It is with great pleasure that I am introducing this new entry :

As most of you probably know, Genta started working in our school a few weeks ago. I will let her introducing herself and give you her impressions (and some few tips) about Barcelona:

Hi everyone!

I hope you all are fine and are enjoying these spring days in Barcelona!

I’m Genta, 23 years old and Albanian. I’ve started working here in Camino Barcelona two weeks ago. I’m enjoying this new experience very much. I Like a lot the atmosphere here in the school and I’m learning new things on my work every day.

It has been almost 5 months since I came to Barcelona and I’m very happy with the decision I’ve taken. I’ve studied Political Science in Sweden, where I lived for many years. For the moment I’m studying a Master in Human Resources and working here at Camino. I’ve always dreamt to come to Spain during these 7 years of very cold winter in Sweden. I love the summer and the sea, also I’ve heard so many good things about people in Spain, how warm they welcome people here and all the fiestas, so I wanted to study and have fun at the same time and that’s why I chose Barcelona.

Barcelona charms me; it’s a fantastic and fleshpot city. During these months, some of my friends have been here and we have visited most of the Turistic places: I enjoy the Rambla del Mar with all the boats nearby, it looks like a forest with sails. The “Barrio Gotico” is very special too, with its small and narrows streets. Sagrada Familia is pageantry! Thinking that they are still building it and it’s sponsored by normal people. I was really impressed by the building and all its little details.

Well… I would like to suggest you all a fast and “sporty” way to visit all the “must-see” places here in Barcelona: A bike Tour experience.

You can experience this tour in a group with your friends or you can even go by yourself and join the group that will be organized there. It’s very cheap, really funny, and sportive. An expert guide joins the tour and gives historical information about every place you visit; you will make stops to take some photos and to have a drink. The tour lasts 3 hours and it cost 22 euros with a drink included too. The Meeting point is at 11 am at Placa Sant Jaume; you can arrive there by metro, green line and get off at station Liceu. The places you visit are Sagrada Familia, Gothic quarter, Ciutadella Park, The Rambla, beaches, different monuments of Gaudi etc.

If you want more information about this visit, feel free to check their website.

Hope this tip is useful for you

Take care!

Genta

Technorati Tags: Barcelona bike, bike tour,

How are you all? I hope you enjoyed the weekend! Instead of going to the beach, what about joining our school activities?

Monday, 15:00: Copa de bienvenida

As usual, we start the new week with our well-known welcome party for all our students here at Camino!! Why don’t you come and have some snacks and a glass (or 2 )of sangria?! That’s the best way to get to know all the other students at school in a “non-study-atmosphere”!

Tuesday, 14:45: Practical Workshop: SPANISH MUSIC

In this workshop you will be able to practice the Spanish which you have learned here through Spanish music. We will listen to all kinds music,…flamenco, pop, rock songs,… something for everybody!

Wednesday, 14:45: Visit to the Pedrera

We will visit Casa Milà, better known as ´la Pedrera´, one of Antonio Gaudí’s most famous works. The ticket includes the visit to the terraces, the Pedrera’s flat and the new “Gaudí’s space”. Don’t miss this unique attraction!
 

On Thursday, the school will be closed due to the International Labor Day, however, there are a lot of things you can do in the area! For example you can participate in one of the various excursions, like the ones to Montserrat and Sitges. If you want to join please sign in by tomorrow, the 30th of april at the reception.

Friday, 14:45: Spanish through cinema: ´ENTRE ROJAS´

This is a beautiful movie. Lucia de Quiros (the precious Penélope Cruz), an attractive young girl from a wealthy family is arrested by the police and sent to prison. Here she makes friends with a group of prisoners who have been locked away for defending their principles.

I hope you will enjoy our activities and the beautiful weather in Barcelona!

See ya!

