Real Estate Scams are quite common in Barcelona and it can be complicated to tell if people are trying to scam you or not. In this article, you will read about people who were scammed in Barcelona and get useful advice on how to avoid certain ads on the internet.

Everything you should avoid in real estate offers on Internet!

Cheap and Amazing

Usually, if you find an extraordinarily cheap apartment, with an amazing location (either in the heart of the city or near to the beach),which is newly renovated with a lot of features, it can be a scam. If something seems too good to be true, it is often the case and you might end up disappointed. These two stories below will give you some insight into how certain kinds of scams work. A girl we know found a 2-bedroom apartment on the internet, which was well located in the city for only 500€ per month (well below the average price for such an apartment). She called the number on the ad and the person who picked up claimed he was an agent. They set up a visit for the day after. The visit went as planned and the apartment was up to the standards of the pictures. She liked it and decided to proceed. The supposed ‘agent’ told her to meet him in a café the day after the visit with the money to sign the contract and receive the keys. She went to the cafe with the money (2-month deposit + agency fees) as asked and signed the contract. The ‘agent’ then gave her the keys of the apartment, but guess what? She went to the flat and SURPRISE! She couldn’t open the door, which then made her realize that the keys were indeed fake. This person was neither an agent nor the owner but most likely the current tenant of the apartment looking to make some fast money in illegitimate ways. One of our former SuiteLife interns also got scammed.  She thought she found the perfect apartment and went ahead with renting it from somebody she thought was the owner. What she didn’t know was that the contract was in fact fake. A couple days later she moved into the apartment but what happened later wasn’t usual. Two days after she moved in, a person arrived saying he rented the apartment from the owner as well and was granted approval to move into the flat on that day. They both decided to live together in the apartment (it was a 2-bedroom apartment) until they could solve the problem. In the following days people showed up at the apartment saying they rented it from the owner as well. Eventually everyone realized they got scammed and that the person from who they rented the apartment was the actual tenant who decided to rent the apartment to several people simultaneously and leave the country with whatever money he got.

Photos that are not in Barcelona

This advice only works with the assistance of a real estate expert in Barcelona. SuiteLife’s founder Benny can usually tell from the photos if the flat is in Barcelona from the flat characteristics. Light switches or electric outlets in Barcelona apartments are unique, which often provides hints. Ask an expert who will be able to spot this.

Lack of specific information

It’s normal for agencies not to always disclose the full address due to security reasons. Additionally, agencies don’t want other agencies to find the owner of the apartment and become the new intermediary. But be careful! If you don’t have at least the neighbourhood or street, it could be a scam. I myself, whilst searching for flats online, noticed some strange practices. I went for a visit, however found out that it wasn’t the same flat I saw online and that the owner simply used the ad to lure people into another flat, which was completely different. Besides the location, pay special attention to all the information concerning the amount of money you will have to pay before moving in such as security deposits, agency fees and first months’ rent.

Too much information

Not enough information is not good but keep in mind that if someone gives you too much information about why they have the flat, their personal lives or more, it gives you reason to be suspicious. I wrote to someone about an apartment I saw on the internet to have more information and to know if I could visit it. The person answered to my mail immediately (which you would think is a good thing) telling me that she was so happy that I contacted her about the flat. She then went onto telling me everything about her life: “I bought this flat for my daughter because she was a student here for many years and I thought it cold be a good investment to have a property in Barcelona but now she is back home in Poland with me” At that point I was sure it was a scam but just to see how far she will go, I replied to her email and that’s where she told me: “You understand I am in Poland and I want to rent the apartment as fast as possible so I don’t know if I will be able to do a visit with you. I might have to send you the keys from abroad and for that you will have to pay through a very safe platform on the internet. I have other pictures of the flat if you need but as I am not there I can’t give you the exact address because I don’t want people to know where the is a flat when nobody is there. I hope you understand…” She wanted me to pay for an apartment I didn’t see and provide the money to someone I didn’t even meet once that is not even an official broker. No thanks! People tend to place all their trust in the hands of untrustworthy ‘owners’ simply due to their situation. They might be desperate to find something fast and think in an uncritical manor because they want to believe that the offer is real.

Other true stories about scams that happened in Barcelona!

A SuiteLife employee’s friend was once coming back home after a party. He was walking in the street when a prostitute approached him and was being forceful. He pushed her away and continued walking home. When he arrived at his door, he couldn’t find his keys. He first thought he lost them during the night but then he figured out what happened. He went back to the prostitute and told her to give the keys back, which she eventually did. This is a quite common story in Barcelona. They work in groups and target mostly drunk people because usually they’ll believe they lost their keys and will sleep over at a friend’s place. But the day after, when they finally enter their apartment, they find out that items were stolen. This was not a rental scam story but thieves are everywhere in Barcelona!

Advice to detect and prevent falling for real estate scams in Barcelona!

Little checklist before signing contracts

• Check if the energy meter is already set up because if it isn’t you might lose a lot of money.
• Put the exact number that appeared on the meter the day you moved in; if you don’t, the company will take an approximate number and can overestimate your consumption.
• Check the length of the contract carefully
• Look if the community fees will be paid by you or by the owner.

Never send money to receive keys!

It might seem obvious to some people but when you trust the person and like the apartment, you occasionally don’t hesitate to send large quantities of money to receive keys that of course, you’ll NEVER receive. Check the apartment the day you move in Be careful to know exactly what works and what doesn’t and make sure the owner of the apartment you rent from makes a list of what is defective in the flat. By doing that, you will be quite sure the owner (or the agency) will give you your security deposit back.

