Category Archives: Festivals

What’s On in Barcelona Autumn 2012

Autumn is always an event-ful time in Barcelona for concerts , exhibitions and shows so we’ve rounded up some of the best around town…

For 44 years Barcelona has played host to an increasingly popular annual jazz festival. This year the music gets going on 30^th October until 30^th November in venues across town. Once again, there is a great line-up with performances from the likes of Sonny Rollins, Melody Gardot, Samantha de Siena and the Buena Vista Social Club Orchestra. You need to buy individual tickets for each event – there is not one ticket that covers the whole event. Venues vary from the grand Palau de la Musica to small smoky bars like Jamboree and Harlem Jazz Club.
For more information go to Barcelona Jazz Festival

The Liceu Theatre offers some enticing opera and ballet in the run-up to Christmas including the Barber of Seville and The Nutcracker. For tickets go to
www.liceubarcelona.cat

Japanese cooking is the star of this year’s edition of the Manga Fair which is moving to Barcelona for the first time. From 1st to 4th November, the Palau 2 of the Fira de Barcelona in Montjuïc will be the venue for this gathering, renowned in the world of Manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese animation). The main reason why the fair has abandoned its usual venue in Hospitalet de Llobregat is the need to cater for the increasing number of visitors. For more information go to Manga festival Barcelona

The exhibition “Explosion! The Legacy of Jackson Pollock” is on at the Fundació Miró until mid February and explores the North American artist’s influence on action painting and performance art. The exhibition explores his influence, which has been felt in areas like action painting and performance through the work of numerous artists, including Andy Warhol, Bruce Nauman and Yves Klein. Joan Miro exhibitions

Over a hundred of the New York Times Magazine’s published pictures, by photographers such as Sebastião Salgado, Nan Goldin and Lee Friedlander can be seen in an exhibition at Palau Robert, representing thirty years of the magazine’s history. Genres include photojournalism, fashion reporting and conceptual photography. Until 2^nd December. New York Times Magazine exhibition

In the world of sport you can catch the ‘Freestyle Masters’ of Barcelona – basically acrobatics from the expert riders of Supercross. On at the Palau San Jordi. And finally, concerts this autumn include Diana Krall at the Auditori, Skink Anansie at Razzmatazz and Patti Smith at the Palau de La Musica.

If you fancy a short break to Barcelona, Lucas Fox offers a range of fantastic centrally located short-term accommodation. Here are some of our most popular…

Amazing 2-bedroom apartment for rent next to Paseo de Gracia and famous Casa Mila of Gaudi

Luxury apartment for rent in Diagonal Mar Barcelona. With sea views and only three minutes from the beach

Luxury holiday apartment in the heart of the most famous street of Barcelona, Paseo de Gracia

Apartment for rent in Barcelona Old Town close to Plaza de Catalunya and Paseo de Gracia

For more information on any of the above properties or any other properties for short term rent please contact Monica@lucasfox.com or by calling the Barcelona office on (+34) 933 562 989

Barcelona Christmas Market Customs

Excitement for this year’s Barcelona Christmas market scene has started already with the proposal by Friends of Paseig de Gracia for the street’s festive lighting. This year’s design pays homage to the modernist architecture of the city. Plans for 200 lamps will use LED displays to provide sustainable illumination and decorative flair along one of the city’s premiere shopping strips. The Friends group – a not for profit volunteer committee that supports traders and protects cultural landmarks such as Casa Pedrera – hopes the lighting will be in effect from 1 December.

Artists interpretation of the Christmas lights planned for Paseig de Gracia this year

Come to the city and feel the Christmas spirit of Barcelona. Renting a short stay luxury apartment is a special and wonderful Christmas experience that will become a cherished family memory for a lifetime. While other European cities offer a cold, white Christmas, Barcelona plays host to a special and unique festive season that is usually not too wintery, allowing you and your loved ones to explore the festivities throughout the Catalunyan capital.

