Apartments Barcelona

FC Barcelona vs. Valencia

apartmentinbarcelona — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:34:41 +0000

Since I had arrived in Barcelona, I counted down the days as I came closer to watching one of the best soccer clubs in the world live. The match was between FC Barcelona, and Valencia. The match was played on February 19^th, at Barcelona’s home field, Camp Nou. Soccer has been my favorite sport for my entire life, so I was in heaven once I had gotten to my seat. It was also the first professional soccer match I had been to so I was extremely excited. The whistle blew, and the match begun. As the match progressed, I would become more and more impressed with the level of quality FC Barcelona was playing at. One person stood out the most. It was of course, Lionel Messi. The skill Messi had was breathtaking. Messi had speed, power, ball control, and he did not stop running the entire match. Camp Nou can occupy up to 99,500 spectators. Once Barcelona scored their first goal, the local fans had several celebration chants. It was an experience hearing almost 100,000 people sinigng the same chant. When the Valencia teammates would go fall on the ground to seem as if he had been fouled, the fans would whistle very loudly, showing the player disrespect. As the match went on, Messi scored four goals! Every time Messi would score, the fans would bow their hands to the great god of soccer. The match ended, and FC Barcelona had won with a score of 5-1. I could not have asked for a better outcome. One of the coolest experiences of the night was when I was leaving the stadium. Imagine 100,000 people leaving a stadium at one time. It was an amazing scene. There I was surrounded by thousands of people, all heading to one direction, the metro. I am so lucky to live in the city that is home to one of the best soccer clubs in history. It was an amazing experience, and I plan on returning very soon. Until then, I will keep you updated on my Experience abroad in the greatest city in the world, Barcelona.

Once The Sun Goes Down

apartmentinbarcelona — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:49:06 +0000

Once the sun goes down in Barcelona, most shops are closed and the lights shut off. At this time when many doors close, many open as well, and the night has begun in Barcelona. Barcelona, famous for its nightlife, is unlike any other party scene. The factor that makes Barcelona’s nightlife unlike any other is the fact that every night besides Sunday, you will be able to find a great club with a huge crowd. If you are studying abroad in Barcelona, you will learn that people do not start going to the clubs until 1:30. This means that you will be leaving the club around four or five o’clock in the morning. I have grown up in New York and have been going to New York City every weekend, and Barcelona simply has a better nightlife. When you are in Barcelona you must go to my favorite club in the city. This great club is called Opium Mar. The best part about Opium is that it is located right on Barcelona’s beach. Every once in a while, the club will hire a live violinist or saxophonist to play for the crowd, and playing over the music. It is very exciting when this happens. The wild part about the nightlife in Barcelona is that you can find an after party starting at 8 in the morning. When you are leaving the clubs, do not decide to walk. You will be able to find a cab on every corner of the city. They cabs are cheap, and the drivers are nice people (unlike the drivers in NYC.). If you have been following my Blog, you should be interested in experiencing the wonderful City of Barcelona, and if my previous Blog entries have not reached that goal, I Hope this Blog entry will. Be safe, and stay tuned for my next Blog entry.

Carnival 2012!

apartmentinbarcelona — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:44:32 +0000

CARNIVAL! One of the most popular and historic holidays is quickly arriving. Starting on February 16^th and running until February 22^nd, both tourists and locals will be dancing on the street, fully celebrating the spirit of carnival and enjoying traditional local dishes during this festival. The Mediterranean town of Sitges, located only 35 km south from Barcelona, it is regarded as a real paradise for tourists and artists. Here you will find the well-known Carnival de Sitges, the most famous carnival in Catalonia. When celebrating at the festival, be aware of your surroundings at all times. Many people will be celebrating and partying. It can get out of control for some tourists. www.apartmentsbarcelona.com

The Interesting History of Barcelona

apartmentinbarcelona — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:47:45 +0000

I am currently studying abroad in Barcelona and am enrolled in five courses. I have to say my favorite class by far is an architecture course titled: Modernism in Architecture and Design. It is only the second week of classes, and I have learned a great amount. Once class begun, my professor jumped right into the history of Barcelona, and the creation of the modern city. The Romans originally founded Barcelona, and named it Barcino. The city of Barcino had a population of 2000 people and was built in order to send veteran soldiers to a peaceful land for their retirement. Evidence of this ancient city is still visible today, and it is the most characteristic aspect of the district of Ciutat Vella. Learning about Ildefons Cerdá was a simply, an enlightening experience. Ildefons Cerdá is spent twenty years planning, and designing the modern city of Barcelona, initially adding 520 city blocks. The most characteristic feature of Cerdà‘s plan is the 45º-angled corner of each block (chaflanes). The idea behind this was to ensure more fluid traffic for public transport. Comparing to a typical intersection in New York City, the chaflanes design makes transportation more efficient, and open up the city. When I arrived to the city, I was curious if there was a reason why every building was the same height being four stories high. Luckily, my professor told me. Cerdà envisioned each block of the new city to have 45% of its surface area reserved for plant life. For this to be possible, sunlight would have to reach the areas reserved for plant life. If the building were more than four or five stories tall, the building would block the sunlight. Next week, our class is taking our first field study to an attraction in Barcelona. I do not where we will be going yet, because my professor insists for it to be a surprise! Stay tuned, for I will contunue to share my experience in Barcelona!