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I hope this article will help you find an apartment without being scammed in Barcelona! Keep in mind that there can be other types of scams. This article does not contain all of them so be careful and count on SuiteLife to find the right apartment for you! If you want to share your own experience or warn us about other kinds of real estate scams, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below! Jenny’

The best craft beer in Barcelona

Over the past year all around the world the demand for home crafted and special crafted beer has been increasing rapidly. Of course Barcelona could not stay behind and many beer lovers started to create places where people can enjoy amazing craft beer in Barcelona with delicious tapas and other food. Below you will find a selection of 10 bars of which I think they should be on your list to visit while you are in Barcelona.

BierCab ( A beer and food paradise )

As it is the first craft beer bar I stumbled on to I must say that this is my favorite place to enjoy a good craft beer in Barcelona. As I walked into this bar I directly noticed the cool designed ceiling which is covered in wooden sticks. The bar offers 30 beers on tap which can be found on a screen which can change per day. Besides the 30 beers on tap the bar also offers another book with bottled beers which can be more expensive than bottles of champagne. Also Biercab has an amazing food menu. The last time when visiting the bar we ended up ordering up to 12 tapas dishes for 4 people. I would definitely recommend the IPA beers ( they are amazing ) Location: Calle Muntaner, 55, 08011 Barcelona

bELchiCA (Best Belgian beers in town)

Belchica offers a wide range of Belgian beers for a fair price as most beers will set you back about 2 to 5 euro’s. Belchica is loved by Belgians, locals and tourists. I would recommend visiting Belchica with some friends to watch a football game or enjoy open mic and rock concerts. This is the place to be for Belgian craft beer in Barcelona as I even heard Belgian visitors saying that the quality and taste was amazing.  One of my favorites here is the IPA PUNK. location: Carrer de Villarroel, 60, 08011 Barcelona

Brewdog

BrewDog offers an amazing atmosphere inside the bar. With some amazing drawing on the walls and an amazing selection of craft beers. The staff in brew dog knows what they are doing and can help you with choosing the right beer for you as for first timers this can sometimes take quite a while. If even their assistance won’t convince you to chose a beer there is always the option to take the 5 taster glasses at the bar. location: Carrer de Casanova, 69, 08011 Barcelona

La Cerveteca (For the bottle lover)

La cerveteca is perfect to stop for a quick beer or if you want to chose a nice beer to enjoy at home. The bar offers a wide range of bottled beers from all over. One of the downsides of the bar is that they do not offer any real food BUT of course they have TAPAS! Location: Carrer d'en Gignàs, 25, 08002 Barcelona

NaparBcn ( Barcelona’s first gastro-brewpub )

NaparBcn offers more than just beer, NaparBcn offers a wide range of craft beers, amazing food and also an incredible atmosphere as the bar is decorated beautifully. The decoration in the bar is modern with an authentic brewery touch as in the bar you can see the actual brewing process going on. I would really recommend taking some friends here or maybe even a date if you want to impress her with your knowledge of craft beer. Location: Carrer de la Diputació, 223, 08011 Barcelona

Ale & Hop ( El Borne’s best beer)

Ale & hop as said above is located in El Borne, the bar offers a small area in the front where guests can enjoy some beers while standing at the bar or in front of the bar in the street. Further in the back of the bar there is another area where you can sit if you also want to enjoy some diner in combination with your beer. During after-work hours the bar is usually crowded as students and professionals come here to relax. Location: Carrer de les Basses de Sant Pere, 10, 08003 Barcelona

Kӕlderkold (Ambient temperature)

Men listen, If you want to drink some quality craft beer in Barcelona but have problems to convince your girlfriend or partner to join you this is your chance. Kӕlderkold offers the perfect bait to attract females, beer cocktails. The bar offers a great atmosphere and great beer. This bar is also perfectly located as it is just off La Ramblas so its perfect to get away from the touristic streets for a while. Location: Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, 7, 08002 Barcelona

Garage beer Co. (Amazing chilled vibe)

Garage beer Co. is a great place to have a nice craft beer in barcelona, the bar has some nice places to sit and the service is really friendly. The bar offers a nice uncommercial vibe to enjoy your beer in peace. Also the bar offers some good food to enjoy together with your craft beer.  This bar is perfect to go for a relax evening with friends, enjoy the atmosphere and some amazing beers. Location: Carrer del Consell de Cent, 261, 08011 Barcelona

Black Lab (Brewhouse & Kitchen)

Black Lab offers some very, very good beer and food on their menu. Black lab is located on the corner of Barcelona's harbor. This location makes it perfect to stop by after coming from the beach and feel like having a delicious snack or diner and some craft beers before heading home. While standing in the bar visitors can actually see the brewing process going on inside the large metal tanks behind the bar. Location: Palau del Mar, Plaça Pau Vila, 1, 08039 Barcelona

Quimet & Quimet

This place is great! Quimet & Quimet is amazing , this bar offers some really amazing tapas even locals make their way for to the bar. The tapas in this place are made right in front of you which gives that feeling of authenticity to the bar and food you order. besides all this mos important is of course the beer, also this at Quimet & Quimet is really good. I have tried many of their beers and have not had a single one I did not enjoy drinking. Location: Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25, 08004 Barcelona
We at SuiteLife hope that this post has helped you to find a bar worth to spend the night in Barcelona or just have a quick stop before really going crazy during the night in Barcelona. Which bar did you like the most or did you find an another great place for craft beer in Barcelona? Let us know in the comments below and we will see if we can feature it above. Samuel-

9 Extraordinarily Expensive Properties in Barcelona!

The most expensive properties in Barcelona are true eye candy for anyone that loves real estate. Check out the architecturally stunning properties and try to not drool on your computer! Barcelona has all different types of properties ranging from new, contemporary homes to old, gothic homes.

9. Apartment in Barcelona for 3,500,000 Euros

This apartment in Barcelona is about half as expensive as the next one, but I felt it was worth your time. It is a unique, contemporary apartment with bright lighting and colors. The vibrant artwork makes this apartment intriguing and fun with an edgy feel to it. Some other features that interested me was the lighting over the dining table and also the accent walls behind the beds.

