Black Friday blog hero

Win a Cloud Cities Experience and dive with sharks this Black Friday

By Alice Padfield

Our Black Friday Giveaway has now ended.

Whizz up to the 30th floor and marvel at 360° views of Barcelona – get a stunning new perspective from 125-meters above the city. You’ll get the VIP experience on a private tour of the tower before you head to the Skydeck for your very own photoshoot. A professional photographer will guarantee you remember the experience with picture perfect vacation snaps.

You’ll also get access to the Cloud Cities Experience – an interactive installation from artist Tomás Saraceno. Move through over 100 different cloud spaces and re-imagine what an observatory can be, inside the changing shapes of passing clouds.

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As if the heights of Glòries Tower aren’t daring enough, you’ll also win a diving with sharks experience in Barcelona Aquarium. An expert instructor will teach you all you need to know about diving signals, breathing and moving around underwater, buoyancy control and using a regulator. Then it’s time to jump in and meet your hosts – you’ll find yourself surrounded by sharks, moray eels, rays and more.

See Barcelona from above then dive into the deep with some of the sea’s most scary locals.

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How to enter

For a chance to win this incredible prize, all you have to do is purchase any of our Barcelona passes between 9AM Tuesday 22 November 2022 and 11:59PM Tuesday 29 November 2022. Once you’ve purchased, you’ll be automatically entered into the giveaway. Easy!

If you’re the lucky winner, we’ll contact you by email by December 15, 2022, so look out for us in your inbox.

Click here to view giveaway terms and conditions.

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Crowds of tourists on a beach in Barcelona
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Barcelona in August

At the peak of summertime, August marks one of the two busiest months for Barcelona. Between its highly favorable weather and plethora of world-renowned sights and attractions, it’s no surprise that hundreds of thousands pick the city as their summer destination. While crowds and queues are of course inevitable, these are largely what gives the Catalan capital its famed bustling atmosphere. And given the plethora of festivals and events taking place throughout the month, you can expect those crowds to be electric. If busy and thriving are what you’re looking for, then Barcelona in August may be the trip for you. Tourism in August It’s no secret that Barcelona in August is busy. Really busy. Alongside July, this is when the city sees its largest throughput of visitors. Hotels tend to get swept up at a moment’s notice, accommodation rates are at their highest and the city’s attractions are operating at peak capacity. While to some this may sound like a nightmare, this is the whole appeal to many visitors. Barcelona is famous for its thriving atmosphere, bustling streets and energetic nightlife. And for that, serious crowds are a necessity. Just note that more tourists also means you’ll likely need to book your desired attractions well in advance. The exact reasons behind Barcelona’s summertime tourism spike are no challenge to discern. Between its stellar location on the Mediterranean and average temperatures of 80 – 90°F, many come to enjoy the city’s world-famous beaches. Pair those with the existing waves of tourists interested in Barcelona’s architecture, history, cuisine and nightlife, and it’s no surprise that this is the busiest time for the city. Those who aren’t so keen on the crowds may be better off planning a trip during the spring and fall ‘shoulder seasons’, when the city is still busy enough to maintain its buzz but quiet enough to be able to explore without the need to wade through the crowds. Festa Major de Sant Roc Dating back over 400 years, one of August’s largest events is the Festival of Sant Roc. Held in honor of Saint Roch, the celebration takes place each year on Plaça Nova in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, right beside the Barcelona Cathedral. While it may be contained to a smaller area than many other neighborhood