Tour de Barcelona?!!

Costing a reported 1 million Euros, Le Tour de France cycling race hits Barcelona this coming week. Yes, you heard it right. That famous, arduous sporting event usually confined to the French borders is stepping out of the country this year to a few different spots including Italy, Switzerland, Andorra and Spain, namely Barcelona. Those in search of the hallowed yellow jersey will be hitting the Catalan Capital this coming Thursday, 9th July.

And Barcelona City Council are planning something unique for the arrival of the third most popular world sporting event after the World Cup and Olympic Games - a kind of yellow Mexican wave throughout the route in Barcelona. Huh?! Let me explain.



The spectators following the route will be armed with a yellow sheet which will be unfolded and as the first cyclists pass, raised above their heads until the moment the last cyclist pass, thus creating a "wave" as the tour passes through the city. I can see the gimmick, and the website is even planning on making this the "biggest yellow wave in the world" (not sure how many the Guinness Book of World Records will already have in there, so this may be a foregone conclusion!?).


But they're not stopping at that! Oh, no! On the same day as the real cyclists arrive, the city is touting for another world record. The record for the most static bicycles at the same time in the Barcelona Spinning World Record attempt. Yes, those who are usually confined to mirrored gym rooms, will hit the town in the Arc de Triomf, and attempt the record as 500 static bikes will brave the Spanish sunshine and go for the first record of the day! With activities starting from as early as 9am, there's still time to register and sign up for the record-breaking day!


Looking for accommodation for this coming week? Try apartments for rent Barcelona for a great alternative to your usual hotel room, and for a heads up on the rest of the city sights, see this great Barcelona Guide.

Brazilian Samba hits Barcelona!

Stuck for ideas this weekend? Well, if you're in the mood for some great Samba and modern DJ sessions all the way from Bahia, head on down to the Parc del Forum, where Carnacelona 2009 is set to kick off! Now, those of you who speak or understand a little Spanish may be forgiven for believing that this has something to do with meat (?!) but no, it's Carnaval and Barcelona all rolled into one!


Yes, on Friday and Saturday, the Forum turns into the Brazilian coast with the Bahia Carnaval in Barcelona. Asa de Águia, Banda Eva, DJ Miss Cady, DJ Wally Lopez and Groove Armada's Andy Cato (Who can forget the song "I see you baby...shaking that ass" ?!) will be pulling the crowds in for the caipirinhas, sun and grooves in what looks set to be a great inauguration in the Catalan Capital. Ticket prices are 30 € for 1 day or 55 € for the two days - with a VIP ticket also on sale, offering better views, massages (yes, massages) Lounge and International Cuisine - that sounds great!

If you're looking for accommodation in the city, try apartments for rent in Barcelona as a great chill out place before the festival. Also, for a heads up on the rest of the city, see this great Barcelona Guide.

English Comedy in Barcelona

Looking for a laugh in Barcelona? Head on down to Raval. Apart from a couple of sporadic nights in the odd Irish pub downtown throughout the year, there are actually 2 semi-permanent fixtures offering the best of English-Language Stand-Up comedy from across the water in the Raval neighbourhood.

First is the "Giggling Guiri" at the Llantiol Theatre located parallel to the Rambla del Raval, on Carrer Riereta number 7. This funky little venue plays host to some local Theatre events, but is a great venue for the comedy nights organised. Earlier this month saw 2008 If Comedy Winner David O'Doherty headlining, with other big names like Ardal O'Hanlon, Paul Tonkinson and Dan Antopolski having also shared the space on the boards, too. Prices have been slashed (I imagine due to the current financial "crisis") so there's no better time for some beer and belly laughs at Llantiol. For more details see the comedy in spain website


Just around the corner, on Reina Amalia number 3 literally 5 minutes walk away from the Llantiol Theatre is The Guinness Laughter Lounge at La Riereta Teatre which is a beautiful old Stone Theatre for around 100 people, and according to the laughter lounge website is "a cosy yet comfy arena for stand up comedy".



