etc. The director of this new television, Sergi Vicente, explains that betevé “is developing into a joint concept, with a huge variety of content from television, radio, web and social media“. In fact, betevé has launched its own twitter profile as well as a newspaper. Folch Studio’s cooperation with betevé Folch Studio designed betevé’s image through a contest organised by the company itself. The design was said to have caught the authenticity of television that was once recognised in the late 90’s. Hence, it conquered the final stages of […]

28 February 2017

Tv station BTV expands and becomes betevé

The Generalitat de Catalunya recognizes surrogate pregnancy

Public services workers who have children through surrogacy can now claim for maternity and paternity leave It’s great news for Catalonian couples who are opting for surrogacy. The Generalitat of Catalunya has officially agreed to recognise maternity and paternity leaves of public workers for births done through this method. A surrogacy, or simply known as “rental belly”, is a process in which a woman carries and gives birth to a child that genetically belongs to couples who physically cannot bare children. Maternity and paternity leaves for surrogated births are still prohibited in some countries. This would result in Catalonia to become the first independent community to regulate issues after following surrogacy decisions done by the Supreme Court’s . The Government has instructed government officials to facilitate maternal and paternal leaves for public workers that opted for surrogated births. Government to take action regarding maternity & paternity leave for parents who opt for surrogacy It has been over two months since the supreme court passed down legislation about social security of surrogates. Recently in Benestar, an employee asked the court for a maternity leave permission, after having a child through surrogacy. The court then considered the judgements of the Supreme court, and decided that there were no grants to base it. For many years, the government used to dismiss parents’ […]

28 February 2017

The Generalitat de Catalunya recognizes surrogate pregnancy

A natural sanctuary for Barcelona to ‘release’ its dolphins

The sanctuary may be the solution for the dolphins after the closure of Barcelona Zoo’s Dolphinarium The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, is expected to decide the outcomes for dolphins staying in captivity in Barcelona. Currently, the city has decided that Barcelona Zoo should pay a total of 15 million euros to expand its facilities or, otherwise, shut down. An option for accommodating the dolphins temporarily will be to create a marine sanctuary for dolphins on a Greek island has now arisen . The city has come up with an idea of creating a to accommodate the dolphins for a few months before releasing them back into the wild. A cove on the Greek island of Lipsi serves as a haven for these dolphins; it will be the first in the world when completed. If Barcelona decides to transfer the dolphins from the cramped facilities to the sanctuary, it would be a major victory for the movement in defense of these intelligent cetaceans. Until now, there was only one steady sanctuary project in the world: the US National Aquarium. Three months ago, it has announced that eight dolphin shelters should be ready by 2020. The sanctuary, in the form of a fenced pool, is located on the Greek island of Lipsi. The […]

2 March 2017

A natural sanctuary for Barcelona to ‘release’ its dolphins

Cool Things to do in Summer Nights of Barcelona

How to spend your summer nights in Barcelona Every year, the summer of Barcelona attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. The months of June, July and August are the busiest of the year. During this time, all parts of the city are vibrant with activities and events. During the day, the Mediterranean sunshine is being embraced by both locals and tourists. Nevertheless, the real fun begins after the sun goes down. Whether you are in Barcelona for a vacation with your friends and family, or for work, the summer nights of Barcelona have many things to offer you. Let summer 2017 be your best summer ever and take the chance to create wonderful memories with your loved ones. Here, we are presenting you our favorite places to have the best summer nights in Barcelona. 1. Enjoy an outdoor performance in Poble Espanyol During the summer Poble Espanyol’s district is turned into a scene to host amazing performances. One of the summer arrangements you can’t afford to miss is Nits d’Estiu (summer nights) where different art forms and events are presented. This is a cultural experience that is well known throughout Barcelona. Another spectacular event is Riu Estiu, the Summer […]