Valerie

First of all, I wanted to introduce this subject because… I’m called ‘Jordi’ myself! So April 23rd is my name day. And here we have Alex to tell you a bit about this nice festivitie that everybody in Barcelona celebrates each year:

Hi! I’m Alex and the ”new one” working at the reception As it’s just my second week I can’t give so many hot tips where to go out, eat, etc. but as you may have already noticed, I’m presenting you the daily activities, and tomorrow we have a special one, because it is St. Jordi’s Day!

As all of you probably know, other countries have their “ordinary” St. Valentine’s Day, but Catalonia has its own famous Day of ‘St. Jordi’, don’t miss it! If you thought that on the 14th of February the people are getting crazy about buying gifts and roses, then you’ve never been to Barcelona at the end of April…

In many eastern cultures St. George is celebrated in a certain way, but nowhere it has such a unique character as in Barcelona. For that reason the 23rd of April can be considered as one of the most important and popular holidays in Catalonia.

The tradition about the exchange of gifts says that men should offer their girlfriends roses and on the other side, girls should give their “novios” a book in return. The rose-part seems quite obvious if we think that it deals about a couple’s day, but the presenting of books is a way to honor the work of Miguel Cervantes (author of the famous novel “Don Quijote de la Mancha”) who actually died on that same day, April 23rd 1616.                    

If one of you guys wants to give a flower to a girl you should be sure that she really wants a rose because… who said that we girls don’t want a book??? Come on! Why not break with the old tradition! (…and girls, why not give him a rose

The main action takes place on the Ramblas where hundreds of stands with roses and bookstalls are installed. It seems that almost all Spanish florists come to Barcelona to sell their roses, everything  is full of colours. You can furthermore listen to book readings, get a book signed by famous Spanish authors or watch the big variety of musicians and street artists.

Even if you’re not in love or don’t have a “novia” or a “novio”, I’m sure you will enjoy all the other things to do and see around the main scenes.                                                                                   

Anyway, if you are lucky enough to be one of our students and want to know something more about this very popular Catalan tradition, you should participate on Wednesday in our walk through the centre to experience the special authentical atmosphere on Saint Jordi’s Day. Our meeting point is the school at 2:45 pm! Join us!

See you,

Alex

Technorati Tags: Saint George, San Jordi, Traditions Barcelona

Here I am again. I was thinking about an original subject to write about. Well I was thinking about a tipical subject for students: Budget tips!!
You want to do and see a lot here in Barcelona, but you do not want to spend all the money you got, right? So I will give you some tips and places you can go.

Well, like you all probably know, the Spanish Cooking is famous for its Paella. There are different types of paella. If you do not like sea food, you can order a ‘paella’ with meat or vegetables. Or if you like both you can order a ‘mixed paella’. I know a very good restaurant which is very cheap and that I would like to recommend you, where you can eat the best paella! 

The name of the restaurant is: La Fonda. It is situated in a side street of Plaza real: ‘Pasaje Escudellers’ But: if you want to go, you should be there at 20.15 pm, as there is normally a queu to get in, but when the restaurant opens at 20.30 you are garanteed to come in. Just for your information… Of course you can eat other things apart from paella. Just see it for yourselves. You can eat a ‘menu’ (starter, main course and dessert) with drinks for about 17 euros!

Budget tip number 2: Xampaneria

Like I have mentioned before, you should go to a Xampaneria! There are a few of them in Barcelona. It is very nice and typical Spanish! You can order a bottle of Cava for € 2.55. When you buy a bottle you should order 2 tapas dishes, so the total price will be about €6. If you do not want to order tapas, you should buy a glass of cava for about € 0.60. Just be there on time! Because when you arrive at 20h, it will be full already! So have a great afternoon in the Xampañeria! There are a few here in Barcelona. Most popular are the ones at: ‘Calle Montcada’ where the Picasso Museum is located and ‘Reina Cristina’ in the ‘Barceloneta’ area.

Also a good tip, although probably most of you know this. Well, if you want to go to a club and you do not want to pay entrance, you should look for people who distribute free entry cards. You will get free entrance to the club, sometimes even with a free drink!

