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INTRODUCTION 1MEET THE TEAM 3EDITORS’ PICKS 5TRAVEL TIPS 10SIGHTSEEING 26PARKS & BEACHES 54
ARTS & CULTURE 66SHOPPING 78SPORTS & ACTIVITIES 94FOOD 100EVENTS 110BARS & CLUBS 116
FEATURE: FEATURE:FEATURE:FEATURE:FEATURE:
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Barcel OH! Na OdditiesCatalunya and IndependenceEspaña y SudamericaSpotted: DogsBarcelona: On Location
CONTENTS
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WELCOME TO THE GUIDE!
¡Hola Amigos!We are here to provide you with a budget version of Barcelona, without compromising on quality and fun! Whether you’re a student who has just left school, enjoying some time away from education, or simply a young person who fancies a city break, this guide is for you. Look out for our writers’ picks, where you can find a variety of activities to suit any budget and personality, ensuring you make the most of your trip in the vibrant city of Barcelona.
So you’ve landed in Barcelona and successfully navigated passport control – now what? We’ve got tips on cheap accommodation, how to get around the city’s metro system and how to stay safe: how to avoid pickpockets, what to do if you lose your phone and how to get medical treatment. Find this in our Travel Tips section.
Looking to live the student life with a Catalan twist? At night, Barcelona really comes alive. Cocktails for just 2.50€? We have it all in here. We can tell you which club is the best to visit depending on the night of the week, whether you’re looking for a chill night, or a memorable one (or not, depending on your alcohol intake!) We represent the eclectic bar and club scene, from salsa and jazz bars to the heaviest club nights.
The morning after the night before, heal that hangover on one of Barça’s beautiful beaches, or soak in some of the city’s unique architecture. Barcelona is brimming with a cosmopolitan mix of cultures, so take time to explore both the main landmarks and the lesser known nooks and crannies featured in this guide! Check out our Arts & Culture, Sightseeing, Parks & Beaches, Sports & Activities and Shopping sections for ideas. Foodies are also in luck – avoid touristy spots (generally anywhere with an English menu!) and sample some inexpensive, authentic Spanish cuisine.
Here at Spotted HQ we have been inspired by the lively and laid back nature of Catalan culture, which we have weaved throughout our guide. Barcelona isn’t a small city and can be pretty overwhelming, but our team has infiltrated the local scene to bring you the best and cheapest take on this diverse city and steer you away from the usual “Tourist Traps”. It hasn’t been easy and there have been some hit and misses but we have gained an acute know-how that we hope will come in useful.
Barcelona has the given our team the opportunity to come together and pool our talents to create this guide. With our help you can build your own, unique Barça experience.
¡Gaudeix! All of our love, The
Team
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Tal, 21,
Ellie, 20,
Bilyana, 28,
Rhian, 19, Amy, 18,
Lara, 25,
Studying German and Spanish at the University of St Andrews. Best moment:
skydiving for charity!
Studying History at Durham University. I
love jewellery designing & salsa dancing!
Studying Spanish Studies & German
Literature. Probably the most clumsy
person in the world.
Literature student. Keen traveler and theatre aficionada!
Studying at Bath Spa University. My pet
goldfish is named Mr. Squishy the Fishy.
Social Science and Spanish Culture at Ruhr-University of
Bochum, also Chef de cuisine at home.
Studying English & History at the University
of St. Andrews. I’ve broken 4 toes from
pointe shoes.
Hannah, 20,
Sean, 21,
Kirsten, 18,
Tom, 20,
Tanja, 23,
Nadine, 25,
Kirsty, 20,
Alice, 19,
Studying English Lit at Northumbria. I trip
over air. A lot.
English Language and Linguistics student in London. I’m a major
shopaholic.
Student. Barcelona advice - Don’t be
another brick in the wall.
Studying Media and Cultural Studies I find the best things when
getting lost - that happens quite often.
Finished Tourism Studies, now working
as an Online Marketing Assistant. Always got the
travel bug!
Travelling Down Under, now planning
to study politics. Good parties tend to end in the hospital for me.
Studying English Lit at Manchester University.
Forced to learn Irish dancing as a child, now
I bring it out in clubs.
MEET THE TEAM!
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P. 581) ALICE: Parc de la Ciutadella
P. 412) AMY:Fat Tire Bike Tours
P. 1123) BILYANA : Picnic Elektronik
P. 1024) ELLIE : Caj Chai Teteria
P. 355) HANNAH : The Magic Fountain
P. 1066) KIRSTEN : Caputxes
Top 14P. 123
7)KIRSTY : El Rabipelado
P. 1318) LARA :
Tresflores
P. 279)NADINE :
Grácia
P. 4010) RHIAN:Barcelona Zoo
P. 120 11) SEAN:
Bar Reset No.7
P. 4512) TAL : Montserrat
P. 9813)TANJA:
Camp Nou
P. 12814) TOM:
Nasty Mondays Apolo
Our favorite sweeties...