6 March 2017

Cool Things to do in Summer Nights of Barcelona

28 February 2017

Thousands of citizens protest against “Mass Tourism” in the Rambla de Barcelona

“Barcelona is not for sale”- organised movement protest in the market of La Boqueria This past January, thousands of people protested in the streets of Rambla under the motto “Barcelona is not for sale”. The FAVB (Federación de Asociaciones de Vecinos de Barcelona), together with 60 organisations, organised the rally. This brought together different sets of activists: housing, work, neighbourhoods, culture etc.; all mutually against “mass tourism” and in favour of “right to live in the city”. Once again, tourism proved to be a source of great dissatisfaction in regards of the living conditions in Barcelona. Though tourism is very successful in the city, the living standards keeps on declining, with rents continuously increasing. Lasting for approximately 2 hours, protesters walked through popular roads demanding “Culture accessibility”, “Promotion of public transport and non pollution” and “Gender equalities” in the city; condemning “housing speculations” “destructions of proximity trade” and “degradation of public space”. Following after La Rambla, the protesters also entered the market of La Boqueria, where they paraded with banners and shopping carts. The effect of mass tourism According to the data collected in 2016 from Hotel Occupation Survey, the Catalonian capital reached 20 million hotel bookings; twice the result of 12 years ago. Additionally, city establishments such as hotels, […]

Donkey Republic: The innovative way to rent a bike in Barcelona

Rent and unlock a bike near you in just a few clicks with the Donkey Republic mobile app! Barcelona is a city where the bikes utilization rates and proper infrastructure is increasing and reinforced, turning the city in an urban bike-friendly area. Besides the several bike rental companies in Barcelona, Donkey Republic is the new and easiest way to get a rental bike in Barcelona. You only need your phone and the Donkey Republic App to get your ride and discover the city in a fast, green and enjoyable way! Donkey Republic is a Copenhagen-based startup business that is building a global bike rental platform, aiming to turn the bicycle into the hero of public transportation. The start up was founded in 2014 when it developed an electronic lock and an app to command it, as well as a booking engine and a user-centered rental flow. Their system is now available in over 15 countries, 57 cities like Copenhagen, Madrid, Amsterdam, Gothenburg, Oxford, Budapest and London with a total of 2875 bikes around the world, expanding massively in 2017, to allow travelers to rent a Donkey bike wherever they go. In Barcelona, you can find at the moment 150 bikes all around the city, but that number will increase quickly to […]

27 February 2017

Donkey Republic: The innovative way to rent a bike in Barcelona

The International Space Station spotted in the skies of Barcelona

The International Space Station was visible for a few minutes above Barcelona On the last day of January, Barcelona witnessed a spectacularly unique event in the sky. At a rapid speed of 28 thousands km/hour, The ISS (International Space Station) crossed the Catalan Capital, leaving a luminous trail behind it. As the station flies over earth at an altitude of 400 km, most people around the world can see it. Despite the fact that Barcelona has high levels of light pollution, the luminous trail was still visible at naked eyes. The great weather condition and the positioning of the station also created a perfect scenario above the city. The Italian astronaut Ignazio Magnani twitted ISS’ arrival to Spain hours before reaching Barcelona, giving people the opportunity to witness the extraordinary moment. After the visit, ISS revealed stunning images of the Catalonian city illuminated by street lights; together with other cities in the Iberian peninsula, such as Madrid, Valencia as well as the Portughese capital Lisbon. Barcelona from up above Barcelona, just like other popular cities in the world, uses a large amount of light energy in the street. As a result ,it is quite easy to spot from the International Space Station. Out of all the […]

2 March 2017

The International Space Station spotted in the skies of Barcelona

Barcelona Tech City wants to expand in the ports of Barcelona

The cluster of the technological and digital sector is looking for a second office to settle. Last Spring, Barcelona Tech City finally achieved its dream to build its own main office in Palau de Mar. Pier 01 is in charge of providing international appeal for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Though the operations in Pier 01 began last May, plans of expanding in new locations are already commencing. After deciding to expand the business, Barcelona Tech City opened a register for new partnerships requests. This quickly gained a lot of requests from start-up businesses, local and international companies; occupying another 13.000m2. The idea Barcelona Tech City wants to achieve is to build a “tech harbor”; a technological zone of international attraction situated by the sea. Potential choices were areas such as the Imax, History Museum of Catalunya and spots near the World Trade Centre. Alternatively, the business plans to build an office on a ship near Nova Bocana. Additionally, all these lands are situated and owned by the Port of Barcelona. Tech City explains that they’re still looking at different locations though there’s still nothing official. Barcelona Tech City’s CEO Miquel Marti stated “Having a main office in an area such as the Port of Barcelona is a major boost for the city, making it an international hub in the techno-industry” Barcelona […]

