Have You Ever Seen Barcelona From Above? Have a Look at The City From a Different Perspective!

When you come in to land in Barcelona by plane you can see the city in all its glory but you may wonder where you can also have this point of view. So I took one full day to cover some parts of the highest points of Barcelona in order to bring you the Top 5 Views of Barcelona from above.

Plaza Espanya

From the rooftop of the Arenas de Barcelona built in 1929 for the International Exhibition we can see the roundabout in Plaza Espanya which is the main junction of different streets in Barcelona: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Avinguda del Paral-lel, Carrer de la Creu Coberta and Carrer de Taragonna. This particular roundabout is inspired by the Versailles fountains. On the middle ground, we can see the two Venetian towers of Barcelona and in the background the Palau Nacional MNAC which is now the Museum Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. The first selection of pictures was taken in top of the Arenas de Barcelona, you can go on the roof of this mall for free. [caption id="attachment_16834" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View from the rooftop of Arenas de Barcelona - Plaza Espanya[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16890" align="aligncenter" width="383"]
View of Barcelona from Arenas de Barcelona - Palau Nacional and La Fida[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16837" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View from the rooftop of the Arenas of Barcelona on Plaza Espanya[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16838" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View from the rooftop of the Arenas of Barcelona on Plaza Espanya[/caption]

Palau Nacional MNAC

For the second set of pictures, I went to the Palau Nacional MNAC which is just in front of the Arenas, to go up to the top you can use the escalators.  If you've ever been in Las Vegas it will remind you of the Strip. When you're at the top of the stairs you can take time to appreciate the views of Barcelona just in front of you. [caption id="attachment_16869" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View from the Palau Nacional MNAC in Barcelona[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16871" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View of the Sagrada Familia from the Palau Nacional MNAC[/caption]

Montjuic Park

For the 3rd photoshoot, I went to the top of Montjuic - to the Castell de Montjuic walking. The teleferic was kind of expensive and it's much better to go there on foot. You can see lots of things like some stuff from the Olympic Games of 1992, some sculptures or even the old olympic pool. So this set of pictures will be from different views of the parc. [caption id="attachment_16874" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View of the Port of Barcelona from the Parc of Montjuic[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16859" align="aligncenter" width="380"]
View of the Port of Barcelona from Montjuic Park[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16875" align="aligncenter" width="383"]
View of the Monument a Colom from the Parc of Montjuic[/caption]

Castell de Montjuic: The Place to Be to See Barcelona From Above

For the 4th photoshot, I took photos of Montjuic from Castell de Montjuic. This Castle is pretty big and really interesting to visit and you can have one of the best views of the city from the top of it. You can see all the city from the beach to the mountain of Tibidabo. [caption id="attachment_16877" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View of Barcelona from the Castell of Montjuic[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16880" align="aligncenter" width="576"]
View of the Port of Barcelona from the Castell of Montjuic[/caption]

Colon Monument

At the bottom of the Ramblas, the Monumento a Colon is raised to welcome boats which are coming to the Port of Barcelona. For 4€ and at least a 20 minute wait you can go to the top of it to see the whole city. If you're claustrophobic I wouldn't recommend going there as it is really small and the elevator is so small that you can only have a maximum of 4 people  in it. When you're at the top you will see the city through small windows that you can open but if you want to take beautiful pictures this is not the best place. This place is pretty touristy and if you don't go you won't miss much. The pictures taken in this monument are not the best photoshoot photos I have taken at least you get a different point of view of the city. [caption id="attachment_16864" align="aligncenter" width="383"]
View from the Monument a Colom - Las Ramblas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16865" align="aligncenter" width="383"]
View from the Monument a Colom in Barcelona[/caption] Barcelona is a city surrounded by mountains, so there are plenty of other high points of view that you can discover too! Feel free to travel outside the city to see another beautiful side of Barcelona. Share your thoughts with us in the comments below! -by Kok Natha HEN. (pictures included)

Starting a business in Barcelona - 10 simple steps to success!

Good day entrepreneurs all over the world, feeling a bit creative today? In that case, I guess it's time for some informative yet necessary stuff if you want to know the steps of starting a business in Barcelona. Spain is one of the most beautiful countries and has a lot to offer so, as knowledge is power, this blog will be providing you with all the info that needs to be considered in order to have your magical $$$ making pond here (oh and we've made it so that starting a business in Barcelona is easy).

Starting a Business in Barcelona Step#1: Getting the famous NIE

NIE, or Numero de Identificacion de Extranjero (Foreigner Identification Number) is a document without which you cannot undertake any commercial action in Spain. The whole procedure on how to get it can be found here. The NIE can be used for other purposes as well, such as paying taxes or buying a property.

Starting a Business in Barcelona Step#2: Other preliminary documentation

Make sure you have the following paperwork ready and valid: passport and Certificado de Empadronamiento (Community Registration Certificate), details for which you can find by clicking here. You will need these in order to proceed to Starting a business in Barcelona Step #3.

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#3: Certificacion negativa de la denominación social

Certificacion negativa de la denominacion social means certifying the uniqueness of the proposed company name, which will officially provide you with complete rights on the actual name of the company and will be reserved for 6 months after you've chosen it. In order to obtain it you will have to go to the Central Commercial Registry (Registro Mercantil which can be found here), it costs 16.25€, and usually takes around 2 days.

