Don Bratwurst Barcelona - Feel German For a Couple of Hours!

When my friends and I entered Don Bratwurst Barcelona for the very first time, the Don welcomed us as if we had known each other for years. He says: "People either love or hate me. If somebody doesn't like me, the person can stay outside". One thing is clear - Don Bratwurst is probably the most unique person I have ever met.

A German Bar in Barcelona!

Beer, All Kinds of German Traditional Food And Football! - An Easy Concept!

Don's concept is fairly easy. He has three waitresses serving beers and food in traditional German clothes (Bavarian Dirndl), one chef who is responsible for all kinds of tasty sausages, french fries or German pretzel and the Don himself who is more like an entertainer. His place is packed with all kinds of football jerseys, souvenirs or things that doesn't really fit in any categeroy. People sit on beer benches from Germany and the atmosphere is pretty similar to a football stadium. He says: " During the football matches, the atmosphere is crazy! Germans feel as if there are at home and celebrate either the win of the National Team or their favourite team in the German Bundesliga!". The Don opens his doors for all kind of football matches. Whether it's the German Bundesliga, Champions League or National Tournaments.
People might think that Don Bratwurst is THE place to go for Germans in Barcelona. However, most of Don's visitors are Spanish. Don: "Spanish people get here every weekend during the evenings and nights. They start eating my sausauges, drink German beer and then start partying with the famous German shot "Jägermeister". They love it!" That being said, Don Bratwurst is a unique and hilarous place to go for everyone! The sausauges are awesome and the beer is delicious. Since the German Bundesliga starts on Friday night, this weekend is probably a good time to go! Be there a bit earlier, since good seats are pretty rarely.

How to get to Don Bratwurst Barcelona:

The German Restaurant/Bar is located a bit further away from the heart of Barcelona. You are looking for  Line 5 - Green Line. Once you get out of the metro, just walk up the hill until you reach Passeig de Fabra i Puig 374. The restaurant is open from Thursday-Sunday every week. If there is a special event, Don Bratwurst is open as well.
We had an awesome time at Don Bratwurst Barcelona ! It's definitely not the place to go for everybody but you should give it a shot for sure! Do you like German food or the Bundesliga? If yes, let's meet for a beer at the Don's place. And if you want to discover another awesome true German bar, check out Devil's Kitchen! Cheers, Alex

Discover "Sabater Hermanos" - A Homemade Soap Factory Hidden in the Middle of Barcelona

In the center of the Gothic Quarter, hidden among the numerous little streets of Barcelona, the soap factory Sabater Hermanos is one of those unusual little stores that you can stumble across. The soap factory is just near the Plaza de San Felip Neri.

Sabater Hermanos History

Sabater Hermanos is a family enterprise established in the 90's, founded in Buenos Aires by the granddad of the Sabater clan when he started making soap in many different tints, flavors and shapes. Since then they always use skills passed from generation to generation to make their soap. The family society is known worldwide. They have customers from around the world with 4 stores based all around the world in Chile, Argentina and Greece. In Barcelona, they first opened a workshop in 2002 and then in 2006 a store was opened in Gothic, the store is run by Eliana Sabater, grand-daughter of the founder. Sabater Hermanos offers different kinds of soap. All the soaps are made in the workshop behind the store, when you go to the store you can see the different machines used to make the soap (every time I go there I picture myself in the Patrick Suskind book "The Perfume").

Their products

They offer different shapes of soap like card symbols, small characters or animals, and even golf and tennis balls. But their it-soap (like the designer it-bag) is the petals shape soap, you can buy those in a simple box where you can mix different smells or you can buy big boxes with different smells, this thing is a pretty good idea for a present - not so expensive and really original. You can find 40 different aromas such as traditional ones from jasmine to rose and more exotic ones like mint and ginger. If you spend a few days in the city you can also order personalized soap (a good way to get a nice present).

These soaps are a cheap and easy way to transform your bathroom into a fancy one.  If it's a present you are looking for, however, don't forget to tell them that it's soap as it can quite easily be confused with chocolate!! Where is the store? This store is kind of hidden but you just have to go to the Placa Felip Neri which is for me one of the most beautiful plazas of Barcelona. There are bullet marks on the walls from the Spanish Civil War and a nice little fountain in the middle of the plaza. Adress : Plaza Felip Neri, 1.
Go there and bring your family or friends a nice present from Sabater Hermanos Barcelona, they will love it and you'll probably also find something for yourself too.
- by Kok Natha HEN

Barcelona Insider Info:  How to find cheap supermarkets in Barcelona and the best Spanish food

I finally managed to find cheap supermarkets in Barcelona! It isn't easy, especially when you’re new in Barcelona and still trying to figure out where you are and how you get from the apartment to the metro! These supermarkets are "student friendly" and by that I mean they have  prices which students, interns or young professionals who’ve just moved to Barcelona, can easily afford.

Tip #1:

The day you arrive in Barcelona is a day full of new impressions and can be sometimes very overwhelming - depending on how long your journey was and how many hours you slept. So, on arrival, you shouldn’t think about finding the cheapest supermarket in Barcelona but just go to the first fast-food place or nice restaurant and enjoy your first day in Barca.