9 March 2017

Barcelona Tech City wants to expand in the ports of Barcelona

A game to consider for a thrill time in Barcelona… Have the late night parties, the shopping streets, the museums and the beaches of Barcelona got you bored already? And you are looking to experience an entirely new type of activity with your friends and family? You should consider trying out the Escape Room games. There are quite a few Escape places in Barcelona. It is a fairly new trend. For those of you who have no idea what it is: the Escape Room is a physical adventure game in which players are locked in a room with clues, for which the players would need to assist them in solving mysteries to escape through all the rooms within a limited time. Sounds interesting, eh? If so, keep reading to know some of the Escape Rooms in Barcelona. The following entails a description of five Escape Rooms. Parapark Parapark is the first Escape Room to land in Barcelona. It is a franchise with several other branches in Spain and Budapest. It is located in an old building in the district of Sants. A door opens to welcome you and then closes. Once inside, you’ll need your wits and teamwork to unlock the room in […]

10 March 2017

Escape from Mysterious Rooms

Catalonia breaks the record of visitors in Spain

The Catalan region reaches a total of 17 million visitors, 3.8% more than 2015 Spain has broken the 2016 record of mass visitors for the fourth consecutive year. A total of 75.3 million people came to Spain, which is 7.2 million more than the previous year; according to the figures analysed by Minister of Energy and Tourism Alvaro Nadal, this is a 9.9% increase from 2015. According to the data accumulated from January to November, Catalonia was the main target for tourists in 2016, with a total of 17 million visitors; 3.8% more than last year. The Spanish islands are following behind with 12.9 millions of visitors and the Canary Islands with 12 million of tourists. Nadal further highlighted an increase of inland areas. “They improved new markets and products, as seen in regions such as Aragon (increased by 64.7%), Castilla-La Mancha (32.8%) and Extremadura (31.3%)”. Overall, based on the data, tourists who visited Spain spent around 77,000 million euros, which is an increase of 8.3%. The average expenditure of each tourist was around 1,023 euros (3.75% increase); the average daily expenditure of 138 euros, a 6.5% increase. The number of tourists that visited Spain in 2016 increased by 8.3% After the results were revealed, […]

14 March 2017

Catalonia breaks the record of visitors in Spain

How much do you really know about Barcelona? Are you a knowledged visitor or a clueless tourist? Test yourself with this True or False quiz!! There are so many facts about Barcelona that even its habitants are unaware of. Are you more acquainted about the Catalonian capital then the locals or was it all a delusion? Find out for yourself! About Barcelona 1. Barcelona’s most famous street, Las Ramblas, is divided into six different sections. 2. Catalan is the only official language since Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia. 3.It’s one of Europe’s greenest city and has 68 parks. 4.There’s a park just for flamenco dancers. 5.Barcelona has almost 4 million tourists every year. Barcelona’s history quiz! 1. Barcelona’s beaches weren’t used for leisure until 1992. 2. Barcelona was supposed to be the home for Eiffel Tower. 3. Gaudí was not the original architect of Sagrada Familia. 4. Its famous monument Sagrada Familia is expected to be completed in 2018. 5.The famous monument of Christopher Columbus is pointing towards the sky. Fun Facts! (or not) 1. Famous football player Lionel Messi was born in Barcelona in 1987. 2. The World Book Day exists, thanks to […]

14 March 2017

True or false about Barcelona

Get Bag Service relocates to Sagrada Familia

Commercial company ‘GetBag Service’ relocates Since the beginning of march 2017, Get Bag Service has renovated itself by creating a new slogan and moving right next to the Sagrada Familia, around the centre of Barcelona. Their service, on the other hand, will remain the same as before, with the intention of providing a higher quality performance to their clients. By relocating near the Sagrada Familia, customers are able to access the office quicker before and after purchasing the service. This decision was made soon as the business started to receive a lot of recognition from people; giving the opportunity for Get Bag to expand it self and move somewhere with a bigger space. Get Bag has been very successful in expanding in this niche market and proved to be ahead of the competition. They believe that this success came as a result of understanding what their customers want and need. In fact, Comfort, Efficiency, Safety and Reliability are the main key words that Get Bag stands for and have proven to stand for just that. About Get Bag Get Bag service is a company that provides Luggage delivery and transfer services for people who want to spend a bit more time in Barcelona, […]

