SINCE 2006 MAKING BARCELONA COME ALIVE FOR YOU
Find in this category our posts about the universal Catalans – that is locals that reached a world-wide fame such as the artist Antoni Gaudí or artists such as Picasso (who wasn’t exactly Catalan but lived in Barcelona during his youth and considered himself one of us), Miró or Salvador Dalí. You’ll also discover our lesser known local celebrities that are worth reading about to understand better the past and present of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain. Some of the most important characters discussed in this category have their own dedicated tag as well, in case you want to learn more about their works, not just their lives.
JOIN THE MISSA DEL GALL, the TRADITIONAL barcelona CHRISTMAS MASS In most of the Christian world the most important Christmas celebration takes place during dinner on December 24. However, in Catalonia the big family celebration is the lunch on December 25, because on the night of the 24th families usually just have a light dinner and …
ALL SAINTS DAY IN BARCELONA – NO HALLOWEEN HERE! In most cultures human beings have dedicated one day of the year to the memory of their deceased. Some of these festivities are as colorful as the Mexican Día de los muertos, famous all over the world. In Catalonia, with a strong Catholic influence, the dead …
CATALONIA SONGS THAT CATALANS CARRY IN THEIR HEARTS There are songs that are special to a land. Songs that when someone from that land hears them, one can’t but feel a special connection with their country. Songs that touch your heart and make you feel you belong. They have become identity symbols that one grows up …
SAINTS THAT PROTECT YOU IN THE CATHEDRAL OF BARCELONA Catholicism gives a lot of importance to Saints as examples to follow, but also for their role of mediators between us mortals and God. Not for nothing many of them suffered horrifying martyrdoms, or performed surprising miracles or healings, or had the privilege to encounter Jesus …
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A SELECTION OF THE BEST SPANISH CHRISTMAS MUSIC Merry Christmas! Don’t you love to celebrate it singing carols? Last year I shared with you the Catalan Christmas songs I grew up with, and many of you liked it. So I thought that there wouldn’t be a better subject for today’s post than talking about traditional Spanish Christmas songs, …
5 CRUCIAL POINTS TO UNDERSTAND FLAMENCO DANCE HISTORY Flamenco is a typical style of music and dance of Spain, specially from the regions of Andalucía, Extremadura and Murcia. Some theories calculate it dates from the 1700’s, and it is believed that the Flamenco culture was born out of the constant interaction between natives, Gypsies, Muslims, …
THE BEST CATALAN CHRISTMAS CAROLS I love Christmas Carols. We sang them in school when I was a child, and my parents bought me a book with tradition Christmas songs so I could learn and sing more of them. And while there are some Christmas carols in Spanish that I like, my favorite have always …
BEASTS IN TRADITIONAL PARADES IN BARCELONA Parades of all kinds are huge in the Catalan festivals. We have large cardboard men and women (the Giants – Gegants) and short ones with big heads (Capgrossos), who parade along the streets to the sound of music. And we have a collection of real and fantasy animals that are …
TOP SAINT JOHN’S EVE EVENTS IN BARCELONA The Sant Joan Festival (revetlla de St. Joan or Nit de Sant Joan) takes place in the evening of June 23rd and is celebrated all around Catalonia. The night of San Juan Festival is the summer solstice, the shortest night of the year. Families will get together for dinner: it’ll be …
THE SANT JOAN FESTIVAL IS COMING. ARE YOU GONNA MISS IT? Read More »
SPANISH JEANS BRANDS, APPAREL BRANDS, LUXURY AND MORE Visiting Spain is not just about learning its history, culture, traditions… but also about discovering its fashion! Because despite French, Italian and American brands being so strong in the international market, fashion in Spain today is really creative and fun, and acquiring a few pieces of clothes during your …