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#4: Pay the Impuesto de Actividades Económicas

Next step is to pay the Impuesto de Actividades Economicas, which literally translates into Tax for Economic Activities. Practically it's the tax that you have to pay to the Government to let you undergo a commercial action. It can be done in the Delegacion Especial de Economia y Hacienda, map right here. It is different, depending on the business. After you've done that, you will get the Codigo the Identificacion Fiscal (CIF) - tax identification code. This tax ranges from 150€ to 300€, depending on the amount of share capital deposited.

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#5: Open a corporate bank account

Why do you need a corporate bank account? Well, for several reasons. Firstly, it's the place where your income will go when people make payments in exchange of your goods or services. Secondly, this where the government will be deducting the taxes from, so it's kind of mandatory for you to have one. It takes about one day to create one and it's free of charge. Note that you have to be pretty much a morning person, as banks here only work from 9am until 2pm (with an exception on Thursdays when they work 9am-8pm). Also bear in mind that you need to make deposit of a minimum 3005.06€ representing your intial start-up capital.

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#6: Make an appointment with a notary

You're almost done with the paperwork. With the documents mentioned above you will now have to schedule a meeting with a notary in order to get them officially signed and stamped with the purpose of being presented to the Starting a business in Barcelona Step #6. Brace yourselves, as you're going to be paying a little high price for couple of stamps - around 500€, depending on the operation complexity.

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#7: Find your operating site

The next logical step is to know where your operations will be taking place. Accordingly, you will need the documents that prove that you either own or are using a rented office, restaurant, warehouse etc. (obviously depending on the area of your business). With these, you will then proceed to Starting a business in Barcelona Step#8.

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#8: Obtain the Licencia Municipal de Apertura from the Ayuntamiento

Now it's time for you to register your place of operations with the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) - here - with the papers mentioned above and apply for the Licencia Municipal de Apertura (Municipal Opening License) from the City Hall's Departamento de Urbanismo (City Planning Department), which basically means that you let the City Hall know you are starting your commercial activity in that specified site. Charges -> 350€.

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#9: Register for the social services

For 240€ a month worth of tax, you will be registered for the welfare and health social services, meaning that you are pretty much covered by the social insurance in case something bad happens while at work. You can benefit from some more options if you extra (around €25 a month).

Starting a business in Barcelona Step#10: Register your people

Unless you are a one man business, you are going to need some more human resources to run your thingy. Consequently every person you take on has to be registered at the Tesoreria General de la Seguridad Social (Social Security General Treasury) and then within 10 days time at the Instituto Nacional de Empleo (National Employment Institute).
And that's it! That's all you need to know about the process of starting a business in Barcelona. Now the hard part begins - the actual money making. From us here, we wish you the best of luck with everything involving your business and we are happy to have helped you! So...
Muchisimas gracias, Dragosh (El Dragon).

Volunteering in Barcelona

If you're looking to do some volunteering in Barcelona then congrats on being such a magnificent and selfless person! Did you know that Barcelona was named the European Capital of Volunteering for 2014?  In case you didn't, you can find some info about that by clicking here! This blog will tell you about the three best volunteering agencies in Barcelona. They each have tons of varied opportunities so getting in touch with them is the perfect start to your altruistic adventure.

CONNECT123

Connect 123 is one of Barcelona's volunteering programmes with great connections with local organisations, such as Animal Science and Wildlife, Community Service, Economic Development, Education and Teaching, Environment, Human Rights, Medical and Public Health, or Youth Development and Sport. Take a look here at their website!

BCA BARCELONA

With a very wide range of volunteering programmes such as Terral,  Bank of Time, Tot Raval, or Colegio Gornal, in which they address topics like immigration, talent harvesting, event planning or gender equality, BCA Barcelona provides multiple chances especially for students that want to enhance their CVs (or resumes, if you come from America!). Click here to get the latest updates from them!

CHARITY VAULT

Charity Vault is a website dedicated to providing volunteering opportunities for people worldwide. Obviously they couldn't miss Barcelona, now, could they? That's why they've got a huge volunteering portfolio just for you. To give you some examples - from research, hunger and poverty alleviation, environment, till education and disaster management. Interested much? Take a peek here at their website! Volunteering in Barcelona is a very rewarding experience. Do you know of any other great opportunities that we missed here? We'd love to hear from you in the comments! Muchisimas gracias, Dragosh (El Dragon)

STAND-UP COMEDY BARCELONA: This City will have you in stitches!

(Updated on February 5th, 2019) Hello SuiteLife gang and welcome to my first blog entry about stand-up comedy Barcelona.  Laughing, really laughing out loud, has to be one of the best feelings in the world no? Laughing so hard you start to cry and can barely breath? Even better LOL. If you're an English speaker living in Barccelona you've probably long written off the chance to see standup in your own language but fear not SuiteLifers, there's hope yet for us. There are English speaking standup comedy shows in Barcelona and we're going to tell you about them!

BARCELONA COMEDY CLUB

First off we have Barcelona Comedy Club. Stand-up is what this venue is all about. BCC is known to be more UK orientated than anything else, having mainly English and Irish guest comedians. Nevertheless Spanish and other foreign comedians are always welcome to try out their material in English. The shows are held in a cozy little pub called Gaelic BCN. Really old-timey and warm atmosphere providing a perfect setting to the hilarious stand-up you can enjoy for only 5€ (including a free drink! Woo!). Once you step inside and the comedians take you away with their tasteful humor, the feeling you experience is nothing short of the one you would have as if you were hanging out in old-time London.
As is common practice in the field of stand-up comedy Barcelona, this comedy venue organises shows only once every month. Not the most exhaustive schedule, I know, but I suppose this just throws emphasis on how special the shows actually are (wink). Although their website is updated regularly, BCC has a big online presence on Facebook. If you ever need to find out when their next show is going to be or who will be performing, it would be a safe bet to hop on Barcelona Comedy Club’s Facebook page and read away.

