Summer 2010 at Barcelona

The summer is back after a harsh winter period, ya the winter was very hard, may be not as much as your country but for Catalonia it was. Starting to live at this city since 2000, it was the first time I saw snow more than 1 day, the first time I was able to see a beach covered by white color and the first time I saw that because of the snow, some towns and villages were cut off electricity more than 2 weeks !!!!

Winter was very harsh in Catalonia but I am sure that your country or where you live has, may be, similar situation or worst. Anyway, the past is the past and let’s welcome this summer 2010. Sun, ohhh sun I love you so much :-)

What I can tell you about this summer at Barcelona, first at all, avoid to eat at Las Ramblas because bars and restaurants increase their price, they do it every year since it is the period with the most tourist and I will repeat it every year until they will stop to do it or until the government will do something to stop this kind of ”trap tourist” practice.

The Primavera Sound 2010 is back this year for more live concerts and more fun which is celebrated on may 27, 28 and 29 at Parc del Fòrum. The daily price is 75€ or for the full event 180€. To go there, stop to the station metro L4 “el maresme-fòrum” and walk about 150 meters to the sea.

The city celebrates its 8th edition of music festival called Festival Mas i Mas in which more than 140 live concerts are scheduled in different places like “La Pedrera” (c/ provença 261-265, every day), “Moog” (c/ arc del teatre 3, every day from midnight), “Tarantos” (plaza reial 17, every day from 21h30) and “Jamboree” (plaza reial 17, every day).

The Sonar, international festival of advanced music and multimedia art, is back again this year on june 17, 18 and 19. The event takes place at CCCB-MACBA for its daily activities, at Fira Gran Via for its nightly activities and some concerts at Auditori. The starting price is 39€ and the full pass costs 155€ - for more information check its official website.

Looking for live music, there are free live jazz concerts organized in the Ciutadella park. Each wednesday at 22h from july 8 until august 28. If you plan for a romantic event with someone special, I recommend you to do a picnic with candles meanwhile listening the band.

Benicassim festival is back again this year for its 16th edition during 4 days (from july 15 to 18) but this music festival, located at Benicàssim (near Valencia), is about 3h of Barcelona by RENFE train or about 2h30 by car, so if you want to go, you have to wake up early. The one day pass costs 70€ and the full day pass costs 180€ (including free camping site). To know the artists and more information, check its official website.

The Pride Barcelona 10 is celebrated on june 18 to 28. It is the Mediterranean Gay Pride in which anyone can enjoy a lot of activities like culture, movie, sport… ending with a parade the sunday 27 at 17h PM. To know everything, check its official website.

You want to discover culture, visit museums, good thing if you get tired of beaches. Some organize exhibitions and some open during night time from 20h to midnight. For more information, check their website and on my topic Museums at Barcelona, you will get what you need for.

Do you like movie ??? And if I tell you that you can watch it at Montjuic for only 5€ (2€ with flyer – I also recommend you to rent a chair for 3€). It is a good thing to avoid the hot night summer since the movie is projected in outdoor so don’t miss the Mecal Air event every friday between 20h and 24h exactly at “plaça del Baluard del Poble Espanyol” from june 29 to july 31.

The CCCB museum also celebrates its movie session in outdoor called Gandules 10 (free entrance), every tuesday, wednesday and thursday at 22h and it takes place at “patio de las mujeres” (women courtyard) during all the month of august.

Combining movie and coastal tour, check the company “Las Golondrinas” (portal de la pau, in front of Columbus statue). They call their event Cinemar which takes place every friday and saturday from june 19 until august 29 at 22h for 28€ (drink included). OK it is expensive but don’t forget that for this price, you have a night tour by sea so if you don’t like the movie or get bored, you still can enjoy it until 23h30.

LOOP 2010, from may 12 to 22, is the video art event composed of 2 types (the festival and the fair) where you can watch videos done by personal and professional people on different parts of the city like museums, shops, restaurants… to know the full program, check its official website.

If you prefer an urban tour during night time, you can take the tourist bus every friday and weekend from june 5 until september 27 at plaza catalunya and if you prefer a water show, you have to go to plaza espanya to watch the magic fountain, a show of lights, water and music every thursday, friday and weekend between 20h and 23h30.

Grec 2010 takes place from june 13th to august 1st in different sites as the Picasso museum, greek theatre, rei square, flower market… It is a festival of dance, theatre, music and circus for anyone to enjoy the summer. Some are free and some you have to pay 10 euros, if you want to know what to see and where to go, check its official website.

Looking for local and traditional festivals, I recommend you absolutely Gracia festival at Gracia district from 15 to 20 of august. During this period, some streets are decorated, live music, projection of movies… eat on the street and get mixed with local people, a lot of entertainments. From 19 to 30 of august, Sants festival (plaza de la farga) at Sants district, more or less same thing as Gracia one but focused for children.

Did I just say children ???? Take your kids to:

the Sonar Kids (MACBA, plaza del àngels 1) on june 12-13
the zoo at Ciutadella park, the acuario at moll espanya del port vell and/or the theme park at Tibidabo
ice skating at Maquinista mall (passeig potosí 2), Club Barcelona Football (c/ aristides maillol 12) and/or Skating Club (c/ roger de flor 168)
planetariums at CosmoCaixa (c/ isaac newton, 26), Faculty of Nautical (pla palau, 18), Maritime Museum (avinguda drassanes, 1) and/or Planetarium Municipal (c/ brussel.les, 34).

About sport, don’t miss the Movistar Barcelona Extreme which takes place again this year at the Forum park (rambla de prim 2) during 2 days between the july 3rd and 4th. This event reunites all riders of skateboard, BMX, inline, FMX, wakeboard and BMX dirt Jump.

With all those things to do, I’m sure you will pass a great holiday at Barcelona and bring back at home a lot of souvenirs. If it is your first time at Barcelona, and I will always repeat it, even if it is your 1 million times in this city, read my topic about Dangerous areas in Barcelona because it is very important to know the dark side of Barcelona.

April 23, 2010