Mojitos

Bar Electric is an old Barcelona standby. There is music on at this Gracia-based bar every night of the week, and while the concerts are not always promised to be good, I like that they can nevertheless be counted on. I’ve been to some inspired shows at Electric, and to others that bored me to the point that I left and went and sat at the bar. I think on that particular night the concert had turned into something of a sing-along, which could be fun, but I wasn’t into it because I don’t speak Portuguese and didn’t know all the words.

If the show is lame at Electric, it’s no big deal, because the cover is never more that 5.00 Euros. I may have paid 3.00 for the sing-along. Depending on what kind of crowd they expect, there could be tables in the concert area, or not. If you want to try to get a chair you need to get in there early, because there is not much space.

Sometimes I have met friends at Electric and we have not made it into the concert, the bar lively enough as it is. Beers are not too expensive, and they also mix up a mean Mojito. This is a place with a Bohemian vibe…you know the kind: mismatched furniture, art on the walls for sale, smoke in the air, Manu Chao on the speakers and dreadlocks at the bar.

Music in Barcelona

More:

See the line up and how to get there online here: http://www.electricbarcelona.com/

Price: Concerts from 3 to 6 Euros, beers about 2.50 Euros.

Photo Credit: Oh-Barcelona and Pedro RJ

Beach Bars Day and Night in Barcelona

Officially, it is still springtime until the 23rd of June in Barcelona, a date that is celebrated like no other with the Festivals of San Juan. However, looking around Barcelona these days, it sure does look like the summertime. Women are in bikinis on the beaches, tourists are sunburned, sun-umbrellas wave in the sea breeze, and the beach bars are open for business.

Only a few beach bars are open so far, and soon more will line the Barcelona shoreline, providing sunbathers set up nearby with tunes (this can be a good or a bad thing depending on your musical taste) and cold drinks. These beach bars are open all day for the beach crowd but also stay open at night, just like a regular bar would. These sandy bars are fantastic for meeting up with friends for margaritas or just a simple beer on a Friday night.

Barceloneta Beach

Princesa 23 has one of the most conspicuous beach bars in Barcelona. Right in the middle of Barcelontea beach, this is one of the most frequented beach bars around. They do food along with drinks, and their menu is basically a toned down version of the bar food they offer at their permanent restaurant in El Born. I have two issues with Princesa 23: it is a bit overpriced, and you must keep an eye out for pickpockets here.

Still, if you feel it is worth it to pay a bit more to have the sand between your toes and a glass of cava sangria between your lips, then this beach bar is for you. Tie your purse to your body tightly, and have a good time! How to find this bar? Simply walk down Joan de Borbo Street from the Barceloneta Metro stop until you get to the seashore. Hang a left (don’t go right unless you want to get to the nude beach) walking away from the looming W Hotel. After about three minutes walking you will see Princesa 23 on you right in all its glory in the sand.

More:

Price range : about 15 Euros per person or more. A drink will start at about 3 Euros.

The permanent Princesa 23 is located at:

Princesa, 23, Barcelona, 08003

Photo Credit: The Spain Scoop

Fire Festivals in Catalonia

When I think Spain, I think fiesta. No one knows how to party like the Spanish. They throw parties for days, eat at 11pm and find nothing more normal than staying out until 5am. I have lost count of the number of times that Spanish friends of mine have exclaimed as I excused myself to go home, ‘Where are you going? It’s still early!’ No I usually answer, it is 4am, that’s not so early for me.

When I think of Spain I can imagine its regions by their parties. The flamenco, horse and religious festivals of the south. The running of the bulls and music festivals of the north. The fire festivals of the east. Spain’s Mediterranean side seems to produce pyromaniacs, and these pyros in turn have created an immense number of festivals to show off their pyrotechnics. There are the Corre Focs in Barcelona, where ‘devils’ run through the streets with fireworks, shooting them every which way and there is also San Juan, which is the only day when bonfires and fireworks are legal on the beaches.

Next month, from June 2nd to 6th, is the Patum de Berga, which is yet another fire-fest, and one of the most impressive. Berga is a small town in rural Catalonia, so going to the Patum will take some effort, To enjoy the fire displays and party, you will want to spend the night in a hotel or even camp nearby. Every day from Wednesday the 2nd to Sunday, there are back-to-back activities including parades with the Giant People (a must see), activities for kids, and contests. At night is the fireworks display and Saturday in particular is a good day to experience this local, traditional and slightly pagan festival.

It is hard to describe just how much fire there is and how close this fire is to the festival goers. For a visual check out this video on the Berga Tourism site. The fire displays on Saturday go from about 7pm until eleven, and afterwards there is live music (three bands – rock and roll).

Like all town festivals in Spain, the Patum de Berga is free. All you need to bring is some cash for food, drinks, and maybe some protective gear to shield you from the falling sparks. Good luck!

More On the Patum de Berga: http://www.lapatum.cat/

Photo Credit:http: motiqua

Many musicians take the stage this summer at Festival Grec

Barcelona offers up quite a spread of music, theater and entertainment from May to September. The city is always bustling with artistic happenings, but the summertime is especially good. This summer some of the best dates and festivals to look forward to are: San Juan (23 June), Festival Grec (June to August) and the Feste Major de Gracia (August).

Dance performance in Barcelona

More on San Juan and the Festes de Gracia in another post, today I want to talk about Grec. This is an amazing city-wide festival that celebrates the performing arts for a month and a half. The Grec brings international and local artists to the stages of Barcelona, and depending on the show, tickets to events range from free to expensive. If an artist is particularly famous, it is not uncommon for the Grec show to sell out (this has happened to me a couple of times so buy in advance!).

As I mentioned before, the festival is held in many venues. However, try to see a show at the Teatre Grec, which is outdoors and gorgeous on a warm summer evening. For a full listing of Festival Grec shows see the schedule here. The festival begins the 13th of June and goes until the 1 of August, 2010.

More:

Official website

You can also get info on Grec at the tourist information office on Plaza Cataluna

Photo Credit: The Spain Scoop