8. Home overlooking Barcelona for 7,950,000 Euros

This home has been renovated, but still kept the old character and charm of the original home. The views of the city from the home and the expansive patio are breath taking. One feature of the home that I like the most are the stained windows. The green cabinets in the kitchen and the wine cellar also add charm to the home that is different than other homes.

7. Contemporary Penthouse in Barcelona for 8,400,000 Euros

This extraordinary penthouse would be anyone dream place to live. It is equipped with a private pool on a large terrace, a steam room, a workout room and much more. My favorite parts about this penthouse are the grand entryway, the pool, and the living room. The terrace with the private pool would be a great place to watch the sunset with some friends and have a few drinks.

6. Spanish Ocean-Front Home for 8,500,000 Euros

This Spanish home is placed right on the water. It has an expansive patio and beautiful pool. My favorite parts of this home are the view and the pool. Can you imagine waking up and having a coffee on that patio every morning with the sea breeze gently blowing around you?

5. Contemporary home for 8,500,000 Euros

This home is architecturally stunning. It has an open concept floor plan and many unique features. They used more of an industrial style flooring in parts of the home and added contemporary finishes to make this home all come together. The back yard also has a contemporary feeling with the terraced lawn and pool. I really like the design of the outside with the metal accents.

4. French Estate for 10,000,000 Euros

This old French estate has all the charm you could ever want. There is no questioning why this estate is on the list of expensive properties in Barcelona! Between the beams on the ceiling, the design of the outside, and and perfectly manicured grounds, this estate will have you speechless. My favorite parts about this house are the vines crawling up the side of the house, the pool, and the gardens.

3. Contemporary Apartment for 10,008,000 Euros

Every detail of this apartment was thought out thoroughly. The whole apartment is controlled by an iPad and has all custom furniture. For me, it was hard to pick only a couple favorite things, can you choose only two? The apartment also has a large outdoor area off of the living room that makes it a great place to entertain. Before you check the photos out, make sure to take a seat because you will be blown away!

2. Castle in Barcelona for 19,500,000 Euros

Who wouldn’t want their very own castle? With the outside keeping its older charm and the inside updated with high end finishes, this is the perfect castle for any new age King/Queen. Between the indoor pool with grotto, the vineyard, and spa facilities, this castle is the ultimate relaxation place. The castle is set up to be a house, hotel, or both at the same time. This property is very versatile, which makes it all the better. My favorite parts of this property are the indoor pool and the vineyard. Could you see yourself sitting on a throne?

1. Contemporary Estate for 19,800,000 Euros!

The last estate on the list of expensive properties in  Barcelona is truly amazing. This contemporary estate is eye candy for any architect lover. The exterior is beautiful with a tile finish throughout. The expansive deck with floor to ceiling windows/doors leading to the living room makes this mansion the perfect place to have people over! I love how the outside is a simple neutral tile, but the shape of the house makes it very sophisticated.

I hope you enjoyed looking at these extraordinary homes! I had a great time looking through the expensive real estate of Barcelona and all it has to offer on the market right now! -Jack

Banning cars from Barcelona's streets

The city of Barcelona is planning to make some changes in the infrastructure and they are really cool and necessary. One of the reasons behind this project is that the city of Barcelona can't keep up with air quality standards of the EU. The cause of this as you can probably imagine are cars, taxi's and more cars. To fight this problem the city counsel of Barcelona has collaborated with the “Urban Ecology Agency” to design a solution for the city. The result of this are SuperBlocks which will eliminate the use of many roads throughout the city to create a healthier and more pleasant living environment for the inhabitants of Barcelona. The official starting date of The SuperBlock project is not known yet. But what we do know is that it will be somewhere in 2017. At first the city will begin by creating one SuperBlock in the district of Example. Other SuperBlocks have been sketched out in Les Corts, Hostafrancs, Poblenou and in the area around Glòries.

What are SuperBlocks?

The concept of SuperBlocks is actually quite simple and low cost.  Where a street block normally exists out of one building block (about 600 inhabitants) a SuperBlock will exists out of nine blocks of houses where roads within the SuperBlocks will be transformed and will only be used by pedestrians, bikes and destination traffic. Each SuperBlock will cover an area of about 400x400 meters with around 5000 - 6000 inhabitants per SuperBlock. The only motorized traffic that will still be allowed within the SuperBlock is destination traffic such as inhabitants of the SuperBlock, taxi's and delivery trucks at a maximum speed of 10 km per hour. This way there will barely be any traffic inside the SuperBlocks which will make the streets a lot more accessible for pedestrians.

What impact will this transformation have on the quality of life in Barcelona?

This transformation will have many positive effects on the city. One of the most obvious ones is that in the future there will be less traffic throughout the city due to the fact that by constructing these SuperBlocks up to 60% of existing roads will be closed to normal traffic. According to the new mobility plan of the city the amount of traffic can be reduced by 21% after the SuperBlocks will be finished. Besides that the amount of traffic will be reduced dramatically, the health of the city will also have a strong increase. By closing down a good amount of public roads to normal traffic there will also be 160 new squares in the city which will all have to be given a new function. Many of these squares will be transformed into green parks to increase the air quality of Barcelona. The increase of green within the city’s urban areas in combination with the reduced amount of cars will have a huge impact on the air quality of Barcelona. But this is not the only option for these newly created squares will turn into. Other examples are: playgrounds, places to get together or to play sports. Also restaurants will be able to expand their exterior seating area were the roads used to be. One of the benefits of creating new functions for the squares is that it will stimulate social cohesion within the SuperBlocks which will make Barcelona a better city to live in. In my opinion one of the biggest benefits of this plan is the reduction of noise since this is a major problem for Barcelona. this is due to its many cars and narrow streets Barcelona is an incredibly loud city. According to a report of The Guardian 61% of the population of Barcelona lives in an environment that does not meet the requirements set by the health legislation. Besides this the amount of of square meters per inhabitant will also have a strong increase. Currently, in neighbourhoods like Eixample each inhabitant has as little as 1.85 square meters of green space which doesn't even get close to cities like Amsterdam which has up t0 87.5 Square meters per inhabitant.

