from

barcelona, with love

Meet the team:

Jamie Charnock, 23, England

NATHEY POMAR, 21, AUSTRIA

RINA ELECCION, 18, GERMANY

LAURA TIMMANN, 22, GERMANY

Emma Pearce, 21, England

Johanna thoresen, 21, germany

Alana Breen, 23, Ireland.

BIENVENIDOS AMIGOS!

Welcome to Barcelona the capital of Catalonia. This cosmopolitan city has a magnetic, cultural charm that remains un-broken with time. As one of the busiest ports on the Mediterranean, there are endless bars, cafes and restaurants where you can soak up

your spare time.

Although Barcelona is the second biggest city in Spain, it has the power to make you feel at home straight away. Give yourself the chance to get lost in its beauty whilst exploring the many different streets. Divided up into barrios or zones, it feels like lots of smaller towns, brought together. Each barrio has its own unique character drenched in history, however each section of the jigsaw that is Bar-celona, fits together perfectly meaning you never feel out of place or

uncomfortable.

As this guide will prove, there are many reasons why you should visit Barcelona at least once in your lifetime. As you browse through this guide, you will have your eyes opened to whole new Barcelona.

From tourist spots to hidden gems, we have it all for you!!So what are you waiting for? Get out there and explore

A COLOURFUL HISTORY OF BARCELONA:

The origins of the name of Barcelona are unclear, but there are various legends about

the citys foundation: Some people think that Barcelona was founded by Hercules;

another theory in the 3rd century BC refers to the Carthaginian General Hamilcar Bar-ca, Hannibals father, who named the city

Barcino after his family.

In 15 BC, the Romans established a military camp, centred on a hill

called Mons Taber, which was located near the Contemporary City Hall, Plaa de Sant

Jaume. The small colony was called Iulia Augusta Paterna Faventia Barcino.

The city was conquered by the Visigoths in the early 5th century and became capital of the whole of Hispania. The Arabs con-quered the city in the 8th century and by

1137, all of Catalonia was under control of the Count of Barcelona.

From the 4th to the 13th century, a major expansion took place and a second wall was built around the Cathedral of Santa Mara

del Mar. The citys growth increased by the beginning of the industrialisation and Barcelona flourished particularly because of the trade with former colonies, such as

Cuba and Costa Rica.

Nevertheless, the real expansion took place when the original walls were pulled down and the

area lEixample was constructed. This growing industrial prosperity was reflected in Barcelonas architecture and the city also hosted the world exhibition in 1888. One of the most popular

architects at that time was the Catalan Antoni Gaud, who designed buildings like the Sagrada

Familia or Parc Gell in Art Nouveau.Castile and Aragon were united when Isabella I of Castile married Ferdinand II of Aragon in

1469 and Madrid became the centre of political power.

As a consequence of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701 1714), the bourbon Philip V finally conquered Barcelona on September 11th

in 1714, which led to Catalonia losing its author-ity and political power.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Barcelona was transformed into a modern city, which came

to an abrupt end with a dramatic coup dtat against the government of the so called Segun-

da Repblica in 1936. The Spanish Civil War between Republicans and Nationalists, who were

led by General Francisco Franco, ended in the victory of the Nationalists in 1939. At that time, the autonomous institutions of Catalonia (Gen-eralitat de Catalunya) were abolished. Catalan

language was suppressed in public places,

schools and publishing and there was a lack of Catalan culture and identity. After 36 years of

Francos dictatorship, King Juan Carlos I came to power, which led to the transition to democracy. Catalonias Statute of Autonomy was recognized

in 1978.Barcelona gained international recognition by hosting the Olympic Games in 1992 and today, its considered one of the most popular tourist

destinations in the world.Catalonia and Independence

Due to the linguistic, historical and cultural differences in comparison to the rest of Spain, a lot of inhabitants define Catalonia as a nation. In a symbolic referendum in 2009, 95 per cent of the voters were in favour of Catalonias inde-pendence from Spain and wanted it to achieve statehood, but there was a low voter turnout (only 27 per cent). On Catalonias National

Holiday (La Diada), 11 November 2013, hun-dreds of thousands of people demonstrated in

Catalonia for the independence from Spain and the right to decide about their future. To

draw attention to their claim to independence, they formed a human chain across Catalonia, with a remarkable length of 400 kilometres.

On 9 November 2014, Catalans want to hold a referendum on Catalonias political future and take a vote on the independence from Spain.

Getting around in barcelona.

The first thing you need to know about transport, and also the thing that may leave you most confused when arriving in

Barcelona, is how to get from the airport to the city.

There are many different ways to make this journey, including taxis, shuttle busses and trains. The taxi service, although relatively

cheap compared to most taxi services, would not be the recom-mended choice, as the airport offers much better options.

An Aerobus runs regularly between the airport and the city cen-tre, making it easy for visitors to make their flight with plenty of

time to spare! The cost of a single ticket is 5.75 and a return is well priced at 9.95 and lasts for 9 days, if you are staying in Barcelona

for a bit longer.

There is also a train that runs from the airport, however you will have to change to the metro when you get closer to Barcelona, which may not be a lot of fun when youre dragging that per-

son-sized suitcase around in the heat!!