celebrations held around the year, the festival is jam-packed full of activities. Typically taking place over the course of roughly a week, the event sees various games, traditions, processions, performances and dances take place, with something for just about all ages. One of the most common troupes of the festival is La Cucaña, a greasy, rotating pole which children will attempt to traverse safely in return for a prize. Another is El porró llarg, a bizarre glass drinking vessel with an extremely long spout from which visitors will attempt to drink wine, much to the amusement of onlookers. Another key part of the celebration is known as the Festival of the Dog. Legend says that when Sant Roc was sheltering within the city’s Roman walls while suffering from the plague, the local baker’s dog helped nurse him back to health by bringing him panellet cakes to eat. This portion of the festival therefore pays homage to the saint’s savior pooch with a canine exhibition. Locals will bring along their own dogs to celebrate, and there are even some dog training shows for those with excess energy. Festa Major de Gràcia From August 15th to 21st, Barcelona is host to what is widely considered its most festive and most accommodating street festival. The event offers a packed program of live performances, concerts, parades, dances and activities taking place throughout the Gràcia neighborhood. The festival is perhaps best known for its iconic decorated streets. With each street allocated its own theme for the year, the walkways of Gràcia truly come to life with vibrant and whacky displays. Most decorations will be created using sustainable and recycled materials, and each street competes to offer the most creative display in hopes of winning the annual grand prize. Festa Major de Sants Should you happen to miss out on the Gràcia Festival, fret not – The Sants Festival picks up right where Gràcia leaves off. Host to a wide array of Catalan traditions, this event offers much of the same decorated streets concerts, dances, performances and activities for all ages as its predecessor. Castells are one of the main traditions of the Sants Festival, with a large number of castellers working together to attempt to build the largest human towers. Correfocs are another, translated literally as ‘fire runs’, in which performers dressed as devils will parade around with fireworks to the entertainment of onlookers standing at a safe distance. DGTL Festival A spin-off of the renowned festival held in Amsterdam, DGTL is an event quite unlike any other. Offering live underground house and techno sets from prodigious artists and DJs, this is not an event to be missed for fans of the underground music scene. Held each year in Parc del Fòrum, the event is characteristically accompanied by mesmerizing art and light installations, turning all areas of the venue into its own immersive clubbing experience. The event maintains an ethos of sustainability, employing the likes of solar panels, exclusively vegetarian food options, cashless transactions and eco-friendly packaging. Music Festivals As if Barcelona’s nightlife scene wasn’t enough, August is a month replete with music events for fans of all genres. Alongside the DGTL festival covered above, attendees come from the world over to revel in the city’s impressive musical festivities. Some of the most popular events include the Mas i Mas Festival, the Cap Roig Festival and Brunch in the Park. Wrapping Up Whether you’re keen to explore the city’s unique wealth of architecture and history, relax on its world-famous beaches in prime weather or enjoy the buzz of its nightlife and the many festivals taking place throughout the month, visiting Barcelona in August could be an ideal trip for those who enjoy a more bustling city experience. While you can expect to have to fight crowds and make advance booking for your attractions of choice, not to mention your hotel or apartment, you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity to experience a city positively thriving with life. Barcelona is never quite as alive as it is in summer, which you’re bound to discover for yourself should you choose to visit in August.
Robert Heaney
The emblematic salamander at the entrance to Park Güell
Blog