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Barcel-OH!-na...OdditiesBarcelonaWhen and how Barcelona developed is unclear. There are two legends about its formation: The first one says that it was built by Hercules around 1153 before Christmas, so 400 years before Rome was established. The second legend talks about Hannibal Barkas; it’s told that he captured the region during the third century before Christmas, and he built the city Barcino. The city name Barcelona was derived from his family name.
Gaudí- Antonio Gaudí was not the original architect of the Sagrada Familia. Although the church is classified as one of Gaudí’s masterpieces, the construction was started in 1882 by another architect - Francisco de Paula del Villar. He started with the construction of the crypt. In 1883 Gaudí took over the construction and radically changed the architectural style and the appearance of the Sagrada Familia after Villar was dropped from the project.
- On the 8th of June in 1926 Gaudí was killed by a tram. Rumour says that due to his scruffy clothes, several cabdrivers refused to drive him to a hospital because they thought that he was a homeless person. Someone brought him to the Hospital de la Santa Creu, a hospital for poor people. Nobody recognized the hurt artist until his friend Doménech Sugranyes finally found him there after three days. When Gaudi was offered a transfer to a more comfortable hospital, he declined saying, “My place is next to the poor people”. That same day he died of the grave injuries.
FEATURE The question is, was this was really Gaudí’s comment? Or is it just a legend?
Gaudí famously said, “My client isn’t in a hurry,” (referring to God) when asked how long it would take him to complete the Sagrada Familia.
Kylie- The video clip of Kylie Minogue’s song, Slow, was taped in 2003 in the swimming pool Bernat Picornell on Barcelona’s house on Montjuïc Mountain.
FC Barcelona- One man’s joy is another man’s sorrow! For FC Barcelona the changing of the Pope is definitely a symbol of luck. Every time there has been a changing of the Pope, the soccer club wins with a 4:0 score. For the first time this phenomenon happened on the 26th of October, 1985 against their arch rival Real Madrid (the 28th of October Pope Johannes XXIII was elected), for the second time on 14th of October 1978 against UD Las Palmas (two days afterwards, Johannes Paul II was elected).
And last but not least, the 12th of March in 2013 the serial continued: Barcelona won 4:0 against AC Milan in the round of sixteen - after the reign of Benedikt XVI was in full swing.
“Money, money, money, must be funny in a rich man’s world...”
Not everyone aims to follow the low-budget way of life in Barcelona, as we tried to do! This chart shows the average spend per person, per day of people from different countries. (info from http://barcelona.de/de/barcelona-statistiken.html)
Lara Voelter
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TRAVEL TIPS• Barcelona
Accommodation
• Transport
• Getting Medical Treatment
• Getting Robbed
• Staying Safe
• Top 10 Tips for Saving Money
• Tourist Traps
entrada - entrance
sortida - exit
el autobús - bus
el tren - train
el aeropuerto - airport
¿Dónde estamos? - Where are we?
¿Tiene un mapa? - Do you have a map?
el médico - doctor
el hospital - hospital
estoy enfermo/a - I‘m ill (male/female)
el alojamiento - accommodation
HANDY PHRASES
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Shacking Up in BarcelonaThere are many different types of accommodation available in Barcelona for travellers and students on a cheap budget, so we have searched for three different types of room to give you an idea of what Barcelona has to offer.
Generator Hostel/HotelThe Generator Hostel and Hotel Company has recently opened a new establishment in the middle of Barcelona. It is the best of both worlds, with half of the building dedicated to sociable hostel dorms and the other half dedicated to well-equipped hotel rooms. These are both great options if you’re looking for somewhere affordable and fun to stay.
Location – 10 minutes from City Centre (Plaça Catalunya).Address – Carrer de Corsega, 377, 08037, Barcelona.Website – http://generatorhostels.com/en/destinations/barcelona/Contact Number – +34932200377Average cost per night – Hostel: 12€, Hotel: 40€
Apartment RentalsIf you’re staying in Barcelona for longer than a few days then perhaps one of the best ways for you to save money is by renting apartments or even a room within a shared apartment. Either of these options would be great for keeping costs down as the facilities that most apartments have to offer (i.e. your own kitchen) will in the long run, save you some money that you may have usually spent on going out for meals for example. We’ve done some research and provided you with a few websites that offer you great affordable apartments to rent in Barcelona.
Websites: www.airbnb.comwww.housetrip.com www.rent4days.com
www.go2barcelona.com www.oh-barcelona.comwww.feelbarcelona.com
www.shbarcelona.comwww.roomorama.com www.gobcn.com
B HotelThe B Hotel is a very upmarket, newly established hotel just off Plaça Espanya. It has been awarded three star status but has the interior and features of a five star hotel. This is the most expensive option that we have offered you, but sometimes it’s worth treating yourself!
Location – 10 minutes from City Centre (Plaça Catalunya).Address – Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 389 – 391, 08015, Barcelona.Website – www.b-hotel.com Contact Number – +34935529500Average cost per night – 115€ (or 57.50€ each if staying in a double or single room with another person)
Rhian Whittington
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