However, drinks are usually expensive in most of the clubs. Therefore I have another tip for you!

The Chupito Bar 
One of our students gave me this great tip! She went there with a few friends and they had a great night out. And it was cheap; one shot costs about 1.80 euros. This bar serves over 200 different kinds of ´shot´-drinks (chupitos). Most people go there to start off a crazy night out! The people who work there put on a great show to entertain their guests. So I am sure that you will have a great night out! They also serve beer and cocktails. This Chupito Bar is situated at ‘Calle Aribau 77′.

I hope you will have a great weekend with a lot of fun! I am pretty sure you will enjoy it!

See you next week!

Valerie

Technorati Tags: Paella in Barcelona, Barcelona tips, Chupitos in Barcelona, Cheap Barcelona

¿Qué tal?
Time flies when you are having fun. Of course this week we will help you to have fun! Come on and enjoy our great activities!

Monday
Welcome drink for students @ 15.00
The spring is here and our garden is full of flowers to add an special interest to our regular Welcome drink, where you can meet old and new students and start planning all the places and things you want to do! So come on and join it! You will enjoy the great typical Spanish tapas we prepare for you, together with great and cold Sangría!

Tuesday
Workshop: Pronunciation @ 14.45
After this week’s succesful pronunciation workshop, we come with it again, so that all of you have the opportunity to learn how to speak as a real Spanish! Last time it was very popular, so hurry up to confirm your attendance! Our teacher Álex will give you all the tricks.

Wednesday
Let´s go for a lunch @ 14.00
We will have lunch in a typical Catalan restaurant! A ´menu del día´: main course, second, dessert and drinks. Come on and join us if you want to get to know the Catalan cooking! Ask to get your dring in a ‘porrón’ and imitate the locals!

Thursday
Chocolate museum @ 15.00
You want to know what is the sweetest thing in Barcelona?! Then join us to ´the chocolate museum´! You will learn more about the history of chocolate and see a real ‘Sagrada Familia’ made of chocolate!

The visit includes a chocolate tasting with the famous ‘melindros’, so don’t miss this opportunity! 

Friday
Spanish movie: ‘Los otros’ (The others)@ 14.15
You have to see this amazing thriller! It is produced by a Spanish director: Alejandro Amenábar. With the famous actress: Nicole Kidman! A movie full of things you would not expect and scary moments! Are you prepared?

Saturday

Full day excursion to Montserrat and Sitges.

Ask for more details in reception, we are waiting for you!

See you later!

Valerie

Technorati Tags: Chocolate museum Barcelona, Visit Montserrat, Visit Sitges

How are u doin´??
I feel really fine! I enjoy the weather here in Barcelona! It seems to be improving! I hope it stays like this. So people! Put on your T-shirts because the summer begins!
Of course we have soms fascinating activities! Enjoy them!

Monday
Welcome drink @ 15:00
A big welcome to all our new students! If the weather continues like this, you can enjoy a nice glass of Sangría in our beautiful garden, while sitting in the sun! There will also be tipical Spanish tapas. This is a perfect opportunity to get to know other students here at school!

Tuesday
Workshop: Wine tasting
Wine lovers, this is your opportunity to learn how to get the most of your cup of wine! Javier González, a wine ‘connoisseur’ and sommelier, will introduce you to the culture of Spanish wine. In this workshop you will learn how to taste different types of Spanish wines. Very interesting and tasteful!

Wednesday
Workshop: pronunciation
This is the perfect opportunity to improve your Spanish! You will learn more about Spanish pronunciation and phonetics. Last time it was very popular, so hurry up to confirm your attendance!

Thursday
Cuban music at the Jazz Sí Club
Come on and dance!!!! The activity you should not miss! We go to a famous bar here in Barcelona to dance to the rhythm of Cuban music. A favourite between our students.

Friday
Spanish through cinema: ´Invisbles´
This is a beautiful movie. A story of stories. It is about 5 different people and their extraordinary lives. Produced by Javier Bardem with the support of ‘Doctors Without Borders’.