When it comes to getting around the city, there are many different transportation modes to keep you connected, and whats even bet-ter is that you can use the same ticket on both the metro and buses

throughout Zone 1 of Barcelona.The TMB, or Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona, offers a wide variety of tickets. A T10 is a good option for short stay visitors, rea-sonably priced at around 10 this ticket allows you to have ten rides throughout your stay. Alternatively there is a T50/30 if youre plan-ning on staying longer. This ticket allows you to make 50 journeys

over 30days for 42.50.If youre not one for the hot and crowded metros, or even if you are, then you should definitely take the time to travel around Barcelona by foot. It is such a beautiful city and you can walk from one end of

the city to another in about an hour!

A day away from Barcelona Figueres, the home of Salvador Dal

Train: Renefe from Paseig De Gracia, BarcelonaPrice: 24 return

Museum price: 12 adult/ 9 studentOpening Time: 9am-8pm (last admission 7.15pm)

Website: http://www.salvador-dali.org/museus/teatre-museu-dali/en_index/

If you are a Dal devotee or perhaps you just fancy a day outside Barcelona, then head to the small costal town of Figueres and the fanciful Dal Thea-

tre-Museum. Approximately 2 hours on a Renfe train from Barcelona you feel like you are transported to a different world. From the towns train station, it is an easy 15-minute walk to the museum. You cant miss it: Its painted pink, studded with golden loaves of bread and topped with monumental eggs and a

colossal dome. The Dal Theatre-Museum is the largest surrealist object in the world replacing

the towns former Municipal Theatre that was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.

The building holds a vast array of artwork, from Dals earliest pieces to his final paintings. Alongside this much of the art in the building is movable and

coin operated, for example the artists personal 1941 Cadillac, so make sure you take those spare 20cents you never thought youd need. Another highlight of

the museum is the Mae West room. From just the right spot, youll see that the sofa lips, fireplace nostrils and painting eyes make the face of a sultry actress.

Dal designed every inch of this museum and it is noticeable throughout, you may find yourself questioning your sanity from

time-to-time but you cant help feel this is exactly what the artist, who is entombed in a crypt below,

wanted.The museum is well worth the miles travelled and euros spent, however it is worth noting the queues

can be lengthy, so it is best to buy a ticket online before you arrive!

Open Air Film Festival at Castle Montjuc

Where: Castle of Montjuc gardens-Moat of Santa EulliaMetro: L3/L5/L1 Plaa Espaa

Price; 6.50Time: Opening: 20.30 Concert: 20.45 to 22.00 Screening: 22.00 to 00.30

Website: http://salamontjuic.orgThe outdoor cinema at the castle Montjuc is a magical experience for anyone

visiting Barcelona in July and August. Located within the walls of the Montjuc castle, the screenings transform the castle into an outdoor cinema. They give

cinema-goers the chance to sample both local and foreign language films within the setting of the castle with the spectacular views of Barcelona below. The cinema opens up in the summer every year, showing a variety of films in their original language. Films vary from classics such as Breakfast at Tiffanys, to foreign and independent movies including Submarine and El Padrino. Each screening begins with live music performed by a local band as viewers gather

in the walls of the castle at sunset. A short film will follow, before the main show at 22.00. There is also a small bar allowing viewers to purchase food

and drinks; chair rental is also available however most people bring their own snacks and chairs.

The experience of watching a film at sunset in this quirky and beautiful setting is rather wonderful. It is a must for anyone visiting Barcelona looking for an

alternative way to spend their evening; the views over the city not to mention the bus journey up to the castle are spectacular.

JamboreeAddress: Plaa Reial 17 08002 Barcelona

Metro: L3 Liceu and DrassanesPrice: N/A

Opening Times: 20.00 - 06.00 (Club from 0000)Website: http://www.masimas.com/en/jamboree

After a few drinks the conversation always turns to one thing. Where to dance. For all of you who love dancehall, hip hop and good old rnb, instead of trailing around for hours listening intently outside every club as we did, head straight for Jamboree in Plaa Reial. Prices vary depending on your gender and the day of the week, but are never over 10, and if youre a large group women will normally get in for free. Although this is good reminder that sexism and misogyny are still alive and well in the heart of Barcelona, the music inside is good enough to shrug off the rude bouncers. Remember that here everyone runs on Spanish time, so its best to enjoy a few drinks before heading to the club around 1:30am on weekends, and any time after two on any other night to avoid a lengthy queue. Once inside youll be greeted with two dance floors, a large downstairs dance floor playing hip-hop, rnb and raggae, and a smaller upstairs floor playing 80s/90s classics. Honestly we never made it to the ups-tairs dance floor, as the likes of Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, Notorious B.I.G and Tupac left us transfixed downstairs, so if you love RnB this is the place for you. The only downsides to the club were the lack of AC, which made it unbeara-bly hot at times, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights when the dance floor is packed, and the drink prices, which at 10 for a vodka and coke

provided an expensive cool down. Open till 6 Jamboree offers hip hop lovers a

haven in a city otherwise filled with commercial pop music. With Jamboree also

offering live music and flamenco concerts before opening as a club as well, theres no excuse not to

check it out.