Guiriness Barcelona

Next up, springing up from one of the first English speaking comedy nights to appear in Barcelona, Guiriness Comedy is the modern classic form of stand-up night. This means a one hour show of professional comedy, one comedian a month flown in from the UK and Ireland and a two-night run. Comedy fans are treated to a Friday night performance at the Shamrock bar in Raval, Barcelona, followed by a Saturday night show at Wylie Brewery in Sitges. This is our favourite standup in Barcelona, by the way. Big names and rising stars on the UK and Irish comedy scenes such as Phil Kay, Joe Rooney, Sean McLoughlin and Niamh Marron have graced the Shamrock stage over the years at Guiriness Comedy. In 2017, growing popularity took the show to Sitges, where it has since gained a regular following of local expats who miss one of the finer things in life: stand-up comedy in English!
Guiriness Comedy regularly scouts for comedy acts in the UK and Ireland, however the line-up also includes names from across the bigger ponds, with one common denominator: that it’s comedy in English! This is definitely the place to go for top shelf comedy, and it’s the only regular pro comedy night in Barcelona. The audience is typically a mix of expats, some tourists but mainly English speaking regulars. As the show is once a month, tickets are in-demand. Get yours on guirinesscomedy.com and check out their Facebook page for news about future shows.

BARCELONA IMPROV GROUP (B.I.G.)

Another great form of comedy is Improv. Let me tell you all about it.
B.I.G. or Barcelona Improv Group organize some of the biggest Improv comedy venues in the city. They have been performing in English since 2011 and have quickly built up a solid reputation for being brilliant comedians. Their performances are always powered by their beloved audience’s suggestions and energy, which fuel up the shows to the MAX. Once you step inside the theater leave your expectations outside and when the show starts, brace yourselves because the ‘funny’ is coming.
Here’s the sad part of this venue. B.I.G. organize shows at Teatre de l’Enjólit only once a month (every second Friday of the month to be exact). And while we cannot have enough of them and wish they did a show every day we seek consolation and comfort in their monthly ‘Jams’ and weekly workshops they set up. The Improv group values us as their audience and always love to get us involved in their activities and share the comedy experience first-hand. And that my dear friends is what Jams are for. Very casual and very fun, no instructions and no need for taking notes, their Jams are just like a night out with the lads. The only thing you have to do is hop on the stage and Improv away. If you’re one of the shy ones that’s fine, just sit back and observe what your fellow amateurs are doing and build up some inspiration for next time. If you feel like you need a break from partying hard after a hard week of work (I actually can’t believe I said that too), gather your friends and head to B.I.G’s monthly Improv Jams on Fridays. Or better yet, don’t call anyone and head out to make some funny new friends (common practice at Jam sessions).
For the more “eager to learn” comedy fans, B.I.G. offers weekly workshops in which you will be tutored and slowly mended into a professional Improv artist. However, guys, you might need to bring a pen and some paper for this one. So there you have it guys. Take your pick, put on your good mood hat and head out to the hottest places you can enjoy stomach-paining, hilarious stand-up comedy Barcelona. Have an amazing weekend and don’t forget – always look at the funny side of things. Now here’s a joke for you guys:  So a guy walks into a bar, looking really moody and orders immediately a double-whiskey. Then he starts rambling on about how lousy a wife he’s got, until the bartender finally says: “You know, I don’t understand what you’re complaining about. All the other guys in here only have compliments about your wife.” Yeah, I’ll try again next time. Sincerely, Chris

SITGES CARNIVAL - CARNIVAL DAY!

Its that time of year again, yes that's right - Sitges Carnival!!. The only time of the year where a man can get away with wearing a nurse outfit in public and not be judged…. not that I have tried to. 2015 was a year a to remember as the people of Sitges did not disappoint as always, this year carnival goers went the extra mile. Never had I seen such original costumes from the very creative to the absolute ridiculous this carnival had it all. It was my first time experiencing a carnival outside of the UK so I was very excited to see what I was in for. Fortunately an erasmus group helped organise the trip and for only 10€ and was also a great way of meeting new people. I made the mistake of going to buy the costume the day before. Turned out the whole of Barcelona also had the same idea. It was mental I had never seen a costume store so busy before! I was left with the very unoriginal idea of going as a cowboy… well it beats going as someone with drawn on kitten whiskers right?? Well at least my friends had as little imagination as myself, a guy with a vendetta mask, a dutch girl trying to be french and a girl who I think was trying to be a character from Great Gatsby.
When someone first mentioned Sitges Carnival!! to me I was like a dog salivating and asking a 100 questions WHEN?? WHERE??? HOW MUCH??? I saw a quick glimpse of last years carnival on Youtube and knew I had to go even if I did have work the next morning. In retrospect it was worth the hangover! The carnival lasted a week starting on the Monday and finishing on the Sunday however the last day was when the parade took place. So that Sunday morning I woke late as always and rushed everything including sticking my moustache on the wrong way, as if I didn’t look silly enough. All anyone saw that morning in my area was a cowboy running for his life with a plastic gun tucked in his pants, quite the site for people awake that time. If that wasn’t embarrassing enough I got on to the metro to Catalunya expecting loads of people to be in costumes…. I couldn’t have been more mistaken, I was the only one dressed up! So there was only one thing I could do and that was to pretend to be a cowboy by saying ‘Howdy Partner!’ to people passing by. Hey it was carnival who cares right!!

