Barcelona is called to be one of the beloved cities for a lot of people, including stars. Just remember the recent movie of the famous film director Woody Allen with the same name as the city, which was cast by Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz. The director makes no secret that this film was the result of his love for Barcelona.
And if you ever decide to experience the charms of Barcelona, then why not to try celebrating the New Year’s Eve here? Here is one of the best options possible to celebrate 2011 in the capital of Catalonia.
Hotel
How can you celebrate New Year in Barcelona? You can wake up on a sunny morning on December 31 in a nice hotel, go out to the balcony to find that on the street you have 15-degree heat, and on the balconies of nearby buildings there are green palm trees, and nothing in the world does give you a hint about winter!
Most of the travel agencies say that your hotel is located close to the center or at one of the major tourist centers. Do not believe, to the center (a true center – a pedestrian boulevard of Las Ramblas), you can get here from everywhere else on the subway, as the station is very close. But a number is a great area of Spain which are more impressive with singing fountains and Station Barcelona Sants, one of two major stations in the city. The hotels here are nicer and match their category.
Cheap Barcelona hotels are the Palace (formerly the legendary Ritz), Arts Barcelona, Majestic and the Rey Juan Carlos I. But the cost of living in them, too, is rather high in Holiday Seasons, especially in the New Year period.
City Tour
After breakfast, it is desirable to go on to a guided tour of the city. If Madrid places painfully reminiscent of Paris, then it can not be said of Barcelona. It does not look like any European city, and even Spain, much as Venice does not like either one of Italian cities. So if you expect the Spanish flavor with crowds of macho – bullfighters and flamenco dancers, gloomy Catholic cathedrals on every corner, huge Moorish mosques, whitewashed walls of residential buildings, you’ll be surprised, none of the above can be found here, but not get disappointed. Because in Barcelona can be found everything else which is not present anywhere else.
Barcelona, capital of Catalonia (Catalonia – one of 17 autonomous regions of Spain) and the “second capital” of Spain – is a thing in itself, which absorbs the features of many cultures, but as an extremely independent region it issues a completely original product that is very attractive for tourists.
What is the excursion? To learn all about Gaudi. Great architect Antoni Gaudí did for Barcelona as much as any thing even Alexander Gustave Eiffel for Paris. Gaudi was not limited to a single creation, but left his hometown several residential buildings, each of which is worthy of a separate book, a magnificent park Guell and, of course, the world-famous cathedral, the Sagrada Familia. About this cathedral there are multiple writings, but writing and talking about it will go on for a long time, because it is still not finished. Unbookish tourists it usually affected the most. They particularly get surprised when they learn that the council plans to finish it in the most rosy estimations until 2026! And all of this because the building continues solely on private donations from individuals.
Creativity of Gaudi razes the roof – these curved lines, odd shapes and unexpected colors and numerous allusions that resemble fairy tale … brought to life. But unlike the works of his compatriot Salvador Dali, Gaudi’s world is not repelled, but impressed by the presence of natural harmony. If Dali – a dark magician, the Gaudi – certainly light, drawing inspiration from the natural way, a bright adherent biomorph. In nature there is no geometric lines – and in the architecture of Gaudi, they are almost nonexistent. To see this, you need to visit the home of Battle (Casa Batlló), or “house of bones”, as locals call it. Half museum, half of dwelling house, it turns out Paseig de Gracia in a place of pilgrimage for tourists. It’s really a miracle building resembling a dragon. On the same street there is no less famous Gaudi Casa Milà – wavy facade, with windows caves, castle in the sand, subsequently inspired many European and American architects.
New Year’s Barcelona
After the tour and nice walking along the deserted streets of the city what is striking to the heart, is the fact that almost nothing like that in a few hours clock strikes 12 and the New Year is there!A very popular decoration overlooking the street windows and balconies is creeping up the steps toy Santa Claus, who tries to deliver gifts to the children.
There are no loud companies, dressed trees, bins and toys, explosions of firecrackers – the peace and quiet, though the city is still waiting for something wonderful… This mysterious custom is coming from Mediterranean traditions.
Yes, there is still the sea! Instead of exploring the unadorned properly streets you can go directly to the beach, past the snowy harbor, the waterfront. Earliest beaches of Barcelona – it’s Sant Sebastià and Barceloneta. Winter swimming in the sea just surfers, but what a pleasure – to breathe fresh sea air at the end of December! Mediterranean Sea – the best Christmas decoration of Barcelona.
Singing Fountains
Explore the city would be good to finish when visiting the Singing Fountains. Even if you have heard, as they can sing these wonderful facilities in other cities, it is still worth visiting the show.
Fontan operates since 1929. While this project seems unreal. 3000 people work over the project each year, and a miracle happens! Magic Fountain of Montjuic in Barcelona from the hill – it’s mesmerizing water, sound, shape and color, it’s just a powerful experience. Describing the idea is meaningless, so it’s best, as they say, to see it once.
New Year dinner
If you have time after the guided tour and walking through the streets and seeing the fountains, it’s the best time to dress for New Year dinner, and this deserves a separate story. So hurry up.
In itself, the phrase “New Year’s dinner with flamenco” is mellifluous and is already enchanting for tourists. However, we must admit frankly that the flamenco, performed for tourists, and flamenco that dances to any known restaurant-club for the Spaniards, not to mention the legendary theater devoted solely to this dance, these are two completely different things. However, in order to understand how you can perceive it in reality is incredibly serious and profound art form.. Even in simplified form, it is really nice and incendiary, as required for New Year’s dinner.
It’s funny to see the New Year several times. Due to differences in time for the first time the glasses were raised at 10 pm, along with Moscow, then in 11 special guests from the Baltic states, and then in the local midnight.
Wonderful custom is in Spain. With each stroke of hours you should eat one grape, while dreaming a wish, each of which will certainly come true next year. Twelve grapes, one for each hit, you get advance … And imagine what you must have quick response to a second catch and swallow the berry, and remember what you actually wanted to ask for?
I bet you’ll agree that Barcelona is one of the best places to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