What impact will this have on the way of traveling in Barcelona?

By reducing the amount of cars in streets there will be more space for pedestrians but also for other ways or transport such as bikes, scooters and other modern personal electric ways of transport, such as Hoover Boards or Segways. To be able to create space for these ways of transport the the current amount of bike lanes will be tripled, this will add up to approximately 300 kilometers  throughout the city which will make traveling by bike or other means through Barcelona a lot more pleasant. Besides the changes in personal transport Public transport will also become a more effective way of traveling through the city. The Orthogonal bus network which has already been implemented throughout the city in combination with these SuperBlocks will ensure that waiting times for buses will go down from 14 minutes to an average of 5 minutes and no matter where you are in the city a bus stop will always be within 300 meters of your location. All of this will make it more attractive to use public transport over using your own car. For pedestrians walking through the city will also become a lot faster due to the fact that there will be a lot less traffic lights you would otherwise be waiting for.

The effect SuperBlocks will have on real estate.

Making changes in the infrastructure doesn't only effect the way we move through the city but I also has an effect on the prices of Property. By creating SuperBlocks and taking away traffic from the streets and filling these with green spaces the streets will transform to be a lot calmer and less noisy. These changes will tremendously effect the value of houses and apartments which are located within these new SuperBlocks. Quality green spaces increase commercial rents and property prices too. A report of the "GLA" in 2003 suggested that a 1% increase in green space in a typical London ward led to 0.3 – 0.5% rise in average house price  Properties will become more attractive for young families due to the newly created spaces where their children will be able to play without the danger of fast traffic.

Similar projects from around the World!

Barcelona of course is not the first city in the world that has started doing a project as this. There are many cities around the globe where they are reducing traffic and creating pedestrian spaces. Most of these projects have started between 2000 and 2010 as more and more cities started to realize motorized traffic would slowly disappear in the near future as public transport is becoming a more useful way to get around the city. Besides the fact that the quality of living increased in these places, the economy also had a boost. This is due to that pedestrian areas are more attractive for stores and restaurants. Take New York city for example, after implementing better cross-sections, increasing pedestrian comfort and improving cycle facilities some areas have had and a increase in sales from 30% up-to 105% in some areas of the city.
Looking at all the changes the SuperBlocks will make I think the city council of Barcelona is well on its way to making Barcelona a better city to live in. With a big decrease in motorized transport and a strong increase in green spaces throughout the entire city the city will become a healthier and more pleasant place to live. The expected rise in house prices and possible economic boost also make it more interesting to start investing in this amazing city. Did you find this blog interesting and want to read more about similar projects around the world where cities are planning to go car free then be sure to check out the following cities: Oslo, Madrid , Brussels and other pedestrian friendly cities in Europe. Or do you just want to read more of the blogs on our page then read on and explore Barcelona by Blogs Samuel-

The SuiteLife weekend blog Vol 1.  - Art from Barcelona

After walking through the streets for endless hours looking at all the famous touristic attractions I started noticing all these small stores, bars and other places which are highly underrated and deserve a lot more exposure than they are getting. For this reason we at SuiteLife are creating a new weekend findings blog where we will expose these amazing stores and venues to you. This Saturday afternoon I headed over to El Born because I was in desperate need of a new pair of shoes and had already spotted Al Carrer skates shop. On the way to the store still feeling hungover of the night before we were also craving some quality fast food, we ended up in a super small but great restaurant where we ate some amazing piadina at Santa Piadina. After having fuelled up for some shopping we walked over to Al Career Skateshop where I directly found a pair of shoes within my budget.

Maxó Gallery

But now comes the real treasure I found this weekend. While already tired of shopping we decided to head over to park Cituadella to relax and enjoy the things we bought. While on our way to the park walking through Carrer del Portal Nou all of a sudden a gallery on my left side caught my attention. I decided to have a quick look inside and was directly amazed by the first pieces of art I laid my eyes on. Simple wooden picture frames with 3 dimensional art created within, of places around the city of Barcelona. These pieces of art were designed by Maxó to give you the feeling of being there. The Maxó galleria was originally opened by Maxó Renella so that he would have a place of his own where he can work on his art and also display it to the public to enjoy. Over time he has gathered more artists which also work and display their art in his gallery. One of the special aspects about the gallery is that all the art inside is made by hand in the gallery, nothing is made in bulk amounts to keep everything authentic and original.
While walking further into the gallery I started noticing that the art on display in the gallery wasn’t the only thing to be enjoyed while in the store. The entire ceiling of the gallery is covered in tiny white arms reaching down grasping the attention of the visitors of the gallery. Another really cool feature of the gallery are the two train tracks which run along the walls of the entire room constantly taking your attention as you can hear them running in circles.

The workshop

To be honest, the store is beautiful and the art displayed inside is amazing but it simply can't match the details found in the workshop of the gallery which is located in the backside of the gallery. Even though as a visitor of the gallery you might not get to see much more of this workshop than a quick glimpse, I think it shows what this gallery is all about. Almost every single Sq cm in this workshop is used to store something. In this place you will find objects from vintage to toy car wheels and statues of maria which the artists utilize to create the incredible pieces of art which are on display in the gallery. Two of the things I like the most about the workshop are the way they store all their tools and the wall of camera's on the back wall. The vintage camera's on the back wall give that feeling of authenticity that this entire gallery has.
The workshop is located all the way at the back of the gallery on a higher level so that the artists can work in peace but have the ability to keep an eye out on the visitors admiring their work on display.