12 April 2017

Get Bag Service relocates to Sagrada Familia

Barcelona Hospitality Guild seeks to protect Barcelona’s iconic terraces

The Barcelona Hospitality Guild proposes solutions to save Barcelona’s terraces. In the last week of January, Barcelona Hospitality Guild released a document known as White Book of the Terraces of the city. This document is said to include several solutions to save Barcelona’s iconic terraces from the municipal council’s future plans. This White Book is also made of opinions and analysis on Barcelona’s technicians and experts on how to rebuild Barcelona. The distance between the terraces and urban elements appears to be the most controversial issue, affecting 60% of the city. Barcelona municipal council wants to reduce the distance of the terraces from urban elements and buildings, in order not to obstruct the passage way for people with disabilities. On the other hand, the council is planning to cut down the number of terraces in the city. The director of the Hospitality Guild, Roger Pallarols, expects the book to be a guide to resolve conflicts between the government and the opposition in regards of the rules of terraces and nightlife in bars and restaurants. Nonetheless, some regulations that have been approved before have not yet been resolved; in fact, they seem to have gotten worse. In the same way, the president of the Guild, Pere Chias has requested to the Council […]

21 April 2017

Barcelona Hospitality Guild seeks to protect Barcelona’s iconic terraces

Increase in Property taxes for touristic accommodation in Barcelona

Council’s plans for touristic accommodations approved in March The municipal council has approved the Special Urban-Development Plan for Touristic Accommodation (PEUAT). The PEAUT regulates tourist accommodation establishments, as well as youth hostels, collective residences with temporary accommodation and tourist apartments. The council is trying to convene a sustainable urban model while improving the quality of life for city residents. For instance, this plan includes forbidding the construction of new hotels in the city center. On Monday, the mayor, Ada Colau has presented the strategic tourism plan to find solutions on how to manage tourism. Why was PEAUT implemented? Every year, the number of tourist rises in Barcelona. Last year the city’s residents were outnumbered by an estimated 32 million visitors, about half of them were day-trippers. There are currently 75,000 hotel beds in the city; about 50,000 beds in legal tourist apartments and 50,000 in illegal ones. Furthermore, 17,000 flats are now tourist apartments; therefore, the resulting shortage has driven up rents that are now the highest in Spain. According to a survey carried out by the city council in October, the city’s biggest problems is unemployment and tourism came at the second position. As a result, the council decided to manage Housing for Tourism (HUT). Therefore, to avoid an […]

26 April 2017

Increase in Property taxes for touristic accommodation in Barcelona

E-Cooltra: the main company in the Spanish sharing industry!

The growth of the collaborative consumption in Spain opened doors to services in the sharing industry. The Sharing Economy is increasingly becoming part of the city lifestyle, as a large number of start-up organizations are moving towards this niche market. Initially, the concept of sharing first started by groups of citizens with genuine willingness to share and exchange their belongings with others. This trend became quite popular during the recession periods, as not many people were able to afford to buy brand new products. As a result, the sharing economy adapted and consolidated itself to the condition of the new society, which was then converted and adopted by companies. Many cities and capitals have made use of the sharing economy in order to transform into smart cities, with the aim to obtain a greater well-being and a more efficient use of the public resources. The collaborative consumption can be divided into three categories: Collaborative lifestyles: People with common interests share and exchange less tangible assets like time, space, skills and money, Redistribution markets: Goods are no longer needed and are redistributed or sold in exchange; Product-based systems: Instead of purchasing an item, it is paid for its use for a certain amount of time. Perfect example of this last […]

27 February 2017

E-Cooltra: the main company in the Spanish sharing industry!

A Great Local Food Experience in Barcelona

New consumer trends and technologies promote and diversify the distribution and experience of local food Barcelona is one of the most cosmopolitan city in the world, therefore several kind of tastes have to be satisfied. In this last years, new technologies have changed the form of interpreting, from a touristic point of view, the experience of the local gastronomy. Eat-with, for example, is an application that allows you to reserve a dinner in the house of a stranger, or host and prepare an evening for some unknown guests. In Spain, Barcelona is the city that tends to offer this kind of service more, and the menu is focused mainly on tourists with, above all, Mediterranean food. With the increased advantage in new technologies, and the rising number of timeless consumers unwilling to complicate themselves in the kitchen, FOOD DELIVERY Organizations are now transcending the limits of not only providing pizza and Chinese on Saturday night, but also give access to all kinds of cuisine, anytime and anywhere. Delivery service seems to revolutionize the concept of food at home, and one new Italian-Catalan Company is taking advantage of it by innovating also the touristic gastronomical food experience in Barcelona. Discover Local Food Experience! Local Food Experience is a company that gives […]