Gaudi Barcelona

Alongside its rich cultural heritage, thriving nightlife and globally-celebrated football team, Barcelona is famous for its wealth of stunning architecture. Offering up a unique mix of baroque, Romanesque and modernist architecture, a walk through its streets is enough to know how much the city celebrates its architects. But very few architects can boast as prolific and accomplished a portfolio as Barcelona’s very own Antoni Gaudí. Known above all for his highly individual modernist style, Gaudí designed and oversaw the construction of a plethora of buildings throughout Barcelona. Drawing equal inspiration from nature, local tradition and often mysticism, many of his works now sit among the ranks of Barcelona’s best attractions for their often bizarre and mesmerizing designs. UNESCO has dubbed seven particular examples of his work as World Heritage Sites, which are referred to collectively as the Works of Antoni Gaudí. Sagrada Familia Location: Carrer de Mallorca, 401 A guide to Gaudí’s finest work would be woefully incomplete without first covering the architect’s magnum opus, Barcelona’s famous Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. One of the most famous religious sites in the world, the church began construction in 1882, when devotees of St. Joseph sought to build a place of worship in his honor. Gaudí took over as chief architect of the project in 1883, adapting the original plans of his predecessor and introducing Art Nouveau elements to merge with the intended Gothic style. He is credited for having designed and overseen the construction of the basilica’s famous nativity scene, interior apse and crypt during his time on the project. Intricate models of the church put together in his workshop allowed him to experiment with his plans, and would later form the blueprint for the remainder of the works. Gaudí would come to work on the project for the remainder of his life, and was buried in the crypt alongside its first architect. The Sagrada Familia now serves as Barcelona’s most visited attraction. While construction continues on the basilica, its planned total of eighteen spires are intended to represent the twelve apostles, the Virgin Mary and the four Evangelists, with Jesus Christ towering above them all. Park Güell Location: 08024 Barcelona Second only to the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell is another of Barcelona’s most visited attractions. While the majority of the park consists of tranquil green space, its main feature is the interior Monumental Zone. Commissioned by Spanish entrepreneur Eusebi Güell, the park was originally built to serve as a stylish social space for Barcelona’s aristocracy. Gaudí designed this space to serve as a tranquil area from which to enjoy the park’s surrounding beauty, ensuring its features were eccentric while still incorporating naturally into their environment. Much of the park’s symbolism draws inspiration from a combination Catalan nationalism, religious mysticism and ancient poetry. From the iconic mosaic salamander at its entrance to the sea serpent bench encircling the main terrace which offers panoramic views over the park, the Monumental Zone is best characterized by its somewhat surreal installations. La Pedrera / Casa Milà Location: Passeig de Gràcia, 92 Translated literally as the ‘stone quarry’, La Pedrera is best known for its rough-hewn limestone façade, somewhat resembling an open quarry. This titan of a residence was designed and built for the aristocrat Pere Milà i Camps and his wife Rosario Segimon between 1906 and 1912. Entrancing both inside and out, La Pedrera is composed of two apartment blocks spread across nine stories and constructed around two large, interconnected courtyards. Gaudí, together with his partner Josep Maria Jujol, designed everything from the exterior façade to the individual apartments and the furniture within to incorporate with one another in the duo’s iconic modernist style. Crowning the residence is the ‘garden of warriors’ rooftop terrace, named after the 28 imposing chimneys that resemble twisted, standing soldiers. The terrace is decorated in a mosaic of marble, broken Valencian tiles and shards of broken champagne bottles and offers almost unparalleled views over the city. Casa Batlló Location: Passeig de Gràcia, 43 Famous for its somewhat visceral, skeletal exterior, Casa Batlló is known locally as la casa dels ossos, or the ‘house of bones’. While not originally built by Antoni Gaudí, the property’s owner, Joseph Batlló, commissioned the architect to redesign the home in 1904. While only broadly identifiable as a modernist structure, the residence joins Casa Amatller and Casa Lleó to make up the Illa de la Discòrdia, or ‘Block of Discord’, which stands as a celebration of Barcelona’s most prolific modernist architects. Palau Güell Location: Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5 Palau Güell was the first of what would come to be many works commissioned by tycoon Eusebi Güell. Designed as both a residence and a venue at which to host high society guests, the urban palace served to offer every conceivable luxury possible of a building. Its opulent interior appears in stark contrast to its relatively undecorated exterior façade. The mansion is constructed around a central hall and its accompanying receiving rooms. Incorporating towering, ornate walls and pillars, this party hall served as somewhat of an interior courtyard, offering a source of natural light during the day. In the evening, lanterns would be hung from small holes in the domed ceiling to mimic a starry sky. Casa Vicens Location: Carrer de les Carolines, 20-26 Considered Gaudí’s first significant masterpiece, Casa Vicens was the first building in Catalonia to stray entirely from standard architectural norms and practices. With inspiration drawn from the orientalist and Neo-Mudéjar architectural styles, Gaudí’s design incorporated a mixture of Catalan, Islamic, Japanese and English techniques and symbolism. Commissioned by the Vicens family to serve as a summer residence, Gaudí designed the home to provide a balance of private quarters, social spaces and areas for quiet reflection. Much of the interior furniture was also by his own design in order to compliment the surrounding architecture. Church of Colonia Güell / Gaudí Crypt Location: Carrer Claudi Güell, 08690 La Colònia Güell Sitting a short distance outside Barcelona, the Church of Colònia Güell was designed to serve as a place of worship for the workers of Eusebi Güell’s industrial colony. Although Gaudí had drawn up plans for the construction of a full church, various complications meant that the structure was ultimately left unfinished. The church’s crypt stands as the only completed section of the project. Built partially below ground due to its hillside location, Gaudí designed the crypt to incorporate with its natural surroundings. His use of basalt, brick and stone gives the crypt a more muted, earthy appearance. Between the use of natural-looking colors and the rough-hewn pillars holding up the ceiling, the crypt has been likened more to a forest grotto or cave. A number of stained glass windows help to provide some vibrancy to the otherwise dim, almost ancient-looking interior space. Other Works Although UNESCO dubs these the collective works of Gaudí, they certainly weren’t his only projects. Throughout his professional career, the architect worked on over a dozen major sites throughout Catalonia. His most celebrated works are those that employed the extent of his skills, often straying largely from architectural norms. For those looking for the full Gaudí experience, some other notable examples of his work throughout Barcelona include Pavellons Güell, the Teresian College, Celler Güell, Casa Calvet and Bellesguard.
Robert Heaney
Rainbow over the Barcelona rooftops
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Things to do in Barcelona for Pride Day