One of the special reasons to visit the city is the Barcelona Christmas market atmosphere. With a busy and bustling Christmas market in the Cathedral Plaza in the centre of Ciutat Vella (in front of the Gaudi Cathedral, of course), stalls along Gran Via in preparation for the procession of the 3 Kings in early January, and markets in the gardens outside La Sagrada Familia, a Barcelona Christmas is all about the market scene and being amongst other festive wanderers.

Apartments like this are available for short term rental to let you visit for the Barcelona Christmas market season

One of the strangest and most unique festive customs here in Catalunya is the decorating of the nativity scene with El Caganer. While Christians all over the world may buy little statues of the Holy Family and barnyard animals, it is only at a Barcelona Christmas market where you can buy a little statue of a mischievous red-capped man doing a number two. Considered good luck to include the squatting figurine as part of your nativity scene – representing the fertilizing of the year to come – you can buy a traditional smiling jokester or one of the pop cultural icon versions. No doubt this year there will be a Messi version (adding a new dimension to the famous footballer’s name), as well as versions with Obama and the British Queen. The Barcelona Christmas market at Cathedral Plaza starts on 13 December and runs through til Christmas Eve.

The Gran Via markets are actually part of the festivities for the procession of the 3 Kings, which leads up to January 6. Here you can buy light-hearted gifts, candies, and artesian crafts along the main thoroughfare of the city.

The Barcelona Christmas market stalls outside La Sagrada Familia are ideal for buying your decorations to adorn your short stay luxury apartment while spending the festive season here and also have some beautiful floral bouquets to brighten up your home. There is a little more reverence to these markets, but all of them will have some nativity scene competitions and wonderful decorative arts to admire.

It is a beautiful and comfortable city to spend the festive season with your family, as it is often less cold than January and the Barcelona Christmas markets are a wonderful custom to enjoy with your family. Lucas Fox has a number of short-stay luxury apartments still available for bookings across December and January. Phone Lucas Fox on +34 933 562 989 for more information.

Ibiza Real Estate: Tally Ho!

The Baleares International Beach Polo Tournament returns to Ibiza from 13 to 18 June this year, creating a must-see event for anyone visiting Ibiza real estate at the start of the 2011 summer.

Last year’s inaugural tournament was a highlight of the summer Ibiza calendar, with the event considered on par with some of the world’s finest beach polo competitions held in Dubai, Miami and Punta del Este. The tournament is hosted in a manner more akin to a festival – with fashion shows, parties and dining events running tandem to the polo competition. This year also sees the introduction of a Ladies Beach Polo Cup.

Leading polo players from around the world will be competing, including Martin Valent from Argentina, Calao Melo from Brazil and Christian Braun from Nassau.

Ibiza properties have been in great demand this year, as Alix Bond from the Lucas Fox Ibiza office explains: “2011 has seen a continuation of the high level of interest in Ibiza holiday rentals and properties for sale. More and more people are looking at renting villas on Ibiza as an alternative to staying in hotels. This is great news for the owners of houses in Ibiza as they are seeing the rental potential and income of their properties increase year on year.”

As occurred last year, event organizers are expecting spectators ‘from the worlds of fashion, film and TV’ to be in attendance across the six days of the competition.

Despite the high demand, there are still some opportunities to book Ibiza real estate for a holiday rental during the peak months. Lucas Fox’ new partnership with The Shop also offers you the perfect opportunity to relax while having all of your travel needs looked after. With the strong visitor numbers expected over the coming months, June is an excellent time to visit, watch a bit of polo, and view Ibiza properties in relaxed, idyllic surroundings.

Barcelona Harley Day 8th – 10th July 2011 Fira de Barcelona

The Barcelona Harley Day

If you love bikes, then you love Harley’s. Coming up very soon in July you can visit the [Harley Owner's Group] HOG’s largest European event. This year it’s taking place over 3 days between 8th – 10th July, and it’s FREE to get entrance to the event!

The event allows Harley Davidson and bike enthusiasts to come together and find out about what’s happening in the world of motorbikes. It is a chance to check out new models, show off your vintage ones and meet fellow lovers of the scene.