My First Visit To Park Guell

apartmentinbarcelona — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:11:11 +0000

Hello, I have arrived in Barcelona three weeks ago and I have finally taken my first of many visits to the famous park, Park Guell. Three weeks has been a long wait, but I am finally here! Located on the outskirts of Barcelona resides the world famous park designed by Antoni Gaudi, Park Guell. The park was originally part of a commercially unsuccessful housing site, the idea of Count Eusebi Guell, whom the park was named after. Once visitors enter the park, they are surrounded by stone structures, stunning tiling and fascinating buildings. At the top of park Guell is the largest terraced area where you get a wonderful view of the park and of Barcelona City. At this focal point, a long bench in the form of a snake surrounds the main terrace. Beyond the look out point, you will find joggers and dog walkers enjoying their sunny afternoon in the beautiful woods. When you visit the park, make sure to bring your camera!

Beach Parties Barcelona

apartmentinbarcelona — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:03:26 +0000

Barcelona’s beaches were developed for the Olympic Games in 1992 and are now voted some of the best city beaches in Europe. The Barcelona city coast consists of 7 beaches stretching 5 km from Port Vell Marina to Port Forum Marina. It takes 10-20 min by public transport from the Centre of Barcelona to get to the beaches of Barcelona. But even better, www.apartmentinbarcelona.net have apartments in the beach area of Barcelonetta! Be close to the beautiful beaches, nightlife and a 15 min walk or a 2 stop metro ride from the Old City Centre. Email us at info@apartmentinbarcelona.net

Summer Beach Season in Barcelona is from mid April until Mid September. Lifeguards, Toilets, Bars, Red Cross and Beach Hawkers selling drinks stay in operation until September. After September the weekend beach services are open on the weekends until the middle of October.

Barcelona has good beach nightlife because of the amount of foreigners, students and tourists and most of all the ‘Fiesta’ gene in the Spanish. Summer nightlife for many clubs means terraces, tents, some have a beachfront or sea view. Check out these beach clubs in Port Olympic Yatching marina with beach views and terraces! Nice in the summer when most of the bars have outdoor terraces open. Catwalk (famous club on the beach with amazing go-go dancers), the notorious Shoko (Beachfront), Opium (massive and stylish with 3 rooms) and CDLC (restaurant and lounge bar beach club).

Maremagnum waterfront shopping center is Barcelona’s biggest mall – half shops – half clubs. By day it makes for a nice stroll with friends or family over the narrow wooden walkway from the end of the Rambla. By night the many clubs, pubs and bars take over. There is everything from Techno to Irish pubs to Salsa.

Clubbing/Going out tips in Barcelona

Barcelona is very gay friendly. In fact Gay clubs are packed with straight people acting gay. Enjoy the go-go dancers, flamboyance and shows put on in the Clubs. Check out Arena www.arenadisco.com (Arena Group now have 5 clubs due to massive demand from mainstream music to Spanish pop to a Lesbian club). Gay Day at Space is on Sunday night for men. Dance shows, strippers and cool interior decoration.

When to go out.

Nightlife starts very late, particularly on weekends. As a tourist, make sure you don’t rock up to a club before 12pm or be disappointed that no one is at the club by 1am. Early comers start entering the clubs at 1am and only by 3pm will the club be at its peak capacity. Clubs close around 6 or 7 am and usually people will have breakfast together before going home to sleep.

Bars get busy at 12.30 and restaurants for locals start serving at 8.30pm at the earliest. So have dinner at 9.30 pm, go to a bar at 11.30 pm, then head to the club around 2am and you’ll be on Spanish time.

PR people are always handing out free passes on weekends around the clubbing areas, especially on the beach. You will be offered a free entry pass every 3 minutes or so, so take as many passes as you want and choose where you want to go. But usually this means you have to enter before 1am or 1.30am. And you still have to pay for your drinks! Tip! Head into the club of choice with your free pass before 1am, then come out after 10 minutes but don’t forget your Pass Out Stamp. Do the same with another club you have a free pass to. Then for the whole night you can skip between the 2 depending on which one you prefer at any given moment!