ERASMUS MEET UP!

I had never been so happy to see a clown in my life! It was a sign, I was close to the meeting point. One clown became two, then out of nowhere a group of 90s styled characters followed by a group of native americans. Finally a place where it was socially acceptable to dress as a cowboy with an upside down moustache. I remember a child walking pass shouting ‘hey look its a cowboy’… I felt vindicated!!! Few people even asked if they could take pictures with us which was just awesome… I felt like a celeb!! We finally got on the coach that took us to the Sitges Carnival!! which took us just over half an hour, it was also a good time to meet other people who were either studying, working, traveling or just felt like dressing like an idiot for one day.

KIDS TIME TO SHINE!

We got there just in time for the kids parade. It was surprisingly good! Only problem was that we didn’t have the greatest view so I was more or less tip toeing the whole parade…Not happy! Despite that the kids didn’t disappoint they came out in the most adorable costumes you just felt like snatching one of them they were that cute… not that I would of course. There were although some awkward moments which I found well lets just say inappropriate for example when a float consists of girls dancing rather provocatively next to poles…. weird huh? Luckily the rest of the floats and kids acted like kids!! it was a great taster for what we were to expect from the adult parade later that day. I was worried about one thing, something I only ever worried about back in England… Im sure you guessed it.. the WEATHER!!! It looked very bleak and wasn’t the warmest day either. But it was still early so I was optimistic things would pick up, it had to right?? I mean it was Sitges Carnival!

IS IT JUST A CARNIVAL CITY?

In between the children parade and the adults we had about 8 hours to kill!! 2 hours of which were burned at a restaurant with ridiculous service. It literally took us 2 hours to order our food!!! 2 fricking hours!!!!! If your ever in Sitges stay away from ‘The American’ I think I need to remember I am a blogger and not a critic otherwise I will rant for hours about this god forsaken restaurant!!! Okay I shall calm down, where was I.. oh right the Sitges Carnival!!. So we now had 6 hours to kill which was perfect because we were next to beach which was a great way to just sit back, relax and watch the whacky costumes that walked by. There were chickens, cops & robbers, divas, the guy from Saw, Scooby Doo, Slutty Nurses, Cats, People with tights on their heads and even Mr T!!! The list goes on and on!!! The city itself was actually really nice, I mean except for all the diversions the parade caused it seemed like a really nice place to live with loads of shops and open spaces. Shame I didn’t get to explore Sitges as much as I would have liked.

THE BIG FINALE

It was finally what everyone was waiting for the adults parade!!! …. and once again we didn’t get a good spot. The floats came down after some delay so expectations were high. They were awesome as expected!!!! The first float was just a group of devils dancing followed by a group a team of american footballers. Then the one all men were waiting for.. well the main reason I went, a float filled with hot latino, tinsel wearing, barely clothed women erotically dancing! This for me is what the Sitges Carnival is about… yes I am that shallow, can you blame me??? Have you seen the women??? I was actually really impressed at the different themes they incorporated in the parade, we had scary floats such as Freddy Kruger to cultured floats such as Romans and Iconic British people, although the British float was a huge disappointment! So there I was seeing the United Kingdom flag in the far distance getting all excited.. only to witness an awful costumer of Prince Charles and Mr Bean and a guy playing rugby. I guess the Brits doesn’t have as much imagination as I thought but oh well maybe it was just my perspective, I’m sure the spanish loved seeing Prince Charles.

VERDICT

To sum up I had such a great time and a fantastic night!! I heard so much about carnivals in the rest of Europe and now I know what the big deal is. If i was to nit pick I’d say the music could have been a bit more well different, The songs were good but just so repetitive and also the weather but thats just down to luck. Other than that there really is just something special about Sitges Carnivaland glad I had the opportunity to experience it. To those visiting Barcelona in the coming years remember to make your self available for this Carnival, it is not to be missed!!! Put it in your Calendars… Now!!! …. Do it!!!! …..Oh wait I didn’t give you the date did I. Well I dont know the exact date but its going to be around February time so GOOGLE IT!!!! Anyway guys I must dash. Hope you guys enjoyed the blog and if you already been just share your comments below, what did you wear?? what did i miss?? Absolutely anything !!!! Stay tuned
Hasan – (Senior Blogging Executive Assistant Intern Specialist)

Outlets in Barcelona: Shopping for Less

Wanna go shopping this weekend but need to save money ? You can now do both with the guide of the outlets in Barcelona so you can shop without spending all your money at once. You must have noticed that when it comes to shopping, Barcelona is heaven but what you don't know is that there is plenty of outlet stores all over the city. Fancy clothes for almost nothing, I already feel the shopping fever... Don't you ?!

La Roca Village

First one is La Roca Village, the biggest mall of outlets in Barcelona and even the biggest outlet mall in Europe. You'll find a nice little street and a lot of outlet stores, actually, this mall is a luxuary one. There is only fancy brands for less. If you like brands such as Gucci, Guess, Liu Jo, Michael Kors, Versace and more you're gonna love this place ! But if you prefer simpler clothes you'll be in heaven with Comptoir des Cotonniers, Maje, Sandro, Zadig & Voltaire, Superdry, Tommy Hilfger etc.
Furthermore the mall is open everyday from 10:00 to 21:00 and you can access the shopping centre with two buses leaving from Barcelona or by train from Barcelona Sants station. Here is the link to access La Roca Village website.