BBC 4's Adam Bloom is probably the most well known name to have performed at the lounge, but there have been some equally unknown comics bringing the house down according to the website, too. At the moment, there's no programme on the website, but sign up to their newsletter for more details of upcoming events.

If you're looking for accommodation close to the comedy events, you can try these old town apartments in Barcelona which are just around the corner. And for more information on the city in general, see this great Guide to Barcelona.

Barcelona Nightlife - Outdoor Clubbing Part 2.

After the arrival of the great weather, and Sonar has come and gone, everyone is still in the party mood, leading up to Sant Joan this week and the Midsummer Madness that accompanies the hedonistic Barcelona nightlife.

Earlier this month, I touched on an idea of wanting to dance under the stars in some of the open air clubs in Barcelona and headed the list with Atlantida, due to open shortly after the post. So I thought I'd hit you with another (and there may be more to come, so tune in or subscribe on RSS for more!). And where better to start than La Terrrazza.


No, that's not a typo, Mr Fish and the crowd up on the club up on Montjüic in Poble Espanyol have been partying (almost) non-stop for 14 years. This is the place Madonna hired out for her party after the Drowned World tour in 2001, and is another big ole house converted into a club. Due to complaints from neighbours up on Montjüic (I don't know where, as it's in the middle of nowhere, in a purpose built Spanish Village on the endge of a mountain...?!!?) La Terrrazza has has a few summers of nothing, and it's sister club Discoteque (now Club D) was forced to take the reins while things calmed down a bit.

Well, the good news is that La Terrrazza is still as good as the first couple of years it was rocking, and offers a completely unique night out in the hills of Barcelona. The official blurb of the club is an...ahem..."atmospherical fun club" but don't let that put you off making your way up (in a taxi) to Poble Espanyol with your glad rags on for a night of dancing until the sunrise. Bring your sunglasses - no seriously.

If you're coming to Barcelona with friends, you might want to consider apartments for groups in Barcelona as an alternative to hotel rooms. Also, see this great Barcelona Guide

Sonar Comes to Town.

Crisis? What Crisis? Barcelona is buzzing today, with loads of tourists in and around the old town and many of them have come not just for the sunshine, but for the biggest Electronic Music Festival of the early summer - Sonar.



An expected 80,000 revellers are due to hit the Catalan Capital to banish those end-of-term blues, and bring in the summer (if a little early) with a bang. This year's event has some of the usual big names, with Grace Jones, Orbital and Richie Hawtin amongst the relative unknowns that everyone will be talking about when they leave.

As well as sonar Radio via the Sonar website, awdio is broadcasting Sonar Live all weekend, too. This year's SonarMatica seesions include the great Sonar for Kids session, and the amazing-looking reactable - watch the video for an idea which is impossible to explain without having a few beers first! All in all, it looks to be another great year for Sonar - it's 16th edition - which keeps on surprising.

Check out these Old Town apartments, close to the Sonar by Day events and ideal for groups of friends or families. And for a heads up on the rest of the city, see this great Barcelona Guide.

Open Air Theatre in Barcelona - Grec 2009

This week sees the start of a culture boom with Music, Theatre and Dance all having pride of place in Barcelona. First up, it's the Festival called Grec which is based roughly around the Greek Theatre located up on Montjüic but in fact includes over 20 locations around the city, and spans a whopping 44 days, starting on Saturday and running all through July ending on the 2nd August.

The festival is heavily promoted in the city, and aimed as much at the locals as the visiting tourists. A varied Music, Dance, Circus and Theatre program of over 60 live performances means that this year's festival looks set to enjoy great success - the opening night is already sold out.

Variations on Classic Greek Theatre, Shakespeare and the modern comedy aspects see artists from all over the world participate in this year's Grec - with Italy being the "invited" country and the programme has a heavily Italian presence. The council announced that there would be more tickets at a cheaper price, making the performances more accessible for everyone.

For a full programme list, see here. Are you planning on going to any of the shows? Which ones are catching your eye? I'd love to hear from you, so leave a comment if you like.

Looking for accommodation for the summer? Check out these apartments for rent in Barcelona, as a great base for your stay. And for more information on visiting the city, see this Barcelona Guide.