Barcelona’s Jewish Quater

apartmentinbarcelona — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:50:31 +0000

The Catholic and Jewish religions coexisted peacefully in Barcelona until the reign of the Catholic Kings Fernando and Queen Isabel in the 13th Century. During their reign and the time of the Spanish Inquisition, Jews were persecuted and expelled.

Due to this expulsion, Jewish artistic and historical legacy more or less disappeared from the city, however vestiges that are worth checking out remain especially in the Barrio Gotic and Barrio Call.

The most interesting area for discovering Jewish cultural herritage in Barcelona lies in the Barrio Gotic between Arc de Sant Ramon, Bisbe and San Sever close to Plaza San Jaume and the Cathedral. The streets in this area are very narrow and so can be covered in a very quick time.

Within this maze of streets at C/. Marlet 5 lies is the Main Synagogue of Barcelona, not only the oldest in Spain but in all of Europe. The temple was left forgotten for many years due to the dismantling of Jewish culture from the 13th Century, becoming a dry cleaners and then a warehouse for electrical supplies. Now only the subterranean level is open to visitors and the ruins are protected by a glass surface allowing visitors to walk around above them. Admission is free and opening hours from Tuesdays to Saturdays 11am-2pm, 4pm – 7pm and Sundays 11am to 2pm.

http://www.calldebarcelona.org http://www.calldebarcelona.org

The St Jaume Church located at Calle Ferran was the main Jewish synagogue in Barcelona for many centuries. However now neither the name or space suggests of any Jewish culture that once flourished here.

Many of the stones used to build the Lloctinent Palace were taken from Jewish desecrated graves from Monjuic Mountain. Have a closer look at the stones and on many of them you can still see faded Jewish inscriptions and names with the writing still exposed and readable.

More Hebrew inscriptions and plaques can be found at L’Arc de Sant Ramon and the Calle del Bisbe. In Caelum Cafe visitors can head downstairs and enter the mikves (ritual jewish baths) where they can order a cup of coffee beneath some impressive arches of Jewish origin. Guests choose from a selection of the cafe’s delicious cakes, prepared by nuns from different European convents.

More vestiges of this foregotten era can be seen at bar restaurant Phillipvs. Located at the corner of the streets Banys Nous and Sant Domènec del Call. It takes up the bottom floor of an old convent. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a cake while reading the antique books scattered around the cafe.

Apartment In Barcelona Staff

Jeraldine

Tips on using the Barcelona Metro!!

apartmentinbarcelona — Tue, 31 May 2011 09:04:01 +0000

Hello Travellers!

The easiest way to get around Barcelona is using it’s metro system. Barcelona’s metro is a large, sprawling and efficient network. Traveling underground brings you within walking distance anywhere in the city. Below are some tips for using Barcelona’s Metro system to familiarize you, keep you safe and get you where you want to go without mishap.

Carrying a Map: Carrying a map is essential. It can save you alot of time on your journey. Metro stations can be VERY busy and stopping in the middle of the metro in front of the map placards can mean a lot of jostling between disgruntled fellow commuters. You can pick one up from most metro stations.

Here is a link of the metro map: http://www.oh-barcelona.com/en/blog/2011/tourist-guide/transport/barcelona-metro-map-10568

Always buy a ticket: The Catalan take ticket offences very seriously. Ticket inspectors always wait by the exit gates and often they are inside the metro checking tickets randomly. Penalties are upwards from 40 Euro.

The ticket slot: Many tourists slot their tickets into the right hand slot of the validation machine and find that when they try to enter on the left side of the turnstile they can’t pass through. This is because in the Barcelona metro you need to enter tickets on the left and pass through the right. Watch out for this because you can loose one metro pass and pay for the commuter on your right!

Bring Change: Bring change because many entrances are unmanned and have automated ticket machines that don’t accept notes.

Estimating Metro time: Allow 2 minutes per stop as a general rule of thumb. If changing metro lines add an extra 10 minutes ( there is a lot of commuter traffic and navigating metro lines can be a big of a maze). Metros come every 4 to 5 minutes. On Sunday’s the metro’s run less frequently so add an additional 10 minutes waiting time.

Operating hours:

Day of the week	Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 11
Monday-Thursday	05:00 – 24:00
Sunday & holiday	05:00 – 24:00
Friday	05:00 – 02:00
Saturday and day prior to 1/1, 24/6, 15/8 and 24/9	All day and night
December 24th	05:00 – 23:00

* operating times change on public holidays and ‘fiesta’s. Check operational hours with attendants at ticket booths to confirm.

Ticket Options: Individual journey’s for the metro cost 1.45 Euros. But if you are here for more than 1 day or intending to to use the metro for more than 5 journey’s, a T-10 ticket is the most economical and time effective. Pick this up from any manned metro station or the automated machines (They have multiple language options).