Lefties

If you don't want to move too far there are also outlets in Barcelona in the centre of the city! Of course I'm thinking about Lefties, the outlet shop of Inditex, that means Zara, Oysho, Pull & Bear, TRF and other spanish brands discounted. The concept is that they are working with a lot of brands (Inditex is their biggest partner) and they offer clothes for very cheap prices. They are really convenient because there are several of them and you can find one next to Plaza Catalunya (Pelayo 2 the corner of street Pelayo and Plaza Universitat).
You can also find it in Mare Magnum (Port Vella area) or in the Heron City Mall, they are very popular in Spain. Check the link to Lefties website.

Heron City Outlet

Another outlet mall is Heron City outlet, located in the Heron City shopping centre. It is the only real mall in the centre of Barcelona (Sant Andreu). The shoping centre is not all outlet but you will find some outlet stores such as Bershka, Diesel, Pepe Jeans, Mango and more. The discounts can reach 70% off. Here is the adress of the shopping centre : Heron City shopping centre, Avenida Río de Janeiro, 42. Access toHeron City website.

Mango Outlet

If you're just looking for Mango clothes, there is a unique Mango outlet in calle Girona, 37. You can find clothes and accessories up to 40% off and they put new stock out everyday. So, if you're in a hurry, you know what you want and don't wanna spend the whole day shopping in a wide range of stores, this place is made for you. Here is the official Mango outlet website.

Factory Shop Burberry

This is the place to be : 50 to 70% off on classic pieces for men, women and children. The shop is located in Calle Valencia, 640 and is open from monday to saturday from 10:00 to 20:30.

Viladecans The Style Outlets

This one is not opened yet but is being built and should open soon. This is a brand new village of outlets in Barcelona. 150 outlet stores at just 10 minutes from the city centre by car. You'll be on the first ones to visit. You can shop clothes from Asics, The Body Shop, Roberto Cavalli... As La Roca Village it'll be luxuary shopping centre with classy brands. Ready to be on top this summer ? Go ahead. You can check Viladecans website here.
Now you know where to go to shop for less. Share with us your outlets in Barcelona experience, we are very interested in hearing from you ! Mathilde

Hello Hola Bonjour Howdy Suitelifers, Let's be honest with ourselves, our day to day routines are dominated by our phones. You're probably reading this off your phone as we speak! Everything we do and everything we say in the present day revolves around our smartphones. Now I ain't saying it's a bad thing, in fact I believe our phones can enhance and improve our experiences. That is why I am creating this blog to tell you the must need Barcelona Apps! Because I'm nice like that and I care for my readers. Well enough about how considerate and great a guy I am, let's get started! We'll count down the best apps you can download for FREE... Yes you heard right FREEEEEEE!

BARCELONA APPS #1: HOSTELWORLD

HostelWorld is brilliant for all you backpackers out there, I personally used this app throughout Europe, not only in Barcelona, but when I first arrived here it was certainly a one of my must need Barcelona Apps! If you're anything like me which is spontaneous (or as others would say 'Lazy') and you don't really plan where you're going to stay and just go with the flow then HostelWorld is the ideal app for you. This app helps filter through hundreds of hostels in the local area and will help you find the perfect hostel for you. Before I downloaded this app I went to a completely unknown hostel and my first night consisted of a guy vomiting next to my bed ...... Wasn't the greatest night I'll be honest but this can be avoided. So stop being 'Lazy' just download the app and let Hostelworld do all the research for you. Then again if you're not like me and plan well ahead and book your hostels well in advance then this app is pretty useless to you. But hey it's still worth having on your phone if you want to post some feedback on how the guy next to you vomited all night ........ if you ever read that comment anywhere it is most likely my comment. Stay away from that hostel!!!!

BARCELONA APPS #2: TRIPADVISOR

Tripadvisor is one of those apps where everybody has done all the hard work for you and one that comes in handy over and over, which is why this is one of my must need Barcelona Apps!! I know the saying you should try something new but my saying is 'Why risk wasting money and time??' there's only so many times you can try new things out and well if they don't turn out great then it can sour your experience. Sometimes we just need to be told where to go right, let the people before us test out all the bad restaurants and attractions and let us enjoy and bask in their positive experiences. On one particular occasion it proved vital as a restaurant which looked really good from the outside, however, many people wrote really awful things about this restaurant about its service and food ... so bullet was dodged thanks to Tripadvisor!!!

BARCELONA APPS #3: COUCHSURFING

And at number 5 ... Couchsurfing. Whenever I recommend this app to anybody they give me this weird look, but let me ensure you this app isn't just about sharing your flat to a stranger. Yes okay essentially the app was created so that people passing by a certain country or city could sleep for a night at someones house. However don't be creeped out, the feature I want to highlight is the events section. This is a really cool column that shows upcoming events and activities around your area. What makes this special is that these events tend to be organised by regular people and not organisations therefore you can't really find these cool secretive events elsewhere. I admit I check this like every week as there is always something that appeals to me. Whether its weekly meet ups, sports events, gigs or just random night outs this is one of my must need Barcelona Apps!!