Saturday

Excursion to Figueres, home of Dali and his famous Museum and to the beautiful beach-town of ‘Tossa de Mar’. Two fantastic destinations in a full-day excursion.

Make your reservation at the school soon, as places are limited and are flying!

This will be a great week with nice activities! So come and join us!

See u next time!

Valerie

Technorati Tags: Music in Barcelona, Wine tasting, What to do in Barcelona

Have you already planned what you will be doing the next few weekends? Me I am preparing myself for the Festival Season: Barcelona this year is so full of music festivals you can’t imagine!

Let me tell you a bit of what is coming in the next couple of months so that you can start buying your tickets:

First we have Primavera Sound. This is a very good festival for people who like International alternative pop and rock music. Primavera Sound is popular for having not only the latest but also the legendary bands of the ‘indie’ music scene. This year the line up is ever sooo exciting! Some of the groups playing are PORTISHEAD, TINDERSTICKS, RUFUS WAINWRIGHT, DE LA SOUL, DINOSAUR JR OR PUBLIC ENEMY! It will take place in the last weekend of May. You can find all the information at http://www.primaverasound.com/index.php?sec=home&idioma=en

Most of the main music festivals in Barcelona take place in the Fórum, next to the sea (metro: El Maresme/Fórum - Yellow Line, L4). It’s a very convenient site because it’s very big so there are not problems with people pushing you to get a drink at the bars or in the concerts or queueing for the toilets.

Apart from music festivals, you will also have the chance to enjoy other interesting events in Fórum, like the Feria de Abril, the little sister of the famous Seville April’s Fair, and will take place in just a couple of weeks! It’s the best way to experience such a popular Spanish tradition. Of course it is not as big as in Seville, but it attracts thousands of people!

Going back to music festivals, just after Primavera Sound there is another chance for you to visit the Fórum for the Daydream Festival. Basically, Radiohead is playing in Barcelona so they have taken the opportunity to invite other groups and turned it into a festival. You can find all the information at http://www.daydream-festival.com/

Well, apart from these festivals, there are other very big ones coming that I will tell you about another day: Sónar and Summercase (the biggest one), in June and July. You can find all the information at http://www.sonar.es/portal/eng/home.cfm and http://www.summercase.com/indexen.html 

And don’t forget that you can go to a great concert in Barcelona every week. Some of the big ones coming are Ian Brown, Avril Lavigne, Backstreet Boys, James Blunt or Morcheeba!

I think you can start planning already… If you need any advice, just let me know!

Jordi

Technorati Tags: music festivals barcelona, primavera sound, feria abril barcelona

Here I am, introducing myself to all of you!

I am Gemma, and I have just started working in Camino Barcelona School!

This is my first blog and I am pretty excited and nervous

I have been here for almost two months but unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to enjoy this magic city as I would have liked!

But now, that I am almost settled here, with a job and an house (It was hard, but I got off!), I have started going out and sightseeing and, trust me, there is a lot to do here!!! 

Up to know I saw few areas, here called ‘Barrio’, and I can say that my favourite one is Barri Gothic, with its particular shops, its narrow and small streets always animated by street artists… lovely!              

All around Barcelona you can find something really fascinating: from the old buildings to Gaudi’s houses, from art galleries to sunny parks, and obviously, the sea!

Actually this is one reason for which I moved here! I love swimming, sunbathing and relaxing on the beach, reading a book, listening to music: this is life!       

But try not to get too much tired doing lots of things during daytime, because Barcelona is even more alive at night!

Last Friday I went to a disco-pub, Alfa, in Gràcia… wow… what a fun! If you like ’80s music I really suggest you to go there!

I will be pleased to recommend you some nice restaurants next time… I hope to have a chance to go out for dinner this weekend

Have a nice week and Hasta pronto!

Gemma

Technorati Tags: Going out Barcelona, Tourism Barcelona, Restaurant Barcelona

I hope you have had a fabulous Easter weekend! Me, I went to a city near Barcelona just to relax a bit.