On display

Currently there are multiple styles of art on display in the gallery all made by the artists that work in the gallery. My favourite one is called "The Calm & The Chaos" by Maxo Renella this exhibition shows 2 different styles of people, even though their faces might be the same their minds are completely different. The pieces of "The Calm & The Chaos" series are all one of a kind which adds extra value to the painting. It is also possible to request a certain theme and have your personal calm and the chaos paintings made.
My second favourite are the small 3 dimensional pictures along the right wall of the gallery. All the pictures on the wall are made in Barcelona which makes it a perfect souvenir for tourists and real Barcelona Lovers. The pictures are made in such a way that you are being taken into the picture which gives you the feeling of actually being there. By adding multiple layers, the picture lures you closer and closer and you'll start to see more and more hidden details in deeper layers of the frame. The frames and pictures are lightweight which makes them easy to hang on the wall with blu-tac or other sticky materials. Also the prices of these pieces are not too high which makes them perfect to buy as a gift.

Collectables

Besides the art created by the artists the gallery also has a cabinet which is stuffed with some amazing collectable toys. Think of vintage toy cars, action figures and more. These pieces just as the 3D picture frames are perfect for room decoration and are also another playful feature to the gallery.

Words from the Gallery

The dream

To have the most well known gallery to buy original art from Barcelona

For love

Galleria de Maxó aspires to give tourists a unique experience through an unparalleled atmosphere to purchase original art in Barcelona. By providing affordable art as souvenirs, presents home-work decorations and collections, our gallery can help people appreciate art all over the world. The success of the gallery allows artists to consistently work with limitless inspiration and continually produce a product that locals are proud to call their own. (more pictures of the gallery below) If you are interested in original art from Barcelona be sure to check out the Maxo Galleria  We hope you have enjoyed reading this first edition of the SuiteLife weekend Blog. If you have any suggestions or know a place of which you think it deserves some extra attention write a comment below and we will feature it in one of our future Suitelife weekend Blogs! Samuel- Some more picture of the Maxó Galleria

7 Alternative Things to do in Barcelona

At some point, everyone can get caught up in the same routine every day and it starts to get repetitive. There are alternative things to do in Barcelona whether you are a local or a tourist and want to try something new.

For those who want to go out, but don’t want to hit the dance floor-

New and exciting activities are being created everywhere and are spreading throughout the world.

PingPong Fridays

These Fridays started in New York and have come to Barcelona. It is a fun way to socialize while having a few drinks and playing a game everyone loves. You can play against a friend and possibly have the loser buy the next round of drinks. You can also try to defeat ‘Mister X’ to win a bottle of champagne. Even though you may lose a game or two, if you go to PingPong Fridays you are sure to have a great night out. WHEN: Every Friday from July 1st through July 22nd 11:59PM-2:00AM WHERE: Luz De Gas Muntaner 246, 08021 Barcelona

Sala Montjuic

Sala Montjuic is an open-air film festival. A few of the best movies of all time are projected, with concerts and short films in-between each film. This event is very relaxed with a picnic style venue. Make sure to bring some drinks and food to enjoy while you watch the films. Tickets are 6.50 euros and chairs are available to rent. Also, if you are interested you can purchase a guided tour of the castle as well. Watching films is also a great way to help you pick up a second language. WHEN: July 1st to August 5th, 2016 Doors open at 8:30PM Concert starts at 8:45PM Film starts at 10:00PM WHERE: Sala Montjuïc is in the Fossat de Santa Eulàlia moat at Montjuïc Castle (Castell de Montjuïc). For a program and further information click here.

For those who are active-

Since Barcelona has the beach, the ocean, the city and the mountains, there are many activities it has to offer. The city seems to never sleep, so why should you?

BCP-Barcelona Cable Park

BCP is an adrenaline-pumping wake boarding cable park. For beginners or experts, this park has everything you need. This is a fun way to cool off with family or friends and experience something new! Tickets for beginners start at 30 euros for 30 minutes or 50 euros for 60 minutes and go up from there. This activity is one that really adds to the list of alternative things to do in Barcelona. WHEN: Book online here. WHERE:Parc del Forum s/n, 08019 Barcelona

Eat Street Barcelona

Eat Street Barcelona is the perfect event for anyone that loves food. There are tons of tents and food trucks with a variety of different foods and music. Eat Street Barcelona is an awesome way to experience the food of Barcelona and socialize with friends and family. WHEN: July 9th, 2016 at 6:00PM-2:00AM WHERE: Ferrán Turné 11  More Information

For those in the business world-

Barcelona has many events throughout the summer that are both fun and informative. Two events that stand out are ‘FuckUp Nights Barcelona’ and ‘Apps & Beer’.

FuckUp Nights Barcelona

FuckUp Nights Barcelona is a relaxed environment where four professionals discuss their failures in the business world and how they have overcome them while enjoying a cold drink. The unique part about this event is that failure is not looked at in a bad way. People are sharing their mistakes in order to help prevent other professions from making the same mistakes and to help overcome current troubles. This is a very different event than other networking events and that is why it is an alternative thing to do in Barcelona. WHEN: June 22nd, 2016 at 7:30PM WHERE: Maestró Rambla de Catalunya 79, 08007 Barcelona

Apps & Beer

Apps & Beer is an event that is perfect for app developers and entrepreneurs in the technology business. Take this event as an opportunity to discuss/share your existing or future apps and ideas while drinking a cold beer. If you want feedback on an app that is being developed, this is a great place to start. Even if you are just interested in hearing about up and coming apps and technology this event will be of interest to you. On a side note, Barcelona has many apps that help with day to day activities and many people are taking advantage of! WHEN: July 5th, 2016 from 7:00PM-9:00PM WHERE: Hotel Silken Diagonal