Barcelona has always been a bit of a trailblazer. No surprise then that the Catalan capital was the first Spanish city to host a Pride march back in 1977, when a few hundred people protested along Las Ramblas in the name of the Gay Liberation Front of Catalonia. Today, the celebration has become one of Spain’s largest LGBTQ+ festivals and, for two weeks in July, the streets are transformed into an ocean of vibrant rainbow flags. This mass celebration of love, diversity and inclusion – variously known as Barcelona Pride, Barcelona Gay Pride, and Pride! BCN – culminates with a colorful mid-month parade that attracts around a quarter of a million participants and spectators, and a series of concerts and closing parties that all but blow the lid off Barcelona! Read on for our guide to all the best things to do in Barcelona on and around Pride Day… Barcelona Pride Parade Barcelona’s Pride Parade is the (almost) grand finale to a series of flamboyant events taking place across the city through the first half of July. Bearing in mind that the middle of the day can get pretty hot here in summer, the Barcelona parade kicks off at a relatively balmy 6PM, blazing a colorful trail that starts in the Tres Xemeneies Park – named for the three industrial chimneys that dominate the skyline here. The parade paints a rainbow the length of Avenida del Parallel before turning towards Avinguda Maria Cristina and Palau Nacional, home of the Pride Village and main stage. Expect flamboyant floats, banging party anthems, outlandish costumes and feather boas galore. Get there in plenty of time to grab a spot by the barriers that line the route then make for the huge free concert and after-party by the Pride stage. This location at the foot of Montjuïc hill is the hub of all things Pride throughout the two-week celebration, with daily performances, workshops, community events and more, plus plenty of food and drink. More Barcelona Pride Events The variety of events leading up to the parade and concert is colorful as it is varied. The program changes from year to year, but there are several festival stalwarts that can be relied upon to return regularly. These include: Miss Drag Pride Pageant. The most talented drag kings and queens from across Barcelona and beyond come together to perform in front of a panel of drag experts (in full showstopping drag regalia, natch). The event  – the closest thing you can get to experiencing RuPaul’s Drag Race without RuPaul themself – usually takes place in the Maria Cristina club. The High Heels Race. This event is precisely what it sounds like: a high-speed, high-octane, high-stakes, high-heeled race to the finish line, with runners temporary setting aside the festival’s spirit of love and acceptance in pursuit of a greater goal: cash. Expect trips, stumbles and lots of laughs from this most comical and cut-throat of Pride spectacles. The Pride Village. With the beautiful Palau Nacional (pictured) as its backdrop, the Pride Village is your one-stop-shop for all things LGBTQ+ throughout the festival. We’re talking exhibitions, information stands, bars, food stalls and even an activity area for kids – there’s a strong focus on family at Barcelona Pride, and many of the events are open to participants of all ages. Yes: even the High Heels Race! This is also where the opening and closing parties take place, with international DJs, live bands, drag performers and dancers among the many entertainers to grace the stage. Barcelona Pride Nightlife Barcelona is a gay-friendly city and the LGBTQ+ nightlife is excellent year-round. There are stacks of bars and clubs to pick from but gay hotel chain Axel’s sky bar roof terrace is one of the best. Not only is the company here great; there’s also a pool, loungers, long cocktail menu and some splendid views across the rooftops of Eixample, the LGBTQ+ district known fondly as ‘Gayxample’ by some locals. The legendary Safari Club is also close to Eixample and Plaça Espana (itself a bit of a Pride month hotspot). Regular club nights at Safari include Bananas on Friday nights and YASS! parties on Saturdays, which are of course even busier and wilder during Pride. The monthly Matinee party (sorry ladies, men only) is another of Pride’s big events, running from around midnight well into the small hours. Check local listings for details, dates and more info on all of the above, plus many other massive club nights taking place across Barcelona during Pride. Best of the Rest: Things to do during Barcelona Pride It’s summer! It’s Pride! It’s Barcelona! So what better way to while away the long daylight hours than on one of the city beaches? Closest to the center, you’ll recognise Platja de Sant Sebastià by the huge, sail-shaped hotel at its southern end. Or head north along the coast to the Poblenou district for clothing-optional Platja de la Mar Bella. Fancy a beachy day trip? Strike out for Platja de la Bassa Rodona, a few miles south of the city in nearby Sitges. All of these beaches are very scenic, sandy and LGBTQ-friendly sunbathing spots. You’ll also want to hang out in gay-friendly Eixample, which gives you as good a reason as any to spend time ogling some of Antoni Gaudí’s most eye-popping architectural exercises in Catalan Modernism. We’re talking the iconic Sagrada Familia as well as the quite extraordinary confections that are Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (aka La Pedrera).  Entry to all three is included with a Go Barcelona pass, which also gives you access to several more Barcelona bucket-listers, including… A guided tour of yet another of Gaudí’s masterpieces: the absolutely Insta-tastic Park Güell (pictured above). A sightseeing tour aboard the open-top Barcelona bus. A lip-smacking tapas-tasting tour. A ride on the Barcelona cable car. Entry to the bonkers worlds of the Museum of Illusions and Big Fun Museum. Entry to the Picasso Museum and a walking tour of the maestro’s old Barcelona haunts. A walking tour of Barcelona’s best markets. … and many more! Find out more and get your Barcelona attractions pass here. More things to do in Barcelona Top summer activities in Barcelona Barcelona’s best parks Barcelona neighborhoods guide Free things to do in Barcelona The Barcelona tourist traps to avoid
Stuart Bak

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