It has been too long since I wrote in our blog for the last time, I was missing it! I was thinking about a good thing to write and suddenly I remembered one of the most repeated questions we get in the school reception desk: Where can we go for lunch/dinner today?

Taking into account that we are in the very city centre of Barcelona and that the available options are endless, I try to recommend students nice restaurants and bars to eat or drink which are on the way to their accommodation. And as most of our students stay now in our Superior apartments I normally tell them a good place on the way from the school to there. Superior accommodation is just 10 minutes walk from here, but there are plenty of options on the way!

For example, one of my favourites is ‘CANELA’, a restaurant with the best ingredients of Mediterranean food and a creative and modern touch. The best, apart from the neat decoration and service, is the price! It’s very cheap, and they have a great ‘menú del día’ with lots of choices for 9,90 euros only, including starter, main course, 1 drink, dessert and bread! It’s on 16 Aribau street, off Diputación street. Very nice for both lunch and dinner!

Just around the corner, on 23 Enrique Granados street just before Aragón street, you will find the amazing ‘FLAMANT‘. From the outside, you will never think that it is as big and impressive as it is! It looks like a room taken from a XIX century palace, with very nice mirrors and columns here and there. The food is very good too, mixing Mediterranean with International cooking. It’s good for either group or romantic dinners, so it’s up to you!

Finally, I also wanted to take the chance on telling you about the two restaurants that we use for our catered option of our Superior accommodation, just around the corner from the buiding. One is called ‘EL BIERZO A TOPE’, on 159 Diputación street, a typical Spanish restaurant with all sorts of tapas and very nice ‘menú del día’ with more than 10 different starters and 10 different main courses to choose from everyday for just 9 euros, including 1 drink and dessert. Food is traditionally Spanish and very varied.

The other one is called ‘EL MENJAR DE L’AVIA’, and it’s a little takeaway place with quality Spanish food. You can take a ‘menú del día’ for just 5,80 euros, and eat it in your flat with the other students. There are 3 choices for starters and 3 for main courses that change everyday. Their ‘tortilla de patatas’ is the best in town!

I hope you have enough information to keep you full for a while!

Rocio

Technorati Tags: restaurantes eixample barcelona, good restaurants barcelona, superior accommodation barcelona,

How are you?

I am sure you all have made your plans for the long weekend of 21st March until 24th! For the people who need a little bit of inspiration, I think I  can give you some greath tips! So I make sure that nobody will be bored in this weekend.

I will go back to Holland for a few days, to visit my family! I am realy looking forward to it! For the people who stay in Barcelona, will be a lot of options. You can go out on Thursday, because you do not have to stand up early for school! There are a lot of good clubs in Barcelona were you can go on Thursday night.

I’ll just give you a few examples where you can go. Along the beach seaside there are a lot of diferent clubs!
If you like house and electro music, you should go to ‘Shoko or Opium’. These are very nice clubs with this kind of music. However, you can also chill out for a while if the dancing gets you tired! There are a lot of seats outside and inside the club, so you can relax while watching the sea.
If you are more fund of R&B Music, Catwalk will be a great club. The music (upstairs) is a mix of R&B, oldschool, hiphop, reggea and dancehall. It is really nice and I am sure you will enjoy yourselves!
These clubs are all located at the ‘Playa Olimpica’ area, where there also lots of restaurants for dinner. Basically, you could spend the whole day and night in this area! During daytime, enjoy the beach. Evening time, fancy a paella by the sea or in the ‘Olympic Port’? Night time, we told you about a few places, but here you can also find a list of other clubs which are very nice!

Remember that on Saturday you can join the excursion to Montserrat and the ‘Cavas Freixenet’ and see how ‘Cava’ is made in one of the most famous ‘Cava’ cellars in Catalonia.

I hope you enjoy your weekend. See you next week!

Valerie

Technorati Tags: Discos in Barcelona, Going out Barcelona, Clubs in Barcelona