BARCELONA APPS #4: PINDROP

Pindesk is not a common app that everyone would have but it is certainly one that they should. Why, you ask? Well that's a great question, let me explain. If you're anything like me and get lost on numerous occasions, even getting to the simplest of places in Barcelona can be a struggle. However, you tend to find the best places to go and visit when you get lost, whether its a nice little cafe or some shop you have been desperately searching for but don't have your wallet on you. This app enables you to pinpoint these certain locations so you can visit them after. This type social bookmarking is a great way to find really cool places that aren't mainstream, places that will for sure be something not many people would know about, don't you just love exclusive hidden places like this? Well if thats the case this is a one of the must have Barcelona Apps!! Don't worry if you're not the type that goes out exploring because Pindrop has kindly integrated with social media so if you know anybody else in Barcelona most likely they'll help you stumble across a cool spot! I personally Pindropped my own flat ..... because I'm cool like that you see! Okay guys we are into my top 3 apps! This is worth waiting for!

BARCELONA APPS #5: GOOGLE MAPS

I am pretty sure you guys already have this ... Do I really need to explain this app ???? Oh what the hell, for the 1% who hasn't downloaded this app THIS IS FOR YOU! Google Maps is certainly one of the most popular Barcelona Apps!! Well what else can I say except DOWNLOAD THIS APP!! It just makes life 10x easier. Everything is so simple and easy to use. Perfect for Barcelona, since I have downloaded this app I haven't been worried about getting lost .... unless my battery runs out then I'll be crying. Otherwise this app is ideal for anybody who is new to Barcelona as it makes traveling just so soooo much easier. I'm not sure if I could sell this anymore in all honesty. If you got it great if you don't ... most likely your probably lost somewhere as we speak. We are down to the last two !!!! Can you guess the next app ???

BARCELONA APPS #6: CITY MAPPER

Did you guess right?? If you did give yourself a pat on the back!! Number 2 is City Mapper, similar to Google Maps but does things Google Maps cant. This app is fantastic for those who are traveling from A - B if it requires transport. This app is designed to help you find the quickest and easiest way to get from one destination to another. Finding you every possible route from walking,metro,bus,train even SUBMARINE!!! ....okay maybe not the last one (unless you live in Atlantis) but the rest are true. This came in so handy when I first came to Barcelona as it showed me exactly what transport I needed, when I have to get off and all the information in between. A real life saver in some situations especially if your running late for work ..... which never happens to me. Anyways this is a deserved number 2 App and one I can not stress enough that this is one of the must need Barcelona Apps!! Okay guys you made it to the end, now its the moment you have all been waiting for ... I wont keep you in any more suspense the Number 1 App ... will be revealed after these adverts. Only kidding. Right its the Big one !!! My Top app!!! The one app everybody in Barcelona needs !!!! AT NUMBER ONE IS .....

BARCELONA APPS #7: GOOGLE TRANSLATE

Now if you already know Spanish then this app is just completely unnecessary and perhaps you're not satisfied with my number one app of must need Barcelona apps and if that is the case I apologisE! But to the rest of us mere mortals who can't speak Spanish that well, myself included, then this app belongs on your home screen. This is a simple app that is free to download and use and is perfect for when you're out and about. I cannot tell you how many times I have been in a store or on the transport and this great little app has saved my ass. There is also a feature that allows you to save words or phrases you have translated as well as being able to hear it out loud so you can pronounce it properly. This app is fantastic for anybody new to Barcelona and you'd be amazed at what you can learn from this app. There's not much else I can say as the name is fairly self explanatory but guys if you're like me and new to Barcelona and really struggle to speak Spanish PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE download this app .. You will thank me one day! So guys that was my Top 7 apps that I use on a regular basis and apps that I feel are really useful for when you are in Barcelona. I'm sure you guys have most of these but if you dont have these then just download them, they are all free on both Apple and Android. If your looking for top Android Barcelona apps then click here ( btw you suck if you are on Android!!! ) and if you on Apple like me then click here Hope you guys benefit from these as much as I have and if you have any apps that you think are just as important in Barcelona please do comment below and let me know what else is out there. Stay Tuned - Hasan

Low Cost Gyms in Barcelona: Summer is coming!

This year you can be the hottest chick on the beach, you just need to discover the low cost gyms in Barcelona! Every spring we face the same problem: sunny days are coming, the beach is not far, we're on the hunt for the perfect swimsuit... BUT we gained a little weight during the winter and fancy gyms are way too expensive. Not anymore ! The new trend of lowcost has reached gyms in Barcelona, and you can now workout on the cheap. I've chosen four low cost gyms in Barcelona for you to help you out. It's shaping up to be a hot summer!

Simply Gym

My first suggestion for low cost gyms in Barcelona is Simply Gym. It is located on Carrer de Buenaventura Munoz, 64  and is a huge 2000m² open everyday. During the week it is opened from 9:30 to 15:30 and from 17:30 to 21:30, so you can go before or after work. You can ask for the advice of a personal trainer, participate in group exercises or you can train by yourself with all the amenities that you can expect from a gym club. If you want to join the club without any commitment it'll cost you 29.90€ a month, but you'll pay 9.9€ the first month and 19.9€ the next 11 months if you choose the 12 months commitment. There is a registration fee of 25€ and the card partner costs 15€. For more info check Simply Gym website.

Duetfit

Another really good low cost gym in Barcelona is Duetfit. There are two centres in Barcelona, one that just opened last month on Via Augusta, 17 and another one, a little older, on Calle Bruc, 49. The two of them offer personal trainer advice, and group exercises as well as a wide range of amenities to workout properly. They are also opened until 21:30, and most of the group classes are scheduled during the evening so that people who work can participate. The price is 29.9€ a month with a registration fee of 12.5€. You can pay all at the beginning or give the club an extract of your bank account and let them take 29.9€ every month, it's up to you. See the Duetfit website for more information.