13 March 2017

A Great Local Food Experience in Barcelona

Baggage Drop Service: Your Smart Luggage Transfer in Barcelona

Baggage Drop Service satisfies the needs of all clients and allows to take advantage of every minute to discover Barcelona. Interview with the Head of the company. More and more businesses in the tourism sector are growing and developing to facilitate the arrival of customers to a destination by offering complete services that give the tourist the opportunity to take full advantage of their holiday time. Among these services, the luggage transfer seems to be the most needed because it allows travelers to enjoy from the first to the last moment a stress-free travel without thinking about the burden and the weight of their luggage. We interviewed Gianluca Oricchio, Head of the Baggage Drop Service company, to explain us how the company’s services operate, how it facilitates the lives of its customers, and what are the services that distinguish it from other similar companies. Reed the interview and take advantage about all the information provided! BH: “Hi Gianluca, thanks to meet us! Us we considered your service very helpful for all Barcelona-home clients, we decided to discover more about the service. Can you tell us how does the whole process work exactly?” GO: “The whole process suppose to follow some […]

27 April 2017

Baggage Drop Service: Your Smart Luggage Transfer in Barcelona

Barcelona bets on the shared taxis to save the sector

No more taxis in a city like Barcelona? Impossible! Because of the modernisation of public transport, taxis are getting neglected and less used. For this reason, the board of Barcelona sat together to plea for a new rule whereby people can share a taxi. City Hall, the Metropolitan Taxi Institute (IMET) and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) are currently identifying the measure with an eye towards the modernisation of the public service by still being competitive to the new technologies. Besides the possibility to share a taxi, they are also thinking about fixed prices from and to popular spots such as from Plaza Catalunya or Plaza Espanya to the airport. In this way, people will be ensured that they don’t pay too much. But this measure is a bit more difficult because of the taxi law. That’s why the government needs to wake up and make this possible. But at the moment it seems like they are considering it, which will help by integrating this rule. The WBA also approved a document with a proposal about the most important requirements of the taxi chauffeurs in which they liberalize the sector. This implies the multiplied licensing conditions of rental vehicles with driver, realizing that the taxi […]

19 May 2017

Barcelona bets on the shared taxis to save the sector

Be prepared to visit the first house designed by the Catalan creative genius The Casa Vicens of Barcelona, stands in the quiet district of Gràcia, with and exquisite perception of an oriental and mudéjar essence. This building was designed by Antonio Gaudi, one of the most representative architects of Catalan modernism. This is the eighth structure in Barcelona listed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2005, and will be opening its doors to the public for the first time this fall!! The house was the first important project of this renowned architect after his degree as an architect in 1878. It was built between 1883 and 1888 when Gracia was still an independent urban nucleus of Barcelona and possessing his own Town Hall, with the category of a village, although at the moment it is a district of the city. A Unique Style The style of Casa Vicens is a reflection of Neo-Mudéjar architecture, one of the popular styles that can be seen throughout Gaudí’s architecture, including oriental and neoclassical as well. However, the remarkable thing about Gaudí on this construction was that he mixed different styles together and incorporated a variety of different materials, such as iron, glass, ceramic tiles and concrete, many of […]

26 June 2017

Casa Vicens of Gaudí opens its doors

Walk through some of the most striking names that, from fashion to interior and graphic design, keep the city at the forefront of aesthetics! Discover the true artistic gems of Barcelona through its interior, graphic design and fashion, and you will appreciate Barcelona in a new, groundbreaking way. BCN Design Tour is a guided tour that highlights the most artistic and creative sides of Barcelona. The guide allows you to indulge in everything the Catalan city has to offer from a design point of view: clothes, interior, and graphic design. In the last 25 years, the city has become one of the favorite bases for architects, designers, photographers, illustrators and creative professionals from all over the world who, together with the existing talent and heritage of universal artists, Gaudí, Miró, Tàpies or Brossa, have made of the design one of its signs of identity. All elements are now combined and interacting to draw the style of an international brand. It is not a novelty, that nearly every city in the world, at a certain point, suffers from a common illness: “The tendency towards a certain homogeneity caused by globalization,” that impacts negatively on the personality of each city, and industries such […]

26 June 2017

Barcelona through the eyes of design

The Barcelona Syndicate demands that bicycles carry tuition and compulsory insurance