Social Media Day

Social Media Day is an event that started about 7 years ago and celebrates the impact social media has had on global communication. Professionals from companies like Facebook, VICE, Twitter and many more will be speaking about their impacts and thoughts on the impact of social media on communication. There will be a ‘tinder terrace’ at the end of the night to have drinks and look at the beautiful views of the beach. WHEN: June 30th, 2016 from 4:00PM-10:00PM WHERE: The Great Room - W Barcelona, Plaça de la Rosa dels Vents, 1, 08039 Barcelona Get tickets and more information click here.
No matter what type of person you are, there is always a way to find alternative things to do in Barcelona for anyone. These are just a few highlights, but there are always new events and activities being planned. Go have a great time and experience Barcelona! Until next time, Jack

Decorate your home for cheap

Are you fed up with your decoration and need new ideas to make your house modern and much more pleasant to live in? Or maybe you just moved into a new home and want to personalize the space? Here you will find a lot of great tips to decorate your home for cheap! The best part? You don't have to be necesarily good at handiwork to do all of these...

Furniture

You can either buy new stuff, make new from old furniture or even build your own from raw materials.

Invisible bookshelf

You have books but no bookshelf? So where are you going to put them? Think about it: real bookshelves are quite expensive and they also take a lot of space. With this really cheap and amazing invisible bookshelf, you can just have your books on the wall, no extras! Look how easy it is: all you need is a wall, this metal thing you can find in handiwork shops, a screwdriver, glue and a book you don't want to read anymore because you'll need to stick it.

Paletts' couch and table

It can seem crazy and not aesthetic at all but once it's painted and covered with cushions, it's very stylish! Everything you'll need is paletts, glue, painting or varnish and cushions (you can add little wheels if you want) and friends to sit there with you!
Tip: On the picture the couch is outside but you can of course put it inside too!

Big old bobbin table

All you'll need is a big old bobbin, painting or varnish. To make it a little fancier, you can add a glass on the top or even tiles! Look! These people made the bobbin table AND the paletts couch!
Good at DIY ? Try to make this one: a bobbin bar!

Furniture made out of Cardboard

Did you even know it exists? Cardboard furniture! You can buy it online but it won't be cheap... Or you can realize them yourself with old cardboard boxes you'd find! To make them, you will need certain things like :

• cardboard
• a meter and long flat ruler
• a square
• a pencil
• a cutter and long cutting pliers (or scissors)
• a jig-saw and some blades
• a hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
• a roll of gummed kraft paper
• a sanding block and sandpaper

Accessories

Sometimes your home just needs to be a little modernized with new things. It does not take much time and you can either find these in shops for quite cheap or make some of these things on your own.

Carpet

Ok, no misunderstanding here! When I say carpet I don't mean the kind of carpets you can find at your grandma's place. There are trendy graphic carpets that can make your home modern and elegant at the same time!

Mirror

Mirrors aren't only for people to look at themselves in, they can be used to make the illusion of a bigger room or simply to improve the decoration.
Tip: Think about having mirrors with frames: more classy and decorative than simple mirrors.

Stickers

With stickers you can actually do everything easily like cover furniture, put them on the walls, doors and even stairs! In brief, you can stick them everywhere to refresh your interior!

Plants

Good for health AND decorative, plants can be cheap and there are easy to find!
You don't have the green thumb? Think about succulent plants: they are real survivors (they don't need much to stay alive), beautiful and you can find them everywhere!
Good at DIY? Try this very easy Ikea Succulent Table Hack by Nifty!

Flowerpots

If you have plants, you will need flowerpots for sure for the aesthetic part! And the good part is that you don't actually need to buy real flowerpots, look at these ones, they are just baskets with plants in it!

Cushions and Curtains

Having colourful cushions and curtains make a place look more joyful! If you don't like multicolor furniture and colorful walls and you like to have almost everything white, grey or black, your interior may be sad. For me, the simplest solution is to have little touches of colours in your house like curtains, cushions, blankets, lamps...
Think about this same living room without the red frame on the wall and the colorful cushions.. Isn't it sader?

Environment

It's also possible that you need bigger changes than the ones before such as changing the color of your walls or flooring... Don't worry, we also have good tips for that!

Paint or repaint your parquet

No need for more explanations here, all you need is :

• a special painting for wood
• sand paper
• a spatula
• a roller
• a brush

Let's renew your parquet, this little video may help you!

Wallpaper with newspapers

Tapestry is quite expensive but think about reusing your old newspapers instead of throwing them away, it won't cost you anything!

Blackboard painting

This painting is SO cool! Think about it, you just have to paint some walls or even furniture with that and then write on it with chalks. The good part is that you can erase what you wrote whenever you want!
Tip: Don't abuse with the painting! If you put it everywhere it will be too much!

Paint directly on tapestry

Sometimes, remove tapestry is just a big waste of time because you could just paint on it. For that it has of course to be in good state and a light color is the best.
Which could also be great is to paint patterns on your wallpaper!
I hope these tips to decorate your home for cheap were useful for you! Tell us what you think and share your ideas in the comment section below!

Street Art in Barcelona

If you are an art lover, Barcelona has great spots to observe many remarkable artists! From world-wide known artists to lesser known ones, Barcelona has got it all! Among the most famous artists of Barcelona you can find Gaudí, Joan Miro and Picasso. However in recent years Barcelona has greatly developed its street art and graffiti culture, providing a spotlight for some lesser known artists. Street Art in Barcelona is not a rare thing, in fact you can see great pieces of art almost all around Barcelona. And if there is one thing you can be certain about. It is that Barcelona has some of the most unique and creative street art you have ever seen. From total abstract to surreal art or even fractal or lunatic, Barcelona definitely has some outstanding and spectacular pieces of art. With that being said, let's start with our top picks...