Altafit

This is one of the cheapest low cost gyms in Barcelona, located on Calle Mallorca, 318 (metro Diagonal). There are 1700m² of amenities, more than 200 training machines and you can take advice from nutritionists or dieticians. There are also a lot of Altafits all around Spain so if you're reading us from Madrid, Alicante, Sevilla... you should check if there is one near you! The prices are 26.5€ a month if you don't make any long term commitment and 24.08€ a month if you commit for a quarter or a year. Worth it guys! Check Altafit website.

Viva Gym

Finally my last proposition for low cost gyms in Barcelona is Viva Gym. If you work crazy hours this is for sure the best gym for you : they are opened from 6:00 to midnight all week and from 08:00 to 21:00 on the weekends. They offer more than 150 different group exercises and they have a parking area - pretty rare for a gym club. The prices start at 20€ and go up to 30€ a month depending on the commitment. Don't hesitate anymore they have everything you need and more, check Viva Gym website !
If you're not convinced yet, here is my final argument :
YES, this could be you this summer with a little bit of motivation ! Share with us your workouts experience and results ! Mathilde

Home Stores in Barcelona: renovation time!

Spring has finally sprung and today we are going to talk about home stores in Barcelona! There are so many of them, for all budgets, so if you've just rented or bought an apartment in Barcelona, or just wanna spice up your current place, this is a great blog to inform you on all the great home furnishing store options you have at your fingertips!

1. Home on earth

The most exotic of the home stores in Barcelona ! As soon as you get in you'll be surrounded by the serenity as well as the exoticism of the atmosphere. All of their products are hand-made, using organic and sustainable raw materials, and traded fairly. The purpose is to create the least amount of environmental impact possible, and to make their products as natural as possible. They sell decorations for home as well as garden pieces. This is for you if you want your interior to be more green and less industrial, if you care about environment and want to bring exoticism to your life. Where to find them ? Carrer hospital, 76 and carrer boqueria, 14. And if you're looking for more info, check home on earth website. Zen !

2. Gal Gallery

This one is not just one of the random home stores in Barcelona, it is actually an antique. So you'll find interesting and unique pieces from all around the world in this very elegant establishment. They have a wide range of style from ethnic to contemporary and there are all types of prices. The clientele is composed of decoration experts (decorators, hotels, restaurants...). This one is made for you if you're looking for a refined and unique interior. The store is located carrer san eusebio, 47.

3. Amato Sole

This one is my favorite of all of the home stores in Barcelona. It's all about quality of the material : organic and aged. All of the furnitures are designed and constructed by the owners : Anna Maria Amato and Ramon Sole. They also recycle broken objects to give them a new life. Furthermore they make pieces to order if you have a precise idea of what you want. You'll be charmed by the rustic style of their furnitures. Find them on carrer Perill, 39 on Gracia neighborood. Check more info on Amato Sole Website.

4. Aliens 4 Sale

For sure, the most contemporary and design oriented of the home stores in Barcelona. Opened very recently (2014) this store is not really typical, but is certainly really interesting if you love art and science fiction. They sell alien sculptures made in every possible material: silicon, resins, latex and so on, crafted by the sculptress Ariadna Canela. This is kind of weird but very interesting if you'd like to have some, well, surprising decorations at home. They are located on Passeig de Sant Joan, 5. You can check their entire collection in Aliens 4 Sale website
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5. Nordic Think

As you can guess with its name, this shop sells Nordic designed objects and decoration for your house. The online store opened in 2010 and the showroom, located next to plaza Tetuan, in 2011. It's a good place to go if you like bright open spaces and contemporary furnishings. You can also shop for your children : they sell toys, lamps and wallpaper for kids. Find the store on carrer Consell de cent, 412 on the neighborhood of Eixample. Learn more on Nordic think website.

6. Homevice

This one is a little bit different from the other homes stores in Barcelona. Actually it is more like a concept store in which you'll find some gorgeous objects selected by the owners : a Barcelona based interior designer and a Madrid based art director. It's just the top of the top ! It's all contemporary design but not in the way you usually find it : it's not the classic elitist view of contemporary art and design. As a matter of fact you'll find a lot of local designer prototypes at any kind if prices. You'll fall in love I can assure you. They are located on carrer Portal Nou, 5. Find more info on Homevice website.

7. La Variété

Another original one : the concept of La Variété is to take existant object, furniture, broken or not and transform them, re-imagine them and re-create them to give them a new life, to obtain something really different than it was before. Interesting isn't it ? The inspiration of the owner and designer, the french Ricard Commeleran, is mostly from northern Thailand, where he went to explore nature. You'll find pieces made in wood, colorful bracelets and much more. Find them on carrer Pintor Fortuny, 30, and for more info check La Variété website.

8. Maisons du Monde

This is one of the most complete home stores in Barcelona. As a matter of fact, you can find pretty much everything, wardrobes, armchairs, TV, bookcases, beautiful furniture, sofas... At the beginning it was meant to promote an exotic style and atmosphere with objects from all around the world (Maisons du monde means Houses of the world in French), but they expanded their style and now offer different styles and inspirations : exotic, romantic, baroque, vintage, classic, contemporary... So basically you should find what you want, no matter what you are looking for. Good to know : they also have an outdoor and a junior collection. Also, you can shop online on their website. There is only one store of this french brand in Barcelona, located on Avenida Diagonal, 405. Looking for more info ? Check Maisons du Monde website.