Biking in Barcelona – A thrill or a risk? Barcelona is a city that has everything: the beach, the pulse, the people. Being able to easily get around this bustling city is another great quality the city possesses, with public transport rarely letting down its travelers. However, if you are a person who prefers traveling independently and without keeping the times of buses and metros, bicycling might just be the option for you. Over the past few years, the streets of the Catalan city have filled up with more and more bicycles. Not only do these include tourists on bicycle tour guides, but also Barcelona’s local residents due to its great availability and accessibility. Although, with more bicycles on the streets, this also means an enhanced risk for accidents. During 2016, Barcelona’s streets faced a total of 812 bicycle accidents, increasing the accidents from the past year by 20%. The European Parliament suggests implementing a road-safety-campaign in Barcelona for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists in order to reduce the accidents and raise peoples’ awareness. Barcelona’s mediator, Maria Assumpció Vila, has asked the town council of Barcelona to identify the city’s bicycles. This will require mandatory insurance for bicycle owners to decrease […]

28 June 2017

The Barcelona Syndicate demands that bicycles carry tuition and compulsory insurance

Barcelona wants to pay more for the apartments, the tourist tax, and the parks The city of Barcelona faces different challenges as a result of tourism in the city, mass tourism in the most touristic sites, traffic, access to housing for being exploited as tourist accommodation etc. which is why the local government of the city developed, in several stages, a strategic plan for tourism with the purpose of stabilizing and regularizing the destination. In order to increase fiscal measures As you remember the city government of Barcelona presented in January of this year its Proposals for the Strategic Plan of Tourism 2020, for the next four years, in which it was enunciated a series of fiscal measures so that the “temporary citizens” term in which it refers to the tourists, contributed more to the economy of Barcelona. This document proposes 10 programs, 30 lines of action and about 100 measures, which are aimed at achieving an urban balance in the city, betting on the sustainability of the destination, involving the whole community and above all, bring more benefit to the citizenship. IBI, Property Tax, and other Measures Under this last concept, Barcelona Town Hall, through the plan, raised the […]

3 July 2017

Barcelona Strategic Tourism Plan 2020

Barcelona tourist dream: reality or illusion?

Ed Sheeran VS the comic Llimoo, who satirizes the city in a video clip! A song that perfectly summarizes the ambiance of Barcelona is Ed Sheeran’s song Barcelona. It has the rhythm, the lyrics, and the voice. When listening to the song, you can’t help but start planning your next trip to Barcelona. Definitely, Barcelona can be considered one of the most popular destinations in Europe, welcoming 32 million visitors only in 2016. However, this has created a frustration among the local residents due to this overwhelming number of tourists. In contrast to Sheeran’s song about Barcelona, a comedian called Adónde Boy, has also released a song about Barcelona, showing another side of the city and its problems. The opening of Boy’s video shows a wall with “Guiris go home” written on it, where “Guiris” is a negative Spanish slang for tourists. That the locals don’t like tourists visiting Barcelona is a fact and can be seen through street art, demonstrations, and discussions with locals. The song further jokes about the fact that the tourism has increased the prices in Barcelona, showing that a taxi ride costs 300 euros. With an increased demand of finding a place to stay in Barcelona, […]

13 July 2017

Barcelona tourist dream: reality or illusion?

Collserola Tower symbolizes the change of Barcelona! Walking through one of the most spectacular architectures in Barcelona and discover its modernity. Collserola Tower symbolizes the change of Barcelona! During your visit to Barcelona, you can not only discover a lot of nice food, street art with fantastic drawing but also check the modern and classical buildings out. There are billions of fantastic sceneries that you can discover in Barcelona absolutely. However, if you wish to take a panoramically look at Barcelona, Collserola Tower is one of the attractions which you should not miss it! Collserola Tower becomes one of the landmarks and the modern architectures’ representative of Barcelona because of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. More importantly, thanks to Collserola Tower, Barcelona has connected to the world a quarter of a century already. Collserola Tower, or “Torre de Collserola” in Spanish, is located in Tibidabo mountain, which the mountain overlooks the whole Barcelona and height 445m. Furthermore, the tower is also the main telecommunication tower in Catalonia. Collserola Tower started constructing in February 1990 by a famous architect from Britain, Norman Foster, spent 2 years to build it, and operated during the time while Barcelona was hosting Olympic Games in […]