The T-10 gives you 10 journeys on the metro, FGC (trams to suburban Barcelona) and RENFE (National Spanish Train System). Note that it is not valid for the aerobus (express bus service to airport). Main City Centre areas are in Zone 1 and a T-10 Zone 1 costs 8.25 Euro. A T-10 can be bought for all 6 zones but as a tourist it is highly unlikely you will need this option.

The T-10 can be used on more than one means of transport and be counted as a single journey as long as the journey is less than 1 hour and 5 minutes. However you cannot re-enter the metro once you have left it, this would count as another journey.

Barcelona Zones: Check which zones you will need to travel with. Here is a link to the FGC Zone map. http://www.fgc.es/eng/planol.asp

Personal Safety: Unfortunately many tourists have found themselves pick pocketed in Barcelona’s metros. Therefore make sure your phones and wallets are not in your front pockets (but in pockets with zippers) and that your handbag clasp is not facing the outside but facing inwards. If you are carrying a backpack, carry it on your chest while you are in the metro, and coming out of the metro. Many gangs work on the escalators leaving the metro.

Apartment in Barcelona Staff

Jeraldine

My first day at work

apartmentinbarcelona — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:53:00 +0000

Hello, i’m quite new in this company, and i want say a couple of words about my first day in the office. I started early so the office looked quite abandoned and lonely, but lately i was introduced to everyone and i was amazed. It’s just wonderfull to work in the atmosphere of friendship and team-working, i was told about importance of the ambience during my studies, but did not really realized it that time. I have great colleagues who help me always if i get have any question, so i have a lot of motivation to work hard and achieve some positive results.

My responsibility is marketing field, i am really interested in this area of business as it is very diverse and it is updating everyday, and there are lots of topics to be done. Nowadays all the markets experience a huge influence of internet boom and social media. Internet entered every door even if it was closed so the companies try to establish their presence in every single part of Web2.0. As our company is pioneer and we grow a lot now , we try to promote not just our apartments but the things we believe, the efforts we put in our work and measurable quality of the things we do. By the way, would be usefull if you help us to measure our work and give us any suggestions in our twitter account http://twitter.com/#!/Apt_In_BCN, where we post the latest news, on-going events and some interesting information about Barcelona and our company.

Thank you for reading this topic,

we would love to hear from you any time.

Mikhail,

AIB staff.

At the II APARTUR Workshop

apartmentinbarcelona — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 10:31:41 +0000

The Barcelona Association of Tourist Apartments (Apartur) is an association that represents this sector in the province of Barcelona. The Association was founded on 15 November 2004 with the aim of structuring the sector around certain common objectives, giving every company a voice and a vote, and acting as an intermediary with administrations and other public and private institutions. At the same time, the objective of Apartur is not only to uphold the interests of the sector but also to offer a range of services to its members.

Apartur is a young and dynamic association that currently encompasses more than 100 companies and professionals, offering the largest range of official tourist apartments in the province of Barcelona.

As any reliable and up to date company, the team of ApartmentinBarcelona.net attended the workshop they organized for the past February 9th 2011 at the Hotel Alimara (Barcelona).

We got to meet most of our competition in the city, with whom we had a nice talk over the market, the public sector, the laws, tourism in Barcelona and improvement of business.

The meeting was very interesting and extremelly productive. Thank you to several especialized professionals in the field of technologies, social networks and new fields of business for tourism, we got to not only realize that we are one of the best improved companies in the city but also that there is a lot to do.

Xavier Trias, future mayor of Barcelona, is going to work hard so we can rely on the public adminsitration.

In the near future Turisme de Barcelona is going to show that we are reliable in front of the worlds eyes.

The CETT is currently trying to get a better idea of what you all think about the apartments that you stayed in through an important study of the customers opinion.

Leymar & Leisters taught us how the TAX should be applied for a more profitable relationship with clients and providers and to offer better reates.

CEOs from Overalia, ReviewPro and FlamingoHotelier.com told us a little bit more about social networks and how to “talk” to you, how to listen to you and how to be improve with your opinions through the new platforms 2.0.

Google Analists told us about how important it is for you to find us in the search engines and Marketing and Hotel CEOs talked about quality applied to apartments.

We have many objectives in this company, but THE ONE is you. No matter where you come from, what language you speak or your taste in good music. You are the reason why we wake up every morning to go to work, the reason why we want to improve and the why to all our moves to be ahead anyone else within our limitations.

Thanks to your numerous testimonials about us -some of them very sweet we must say (http://www.apartmentinbarcelona.net/Testimonials.aspx) we are happy to tell you that it is something achieved. Now, let´s go even further! Let´s hit for number 1 WITH you.

With kind regards,

Alexia

AIB Staff