Barcelona Information

Barcelona’s Hidden Courtyards

Barcelona Information

IF you’ve walked in the creamy Barcelona sunlight through the streets around the Paseo de Gracia, you will be no stranger to the elegant charm of the Eixample, the imposing 19th-century grid that is the city’s geographical and architectural heart. Magnificent modernist buildings gaze proudly over the tree-lined boulevards. Delights beckon from every shop front: sleek furniture, elaborate tapas, chic couture and handmade chocolates.

Hidden from view, however, behind the Eixample’s grand facades, is a little-advertised patchwork of public gardens and courtyards that offers refuge from the urban rush and an intimate view of everyday Barcelona life.

Many of these green spaces have been carved in recent years from the patios that form the center of each city block, and are reached down narrow passageways or by cutting through a building. They are the ideal place to pause between the sights of the Eixample, which stretches from the old city to neighborhoods like Gracia, especially if you have children in tow.

Read more: Barcelona’s Hidden Courtyards

Street Art in Barcelona

Barcelona Information

Barcelona, different than many other cities and always recognized as an inspirational and artistic city, has been hosting street arts movement for more than 10 years. The street art has many forms in Barcelona, mostly grafitti but posters, stencils and stickers are also being created by many young artists. It is an expression of feelings and a way to protest things, sometimes it is just to decorate the metal rolling shutters of a shop.

Actually, the painting on streets and pavements started many years ago in Barcelona. Joan Miro, who is a famous painter and artist had painted the pavement at the Pla de l´Os in the Rambla which will worth seeing. To learn more about Joan Miro's work click here.

Read more: Street Art in Barcelona

Foreign Language Bookstores in Barcelona

Barcelona Information

Since Barcelona is going towards being a multicultural city with the migration from many countries, the needs of the society varies each day. Adding the successful business schools which are ranking at the top in Europe and the erasmus students from all over the continent, the emphasis on English language and any publications in English and different languauges considered as a plus. Either you are a foreign student or a tourist who wants to learn more in your own language here are some options for you to find books in Barcelona.
Keep in mind that finding books in many different languages about Barcelona, Catalan culture and Spain is easier than finding the others as expected. Barcelona welcomes tourists and introduces itself with different publications. Here are some points where you can get those:

Read more: Foreign Language Bookstores in Barcelona

Luxury accommodation is necessary in Barcelona? what about apartment accommodation?

Barcelona Information

Many friends are asking me about the advantages of renting holiday apartments for their accommodation in Barcelona. They know that I am in this business and that our company, Apartime.com is one of the first to offer this service in Barcelona. They see the success we have and they are curious to know why people are so keen about renting holiday apartments instead of the traditional hotel room.
My first answer is always “why don’t you try it for yourself? Then you will tell me…” but in most of the cases I find myself explaining with detail about what I am about to write in this post.
Apartments accommodation in Barcelona is not necessarily cheaper than a hotel room when you book it for 2 persons. For more than 2 persons normally it is. Many of our clients are couples or individuals so you can deduct that it is not only about economy.
In case of families or groups of friends travelling together, in most cases it is the economy that suggest renting a holiday apartment and not 2 or 3 hotel rooms. You can save up to 70% on your accommodation that way! Large apartments in Barcelona, as well as in London and other cities where we offer apartments for rent on short term bases, are very popular and not always it is possible to find availability.
But I always say that the apartments accommodation in Barcelona is more than economy. It is about having a special experience, about tasting the city from its inside, it is about feeling at home even when you are travelling, and it is about being part of the city you visit instead of only touring it.

Read more: Luxury accommodation is necessary in Barcelona? what about apartment accommodation?