13 July 2017

Discover Barcelona – Collserola Tower

Couple were caught having public sex in Barceloneta

Sex on the beach – and no, not the drink! The free and laid-back atmosphere of Barcelona makes the city a place like no other. It is somewhere where everyone can feel like home: whether it is the sea breeze, the food, the people, the architecture that does it. The city’s openness to people’s sexuality makes it even more welcoming. Since Spain allows nudist beaches across the country, it furthermore adds to the country’s liberty. However, in Barceloneta, people have started to dislike this free ambiance, as they feel it might have taken a step too far. On the 10th of July, residents of Barceloneta witnessed a couple publicly having sex at the beach at Plaça d’Hilari Salvadó. The act was recorded and published by a neighbor in the Facebook-group “La Barceloneta diu Prou”. The group is specifically directed to those who live in the Barceloneta district for the purpose of reporting actions in the area that they don’t find acceptable. They were spotted having sex in broad daylight, also some metres away from a school and a children’s park. This has made locals even more furious, as they also are seeing a growing trend in “drunken tourists” with events […]

17 July 2017

Couple were caught having public sex in Barceloneta

Barcelona’s attractions in Dan Brown latest novel

Sagrada Familia, Montserrat and Casa Milá are mentioned in Dan Brown’s upcoming novel – Origin! Have you been to Sagrada Familia, Montserrat, and Casa Milà yet? If you have never been there, don’t worry there is still time, but you should at least know that you will be able to see these wonderful and spectacular architectures through the eyes of Dan Brown latest novel that will be launched this 2017! You will be able to appreciate these Barcelona’s famous attractions in some of the scenarios on “Origin” -together with attraction belonging also to Bilbao, Sevilla and Madrid- which will be published the next 5th of October of this year. Thanks to Dan Brown new book, Barcelona’s attractions will become more famous in the world, which is the best promotion that someone can do to Barcelona’s history and culture. No matter you are interested in Barcelona stuffs or not, you should not miss the chance to get to know more about Barcelona. Dan Brown’s novels are really famous in the world, even you have never read his novel, you may hear some of his novels, including The Lost Symbol, Inferno, and The Da Vinci Code. His books have sold more than 200 million […]

20 July 2017

Barcelona’s attractions in Dan Brown latest novel

Salvador Dali Body Exhumation for DNA proof

A woman claims that she is the daughter of famous Catalan painter Salvador Dali and the judges in Madrid allowed exhumations on Salvador Dali A judge of Madrid has ordered the exhumation of the body of Salvador Dalí to determine if the artist is the biological father of Pilar Abel Martínez. The woman, born in Figueres in 1956 and daughter of a single mother, knew that its father was the famous Catalan painter since she was eight years, according to her story. The body of Salvador Dalí was buried in the Dalí Theater-Museum of Figueres after his death on January 23, 1989, and as there are no biological remains or personal objects on which to practice the test by the National Institute of Toxicology, The court of first instance number 11 in Madrid admitted the application for paternity test through the exhumation of the corpse Of Dalí, that “could take place in this month.” Pilar Abel who works as a reader of the tarot cards on Girona’s television, argues that the painter had a clandestine relationship with his mother in Cadaqués when he worked as an employee of a family that spent seasons in that town. The judge has determined that the exhumation of […]

21 July 2017

Salvador Dali Body Exhumation for DNA proof

Mediterranean diet: myth, healthy, or just a marketing product?

Is the Mediterranean diet as healthy as claimed to be? Recent discoveries show that it might just be a myth seen from a marketing point of view. If you live in Barcelona – or plan to do so – you will probably adapt to the Spanish lifestyle the city offers; with the Mediterranean diet becoming your new way of eating. The healthy diet can be spotted everywhere: in supermarkets, restaurants, and media. Endless amounts of studies repeatedly show that the Mediterranean diet fosters a happy and healthy lifestyle. However, lately, it has been shown that there might be more marketing than actual science behind the concept. This raises the question of how healthy the Mediterranean diet really is? Ever since 1953, when epidemiologist Leland G. Allbaugh published a study on the positive impact Greek diet had on its population, there has been great scientific interest in the Mediterranean diet. Up until today, it still has a great reputation across the world, with a growing popularity and new people constantly adapting to this lifestyle. The diet includes little meat, some fish, seasonal vegetables and fruits, olives, olive oil, and nuts, but it is more than particular foods and cuisines or eating patterns, […]

31 July 2017

Mediterranean diet: myth, healthy, or just a marketing product?