1. El Pez

One of the most remarkable artists of Barcelona is El Pez (Meaning "The Fish" in Spanish), who is vastly recognized by his smiling fish icon.
The smiling fish icon can be seen all over Barcelona. El Pez stated that his art is not about expressing anything, but rather for his own enjoyment and for others. The only idea behind his painting is to share and "spread happiness and good vibrations to the people in the streets".

El Pez art, located in Colombia.
Another terrific piece from El Pez, located in London.

2. Kram

The talented Kram has been painting all over the world, and luckily for us in Barcelona too. Among his art in the street of Barcelona you can also find his painting in the infamous Nevermind bar!

3. Miss Van

Originally from France, miss Van has outstanding art in Barcelona as well. Creating art somewhat between the bizzare and strange with a slight of a classic touch.

4. Vinz

Originally from valencia, his crazy work mainly consist of nude people with somewhat odd additions like animal heads.

5. SM172

SM172 managed to create extremely distinguished art, as he is painting on almost everything like cars, walls, trash cans, doors and buildings. He usually uses spray as its main color and templates for the shape and figure of his art.

6. J.Loca

Born in El Raval, J.Loca has some astonishing painting. He was born in 1975 and started his painting career in 1995. We can agree that his paintings are absolutely marvelous!

7. H101

H101 uses straight lines and symmetry in his paintings, scaling from small to large with their sizes. He crafts some interesting pieces of art that messes with the viewer's perception and sense of dimension!

8. Kenor

Some artist struggle with containing all of their artwork on one place. Well.. Kenor surely has enough space since he is painting on huge brick walls, buildings and large containers.

9. Debens

Born in 1990, Debens has made a name for himself as an intriguing atrist who experiments with vairous techniques. His art is truly amazing.

10. BToy

Using brush and intense colors, BToy is now a well respected artists in the street of Barcelona. Creating magnificent art that vary from small walls and doors to large buildings.

11. Zosen Bandido

The talented artist, Zosen Bandido, creates abstract and fractal painting on a grand scale! You may even notice him standing near his paintings so you can grasp the huge size of his art.

If you enjoyed this blog, and have any questions or suggestions. Feel free to contact us in the comment section below!

Sand sculptures along the beach of Barcelona

When visiting Barcelona most tourists tend to spend countless hours walking the streets admiring the beautiful architecture and history that the city has to offer.  What many of them don't know about are these amazing temporary sand sculptures along the beach of Barcelona. The sand sculptures along the beach of Barcelona come in all shapes and sizes as they are build week after week by the local artists of Barcelona. Every weekend they spend their time working on these amazing pieces of art while tourists walk by and tip them for their hard work on the beach where others come to relax.
The Build of the sand sculpture above is simply amazing, it might not be as big as other sculptures along the beach but it features some of the most beautiful architecture which you can find around Barcelona. Sculptures like these are usually build by locals during the weekend for the tourists to enjoy.
The “sounds in the sand” sculpture is one of the biggest sculptures featured on the beach of Barcelona with its height of 6 meters it is a definitive eye-catcher for people walking past it. The sculpture is based on the “Schönbrunn palace” from Vienna with an orchestra playing in front. To give you an idea of the size of the size of this sand sculpture, here are the builders for scale.
The amount of work that goes into making sand sculptures on this level is incredible. The artists use special tools to be able to create stunning details within the sculptures that continue to amaze people day after day. Making these details can take up hours of work and requires lots of patience as it takes a long time to finish a sculpture from start to finish.
So if you are ever find yourself in Barcelona and are done with walking through the endless streets and feel like spending the rest of the day on the beach or just looking for something different in Barcelona be sure to visit these amazing sand sculptures along the beach of Barcelona. And if you feel that you can do better bring your own beach toys and compete with them. The sand sculptures are located on Barceloneta beach. Does the beach attract you but not the art? Then be sure to check our our beach guide to find the best beaches of Barcelona. If you visit the sand sculptures and found sculptures you think should be featured in this blog send them in comment section below and you might find them in our blog. Samuel.

English-Speaking Services in Barcelona

If you live in Barcelona without speaking a word of Spanish or not enough for people to understand what you mean in certain circumstances, this article gathers some English-speaking services that may be very useful for you! Sometimes it is really hard to find people who speak English when you need some but don’t worry, we are here to help you. For you, we searched and found some English-speaking services in Barcelona!

Doctors

Wherever you are in your home country or abroad, you may be sick or need someone to talk to or even have teeth problems. This is not the best place to spend your time in but sometimes you just have to.

General practicians

Googol Medical Centre

Doctor Steven Joseph (an English doctor) opened this center in January 2005 to help the English-speaking community in Barcelona. Here, they offer a wide range of medical care (general practice, mental health, chiropractic services, body health checkups…).
Bonus: Skype Consultations are offered! Where? Gran Vía Carles III, 37-39, 08028 Barcelona

Therapists

Barcelona Nest

This is a multidisciplinary group of qualified mental health and personal developments specialists founded by Doctor Jill Jenkins. They offer services for everybody (children, adults, couples, families) including schools and business.
Where? Each Nest member has his/her own private practice office and contact information, look at the website at “Find your Therapist”

Therapy in Barcelona

They offer the services of a native English-speaking therapist (Leigh Matthews) face to face or on Skype if you are not in Barcelona. She has more than 10 years of experience as a Psychologist and Supervisor of psychologists-in-training.
Where? c/Paris 154, 08036 Barcelona

Dentists

Deutsche zk

In that international and modern dental clinic located in Eixample, the staff speak Spanish, German and English. They do general dentistry as well as implants, metal-free treatments, teeth whitening, and orthodontics.
Where? c/Consell de Cent 249, 08011 Barcelona

Pharmacies

If you have a problem and need to go to the pharmacy, you probably would have to explain it clearly in order to get the medication you need.