Some of the highlights include the participation of W&W Cycles and Custom Chrome.

Music at Barcelona Harley Day

If you are not really into bikes but love country music on the 9th of July at 19.00h there’s a Country Fiesta, with country music with live music and line dancing.

Two bands are playing at the event Steel horse band and REC. Best of all, this is all free as well!

Accomodation for Barcelona Harley Day

There’s still accommodation left in some of our apartments, very close to the event.

http://www.lucasfox.com/Short-term-property/Spain/Barcelona/Barcelona-city/other-areas/LFSR119.html
http://www.lucasfox.com/Short-term-property/Spain/Barcelona/Barcelona-city/other-areas/LFSR118.html

Any questions:
Call the organisers direct here: +34 93 477 48 20 / 93 246 74 31

Official Website:

http://www.barcelonaharleydays.com/

Fira de Barcelona Address:

Fira de Barcelona,
Montjuic Exhibition Centre,
Avenida Maria Cristina (no number)
08004
Barcelona

Barcelona ‘Primavera Sound Festival’ 2011

The 25^th & the 29^th May in Poble Espanol and from the 26^th to the 28^th May in the Parc del Forum in Barcelona, a fantastic Sound Festival is not to be missed; with the likes of Belle & Sebastian, BMX Bandits & James Blake and many other international song artists; this really is a prime opportunity to immerse yourself in such a vast and varied selection of music.

This music festival is at such a great time of year to combine it with a visit to Barcelona and soak up the sun’s rays on the expanse of beaches that the city has to offer.

To truly enjoy this festival of fantastic song artists you can ideally locate yourself within easy reach of the Parc del Forum by seeking help from Lucas Fox; here at Lucas Fox we will try to meet your needs and hopefully find you somewhere to stay that is most convenient to you. Why not check out this 4 bedroom apartment with pool, terrace and sea views, in Diagonal Mar which will also allow you to be close to the sea and beaches to enjoy the Barcelona weather at this great time of year.

Another idea would be to stay in this 2 bedroom apartment in Poble Nou with a pool, parking and sea views close to the Marbella Beach. Lucas Fox will allow you that stress free stay in a luxury Barcelona property whilst enjoying all that Primavera Sound Festival has to offer this May.

Semana Santa 2011

The Holy Week in Spain is called Semana Santa and it starts a week before Easter. It lasts for ten days. This year, 2011 it starts on the 15th of April. It starts on Good Friday or the Friday of sorrows (Viernes de Dolores) and ends on the 24th of April – the Palm Sunday (Domingo de la Resurrección).[1][1]

Spain is especially renowned for its Holy Week traditions. It is one of themost glamorous and important religious celebrations, particularly in Sevilla and Malaga, which are hosting the largest processions in the world.

Every day of the Holy Week, processions take place on the streets. Churches are decorated with beautiful braided palm fronds and men called costaleros carry huge platforms (pasos) carefully decorated figures of patron saints. Other religious objects are placed whilst bands are playing penitents march. Spectating crowds join with emotional clapping, singing, faithful dancing and tears. Normally these processions needs a minimum of 20-30 men to carry pasos. Surprisingly these pasos can weigh as much as 5 tones and require several hundred men tocarry them.

Amongst all of the excitement, you can watch people called the Nazareños who follow the pasos. They wear full body costumes consisting of a tunic, a hood with conical tip (capirote) used to conceal the face of the wearer. These tunics are meant to depict the Nazareños otherwise known as the people from Nazareth. The exact colors and forms of these robes depend on the particular procession.[2][2]

The most important days of Semana Santa are Palm Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Good Friday: Everyone is invited to experience Spain’s living tradition.[3][3]

[1][1] URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Friday, [01.03.2011].
[2][2] URL: http://spainforvisitors.com/archive/features/semanasanta.htm, [01.03.2011].
[3][3] URL: http://www.ibizaa-z.com/ibiza.php?name=1057§ion=fiestas, [01.03.2011].