Mankind has already exhauted the year’s worth of The Earth’s Resources

On Wednesday, we consumed all the natural resources that the planet can produce in a year. The “overshoot day” is happening earlier every year. Since Wednesday, August 2, humanity lives „on credit”. What does it mean? In just seven months, we have consumed all the resources that the Earth can produce in a year. Until the end of 2017, to continue to drink, eat, or travel, we will have to over-exploit our ecosystems and compromise their regeneration capacity. Unfortunately, this date comes earlier every year. This “Earth overshoot day” is calculated each year by the Global Footprint Network, an international research institute based in Oakland, California. According to its calculations, the consumption exceeds 70% of available resources. In other words, the equivalent of 1.7 planets is necessary to satisfy the needs of humans. Have a look at how the situation change throughout the years. HOW DID WE CONSUME ALL OUR RESOURCES BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR? We have reached this overshoot day on the 2nd of August because we cut trees at a faster rate than they grow, we fish more every year, and we release more carbon into the atmosphere than the forests and ocean can absorb.The […]

30 July 2017

Mankind has already exhauted the year’s worth of The Earth’s Resources

Duration: 30 Jul 2017 - 30 Jul 2017

If you are a fan of roses and books you will definitely love the Festival of Sant Jordi. The people in Catalonia celebrate the day of their patron saint with a curious tradition, you are not gonna miss it! The uniqueness of Sant Jordi Day Traditionally, since the 15th century, Sant Jordi day is the Catalan equivalent of St Valentine’s Day. It is customary to give roses and books as gifts on this day, and not only couples make gifts – everyone can receive a pleasant present. Until recent times books were given only to men, roses – to women. But nowadays many young men accompany the book with a rose. The rose is traditionally red, but this has also gone through a few variations, so now you can meet many different colors. Activities On the 23rd of April, many activities are organized, as for adults as for children. Reading the books by their authors at bookstalls, giving autographs by famous authors, cooking the special dish called Pa de Sant Jordi just on the streets, and romantic vibe everywhere – no one will be left indifferent. The flower and bookstalls are mostly concentrated in La Rambla, although you’ll also find them […]

23 March 2022

Festival of Sant Jordi

“Harlem Jazz Club” – A place of freedom, transgression and artistic creativity

If you are a follower of a freedom lifestyle, unlimited creativity, and no societal restrictions – this event is SPECIAL for you! “A place of freedom, transgression and artistic creativity” – this is the motto of Harlem Jazz Club. After hearing this motto we already can imagine which vibe have events that happen there. Not in vain exactly there take place such festivals as Barcelona International Jazz Festival, Katakumba, Barnasants, Inauditus, Sensual, Fem. Music, Grec Festival, MPB Festival- Barcelona Popular Music, Interfado – Fado Festival of Catalonia, and many many more. In this cosmopolitan club, you can find any music – and it is gonna be live! Funk, jazz, flamenco, tango, blues, and many many other styles, the deep connection between artists and assistants, amazing fluids which are going from artists – that’s what makes people return again and again to Harlem Jazz Club. Even their logo is created to express the creativity and freedom which reigns there. Modern and simple, stylish and memorable – guys from “Harlem” know how to impress. Alone, or with friends, for the date or family evening – this jazz club is a perfect choice if you want to have a good […]

14 March 2022

“Harlem Jazz Club” – A place of freedom, transgression and artistic creativity

Duration: 14 Mar 2022 - 14 Mar 2022

If you are used to bright impassions and you think that nothing can surprise you – you must visit this place! We are sure it will change your mind about exhibitions! The World of Bansky is the place where street art is combining with the values of modern society. Bansky itself is not against the name “art terrorist”, given by publicity. He received this name not in vain, his works are ironic, poignant, and thought-provoking. Some viewers are outraged by his style of creating art, they call it vandalism. Some are deeply impressed. But no one will remain indifferent, everyone will find an own sense, own understanding, and meaning of Bansky’s works. Little additions The World of Bansky has a pleasant addition to your Bansky tour – the gifts shop. You can treat yourself to a whole host of custom merch options from booklets and posters to T-shirts and custom mugs, high-quality items. Some objects are specially designed exactly for the topic of the exhibition. These gifts will not allow memories from seen works to fade away, the impressions from seen will be always with you. Because The World of Bansky is not just a gallery. This […]

14 March 2022

The world of immersive experience

Duration: 14 Mar 2022 - 14 Mar 2022

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