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Hotel Continental – Stories of Las Ramblas
If you’ve ever visited Barcelona, you’ve walked on La Rambla. Almost impossible to avoid, this tree-lined street extends from the famous Mirador de Colom with its grand Columbus statue at the waterfront up to the city centre, Plaça de Catalunya. Bordered by the Gothic Quarter and connecting the old city to the more modern Eixample, La Rambla is often known in the plural, Las Ramblas, as it is in fact a collection of smaller streets comprising one main corridor of shops, cafes and people. Trees have been a part of the Rambla experience and charm since the 1700’s, with birch, elm, and acacia all making an appearance for over 300…
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How to become a Barcelonian
Barcelona is a true gem of a city, with amazing sites, mouth-watering local cuisine and some of the best white and sparkling wine that the Mediterranean has to offer – the city where cosmopolitan meets laid-back and mountains meet ocean. It comes as no surprise then, that Barcelona is one of the most popular cities to visit in Europe. Escape the crowds, step off the beaten track and get into the local rhythm. You never know what could be waiting for you around the next cobblestoned corner.
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Historical Curiosities Of The Hotel
Anyone who has ever wandered the streets of Catalonia’s capital, knows that Barcelona shows off its rich history and art-centric culture with justifiable pride. Wherever you look you sense there’s a story to tell – from the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Canaletes fountain to the jaw-dropping Sagrada Familia, this is a city that needs more than a weekend break to truly discover. Visitors looking for total historic immersion in the city are well suited to the more than a century of stories behind the doors of the neo-classical Hotel Continental. Here’s a few of our favourite historical curiosities. Embracing Change – In 1931 when the Malagarriga Vallet family acquired the hotel from the…
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Spring & Summer Things To Do
Spring & Summer Things To Do in Barcelona. With temperatures hitting the high twenties and evenings getting longer, spring and summer Barcelona is the best time for after sunset dining, Cava in the sunshine and evening street strolls. To ensure you get the most of your visit and see Barcelona like a local, here’s a few pointers on what’s not to be missed. Parks & Gardens Park Güell – Easily reached by metro or bus, Park Guell is not just a popular destination for visitors in search of the most Instagram-worthy shot, it’s also a bit of a hot spot with the locals. The park designer Gaudi, a well renowned…
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3 Things You Didn’t Know About The Spanish Civil War
Go back in time, a little over eight decades, and Spain was beginning one of the most tumultuous periods of its history. And while visitors coming for the paella, tapas and flamenco might not know all the details, La Guerra, continues to have a long-lasting impact on the nation. What began as a military coup in 1936 became a three-year civil war resulting in the death of nearly half a million people and dramatically changing the political climate in Spain. While the fighting was essentially two-sided, a battle between democracy and fascism, it was far from that simple. The parties involved were a mix of ideologies and political perspectives including…
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Unmissable Architecture In Barcelona – Alternative Guide
It’s no surprise Barcelona is a Top 10 Most Instagrammed City again in 2017. With some of the most iconic, beautiful and surprising streets in Europe, Barcelona is an architectural wonder. Old blends in with new or juxtaposes in dramatic fashion as you round the corner. Take a walk through the streets of Barcelona and discover bold Gothic mansions and distinctive and unique Modernista masterpieces all within a block. Whether you’re planning an architecture homage or just wanting to join the crowds and get your own like-worthy photos, here’s our architecture unmissable guide for Barcelona. The guide is designed to highlight some of the Barcelona jewels of architecture that go…
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5 Facts About Eixample You Should Know
The Eixample district is undoubtedly the most iconic of the elegant city of Barcelona, with a diverse offering in terms of shopping, nightlife and restaurants. The distinctive Modernista architecture that occupies the streets of Eixample is unlike any other, with many famous works by Antoni Gaudí (father of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement), in addition to many works by lesser known Modernista architects. 1. Who cut off the corners? Eixample’s street plan and architecture is as unusual as it is distinctive. It was urban planner Ildefons Cerdà that designed the street plan of Eixample in the middle of the 19th century. The grid system with it’s characteristic 45º angled corner…
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The Definitive Barcelona Park’s & Gardens Guide
Are you tired of always finding the same places when searching for Parks in Barcelona? Don’t worry, there are other nature spots besides Park Guell and Parc de la Ciutadella. Autumn is one of our favorites seasons to discover Barcelona city parks, when all the red, oranges, and browns spread around the city and the ground is covered by leaf rugs. If you want to hide from the big crowds, read our Definitive Barcelona Park’s Guide! Joan Brossa Gardens If you plan to go up to Montjuïc (and surely you should), take a stroll to Joan Brossa Gardens. Located on the hill and next to other city attractions such as…
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Autumn Music Festivals in Barcelona you can’t miss
Autumn is a great time to visit Barcelona. While slowly greeting colder temperatures the city is bustling of cultural activities aimed to reach the local public as well as visitors. You will find some of the best indoors music festivals to ward off the chill at the most representative concert halls and bars of Barcelona where you will be able to mix with the local crowd. 1 – Festival del Mil·leni When November 2017-May 2018 Where Palau de la Música , Gran Teatre del Liceu , Sala Apolo, BARTS (Barcelona Arts on Stage), Sala Razzmatazz, Teatre Tívoli, Palau Sant Jordi, Auditori Forum, El Molino If you are an eclectic music…
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The best football in Barcelona
On Wednesday September 13th is held in Barcelona the first match of the qualifying rounds of the Champions League. FC Barcelona against Celtic Glasgow. The group C is composed by FC Barcelona, Glasgow Celtic, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Manchester City. This exciting game of the Champions League will start at 20.45h at the Stadium of FC Barcelona “Camp Nou”. A unique opportunity to enjoy some of the best players in world football scene, the football quality with company of the three stars of FCB Barcelona, Messi, Neymar and Suarez.
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Barça – Real Madrid, el Clásico
The second Classic of the season is about to take place tomorrow, Saturday 2nd April in Camp Nou. Barça is taking on Atlético de Madrid in what is meant to be the best chance to put some distance between themselves. Moreover, there are only 8 encounters left to finish the League and FC Barcelona is at 10 points ahead from its eternal rival. After a break off the League, Luis Enrique’s complete squad (even the international players who were with their selection) is back working for tomorrow match.Today at 6pm Barcelona is training for the last time before the Classic at Camp Tito Vilanova of Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper. We…
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Rally Costa Brava Historic 2016
This weekend drive a PEUGEOT 205 RALLY! This weekend will be held the Rally Costa Brava HISTORIC that is celebrating its thirteenth edition. Each year the event brings together a hundred teams, including our team sponsored by Hotel Continental that one more year will run this test of regularity. The pilots will have to display their skills to overcome this test. The tour is divided into 3 stages with a total of 1,000km divided into 30 sections. The start will be on Friday March 18th in Barcelona OneOcean Club-Port Vell at 15.00h. We wait for you!!