Barcelona Pharmacy

It is located in the center of Barcelona. It specializes in medicines, natural products and treatments, cosmetics and beauty products.
Where? c/Via Laietana 40, 08003 Barcelona

Farmàcia Torres

This pharmacy located in Eixample is open 24/24 and provide everything you would need.
Where? c/Aribau 62, 08011 Barcelona

Farmacia Clapes Antoja

This one is also open 24/24 and is located in the heart of the city, on La Rambla.
Where? c/La Rambla 98, 08002 Barcelona

Locksmiths

We already have an entire article dedicated to the English-speaking locksmiths in Barcelona, just take a look at it if you need a locksmith!

Driving schools

Driving is cool

This driving school may be very useful to you if you want to pass your driving test in Spain while you come from a non-European Union country. It is even better to choose this school if you want to learn fast because they offer intensive courses.
Where? Carrer de Lepant 325, 08025 Barcelona

Driving BCN

Driving BCN driving school instructors teach in English as well as in Spanish or Catalan: everyone is welcome there. You can either go to the place or practice the exams online from home (very convenient if you have a constraining/binding timetable). Concerning the practical part, the instructor (still an English speaker) and you will drive around the six different exams areas in Barcelona (as many lessons as you want, no minimum).
Where? c/Via Augusta, 257-267 planta baja, local 3, 08017 Barcelona

Beauty

Sometimes you just terribly want someone to take care of you… Hair, Make up, Nails... Here are good addresses for you!

Hairdressers

It’s already enough hard to trust a hairdresser with your hair so what about trusting a hairdresser that does not really understand everything you ask? You’ll find an entire article about English-speaking hairdressers in Barcelona on our website but if you want more, here they are:

Ribera6 Salon

The team of this international hair salon located in “el Born” speaks perfect English (the memebers were trained in the UK), love their work and have the skills to satisfy your needs.
Bonus: Student discounts on Tuesday and Wednesday! Where? c/Ribera 6, 08003 Barcelona

SK Style Barcelona

This salon has a highly qualified and creative team who will take care of your hair by using latest technologies and best products to offer you a personalized and high quality service.
Bonus: more than English, they speak Russian (Spanish and Catalan also of course) and you can have makeup, manicure, pedicure, massage, depilation and photo shoots in there! Where? c/Casanova 43, 08011 Barcelona

MakeUp

Need a magnificent makeup to shine at a party or just something natural to feel even more beautiful today? This English-speaking makeup artist will make your day!

Nikoleta Makeup

Nikoleta is a professional mobile wedding makeup artist. She is specialized in bridal, special occasion and editorial makeup. She is a true professional: she worked with famous celebrity photographers and with many international clients.
Bonus: With her you can learn how to do a professional makeup by yourself!

Manicure/Pedicure

Want to be beautiful down to the fingertips? Try these addresses!

Pink Peony

They have three different salons in Barcelona. They are able to accommodate groups, bridal and beauty parties (especially in their salon in Passeig de Gracia which is very big).
Where? c/Perill 21-23, bajos 2°, 08012 Barcelona // Passeig de Gracia, 100, Principal, 08008 Barcelona // c/Mandri, 62, bajos 2, 08022 Barcelona

French Kiss Beauty

In this Beauty Salon, you will find an attentive and professional team (in a very clean environment!) who will be happy to welcome you with or without appointment.
Where? Avinguda del Portal de l'Àngel, 23 1º Planta, 08002 Barcelona // c/Aragó 371, 08009 Barcelona // c/Gran de Sant Andreu 316, 08030 Barcelona

NIE

If you want to live permanently or to work in Barcelona you will definitely need to get a NIE. Even if you will finally learn Spanish, you will have to do your NIE at the beginning thus, it will be easier for you to see an English-speaking person to ask questions and get your NIE.

NIE Barcelona

It helps you get your NIE: they make your appointment for you, they tell you what paperwork you will need and they will accompany you to your appointment and translation will also be provided. Bonus : they also speak German and Czech!

Cinemas

The following are not really "English cinemas", these are just Cinemas where you can see the movies in original version with subtitles in Spanish.

Renoir Floridablanca

This cinema is not new but it feels less "commercial" than the other ones in Barcelona (it is not in a mall and it is not a big multiplex). In this cinema you can come to see both auteur movies and blockbusters! (There are also some restaurants nearby where you can eat for cheap!)
Bonus: You can buy your tickets online and choose your seats! Where? c/Floridablanca 135, 08011 Barcelona

Balmes Multicines

This cinema is a big multiplex where you can go if you  want to see current movies in a brand new and modern cinema with large screens and comfy seats.
Where? c/Balmes 422-424, 08022 Barcelona

Icaria Yelmo Cineplex

This cinema is located in a shopping mall not far from the metro station Vila Olimpica. I advise you to go there if you are looking for big blockbusters in their original language (they offer 2D as well as 3D).
Where? Centro Comercial, c/Salvador Espriu, 61, 08005 Barcelona

Cines Verdi

It is a small mutliplex with 5 rooms located in Gracia neighbourhood. This cinema is a reference for film lovers and it is surrounded by a bunch of restaurants and bar... If you choose a good movie, you can only spend a good time there!
Where? c/ Torrijos 14, 08012 Barcelona

Public Transportation

If you need information about metro or bus in Barcelona it may be quite hard because usually, the people who are here to help you don't speak English. If you just want to buy a ticket, the simplest way to do it is through the machines you'll be able to find at each metro station.
If you want information, try to go to plaça catalunya metro station, this is where you have the best chances to find someone who speaks English (maybe not a very good English but still!).

English bookstores

You will find everything you need in our previous article about English Bookstores in Barcelona! I hope you enjoyed this article and that it will be useful for you, it could be hard to find places where English is understood and spoken in Barcelona but with these addresses you won’t have problems anymore! J.