9. Zara Home

Of course, we can't not to talk about Zara Home in a blog dedicated to home stores in Barcelona ! The spanish brand Inditex decided to launch a new kind of store in 2003 and the first Zara Home opened in Zaragoza in 2003. Since then, it has been a huge success and there are now more than 400 Zara Home stores all around the world. They offer 4 different styles of decoration : ethnic, contemporary, the "white line" and classic. Their products are very elegant and quite affordable. They provide a wide range of products : tablewear (napkins, bowls, mugs...), lamps, occasional furniture... There are seven Zara Home stores in Barcelona, you can check their exact locations on Zara Home website.

10. Vinçon

Vinçon is one of the oldest home stores in Barcelona, and they first opened their doors to the public in 1941 on Passeig de Gracia. The first main business of the store was the wholesale of porcelain, fine china and glassware. What they sell is defined by their emblematic quote : "Extensive range of objects of all kinds in general”. The concept of this store is to display the work of artists from varying disciplines and backgrounds. The atmosphere of the store is very unique, they sell contemporary designed objects and furniture in a very classic and old decor, Barcelona's architecture heritage. You'll also find an art gallery in the store : La Sala Vinçon. It is actually really difficult to define the atmosphere of Vinçon, you should go and see for yourself on passeig de Gracia, 96. You'll be falling in love for sure ! Check for more info onVinçon website.

11. Deko Palace

Of all of the home stores in Barcelona, you won't find a cheaper one than Deko Palace ! This one sells a lot of gadgets and garden stuff such as flowers or fake plants, garden tools and so on. Their clients are mostly professionals : decorators, people who organize events, florists etc.. but you can shop at Deko Palace even if you are a private individual. They are on a spririt to bring new objects all the time, that's why they often offer limited-edition decoration objects. The DekoPalace store in Barcelona is located on Avenida Diagonal, 458. You can check DekoPalace website if you're looking for more info.

12. Natura

Even though this one is not just about decoration, it provides a quite interesting home collection if you like an uncluttered style. This is for you if you like very classic and elegant furniture, and wood ! Their quote is "Articles to feel good, to share, to have fun, relax..." and you'll understand why when you go to their store. Even looking at their objects is relaxing ! Their mentality is to have a positive attitude and they provide a strong environmental policy, trying to create the least amount of environmental impact. You'll find all kind of prices from very cheap to expensive. Have a look at Natura website to find the closest store from your house !
Well guys, I hope my blog was helpful ! Let us know what you thought about those home stores in Barcelona and if you know of any great ones that we haven't mentioned! Mathilde

French bars in Barcelona - French Style is Everywhere!

Yes, there are French bars in Barcelona after all! Being french myself, and having read every blog that SuiteLife has posted , I figured out that none of them mention french stuff anywhere ! I came to the conclusion that this is not acceptable anymore (especially considering how many French clients we have) and I decided to write a blog about French bars in Barcelona. Because yes, we all need some french 'ambience' once in a while and a classy touch ! Us French may have a lot of faults (yes we're arrogant, rude and so on) but we also know how to party, and by party I mean party hard ! So are you ready for a crazy French night ?!

Bar Pastis

One of the cutest French bars in Barcelona, Bar Pastis, opened in 1947 by a french woman, in the Raval. The decoration hasn't changed since then, you'll feel like being in the post-war Marseille and might meet prostitutes, artists, absinthe lovers and so on. The atmosphere is very particular but also very typical of the old French style. You'll listen to some Edith Piaf music or to live musicians, it's the best place to go for some intimacy and privacy ! Location ? Carrer Santa Monica, 4. Check Bar Pastis website for more info.

Panam75

One of my favourite French bars in Barcelona, even if it's more like a restaurant. Panam is a french slang word for "Paris" and 75 is the postal code of Paris, makes sense right ? They make amazing burgers and salads, in a jazzy atmosphere. The owner of the bar is really nice (and really French). If you like football like me and want to watch the games when France is playing you might be interested in going there because they broadcast all of them ! They are located on Carrer Consell de Cent, 281 !

Paris Taxi

This one is for sport lovers ! It is located in Gracia, next to Avinguida Diagonal and they broadcast all of the football and rugby games of France ! The owner is named Patrice and is really nice. The atmosphere is 100% french, it is THE place to be to watch sports, especially Paris Saint Germain games ! Check Paris Taxi website for more info.

Premier

Definitely one of the best French bars in Barcelona ! You can enjoy a nice glass of french wine or a cocktail in a festive atmosphere, the bar is elegant and classy, and big !!! If you're looking for a good atmosphere and a good place to start the night before going to the clubs it's perfect ! Don't expect to meet only french people because this is a place really famous for local people too ! More info on Premier website !

Les gens que j'aime

And we conclude our selection of French bars in Barcelona with the most romantic one ! Les gens que j'aime means literaly "The people I love" in English. You can't bring anybody there though... You have to bring your partner to enjoy some jazz and soft soul in a candlelit 1920s bordello atmosphere. You can also learn about your future with the fortune teller and tarot card reader ! Isn't that awesome ? Location ? Valencia, 286, Bajos. Check more info on Les gens que j'aime website.
Alright guys, I hope you've enjoyed my blog and want to go to one of those bars now !! If you know any other french bars that worth to be mentioned, please tell us we would be happy to add it in this blog ! Mathilde !