Barcelona Tennis - Where to play Tennis in BCN?

We recently blogged about sports in Barcelona. Barcelona offers all kind of sports one could imagine doing during the summer. Barcelona tennis is probably one of the most popular ones. Although tennis can't keep up with the popularity of football in Barcelona, Spanish people passionately support one of the best tennis players on earth- Rafael Nadal. Furthermore, to play tennis in Barcelona is for sure one of the most common leisure activities.

Where to Play Tennis in Barcelona?

Barcelona is home to a lot of tennis and sports clubs. Since I haven't been to any of them, I did some careful research and I'm gonna point out the best ones.

CEM Can Caralleu

Above all, one sports club amazed me. It's called CEM Can Caralleu and is located on C/ Esports, 2-8. Beside tennis, they offer all kind of sport activites. The memberships are very variable. Tennis courses are held either in groups of 4 people or individually. In addition to the courses, you have tournaments from October to June. If you don't want to be a member, you can just go there and book a court for an hour or so. The quality of the courts is aweseome. Unfortunately, their website is only avaibale in catalan, but I used Google Translator and it worked out perfectly ;).

Club de Tenis y Pádel / Olímpia Centro Deportivo

Another cool tennis club is located on C/ Perú, 215 in Sant Marti. It's a club that specialises in tennis and the Spanish "tennis" - padél. A membership is not required at all. Just go there and rent a court with 1 or more friends. Rackets and tennis balls are rented at club house. They have 3 padél courts, four clay courts, 3 grass courts, changing rooms for men and women. Once, you are done with the match, the losers  treat the winner to a cold drink in the cafe which also belongs to the club property. The staff speaks English, Spanish and Catalan. The opening hours are pretty uncommon if you compare them to the usual ones in Spain. The club is open from 8am until 11pm during the week. During the weekends they are open until 9 on Saturdays and 7 on Sundays and holidays.

Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona

Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona is the best and most traditional private Tennis Club in Barcelona. If you are a professional player, or have the talent to become one, this is the club to enter. Right now, Raphael Nadal is a member of Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona. Also, the top female player, Nuria Llagostera, has a membership. In addition to practice and regularly championships, Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona offers a professional tennis school called "Tennis rCTB". Check out their website for further info.

Find a partner!

Although it’s really hot during the summer, a decent tennis match in the evening can be a lot of fun. I found this really informative website, which brings together tennis players in Barcelona who look for someone to play with. The site is non-profit and organises everything around the match. They offer tennis courts all over Barcelona. Sign up, edit your profile and you will find someone who is in the same situation. Tennis Barcelona: check out their site! Now that you have read this blog about tennis, you have all the information you need about playing tennis in BCN. Surely, there are several clubs and courts to rent. If you know a court/club, which you think has to be mentioned as well, please let us know and we'll add them. For now, enjoy your partido. Best, Alex

When you're in Barcelona, you want to see, do and try as much as is humanly possible. An important part of that is getting to know the local specialties, and Catalan cuisine has plenty of those to offer! Certain menus can even be a bit overwhelming, especially when you don't understand a word of Catalan. So to get you started, here's our top 5 food to try in Barcelona!

1. Tapas

This seems quite unoriginal but you simply cannot get around tapas in Barcelona. It's something you must eat when you're here, simple as that! Tapas come in all forms and sizes, but these are some very typical ones: (The fun is of course to randomly pick something from the menu, a great way to discover new things!) - Pa amb tomàquet: slice of bread rubbed with tomato, and topped with olive oil and garlic. Very basic, but oh so good. It is usually given as a side dish, but is also a popular breakfast. - Patates braves: potatoes with a special, spicy sauce - Xipirons: fried squids - Truita de patates: kind of omelette with potatoes - Formatge manchego: Manchego cheese - Pernil iberic: Spanish ham - Olives - Gambes a la planxa: grilled shrimps with garlic - Croquetes de pollastre i pernil: croquettes of chicken and ham Though they are in overabundance, it can be quite trick to find the right tapas bar. Have a look at our previous articles to get an idea of where to go.

2. Paella / Fideuà

Paella is also a very famous Spanish dish. You will find a lot of restaurants in Barcelona offering paella, though it is actually more of a Valencian dish. But that shouldn't stop you from trying it, of course! It is also very easy to make yourself, just follow our Paella recipe. A Barcelona variant of paella is fideuà, which is with thin noodles instead of rice.

3. Allioli

Allioli is a typical Catalan sauce quite similar to mayonaise. It is traditionally made with only garlic, olive oil and salt. There are many variations, though. It is eaten with bread, potatoes, fish, meat or vegetables ... so basically anything. I am personally quite fond of cod (bacalla) with allioli. The picture on the right shows the one I had in Els quatre gats.

4. Escalivada

A salad of aubergine (eggplant), peppers, tomatoes, onions, salt, olive oil and vinegar. The vegetables are roasted in a little olive oil beforehand.

5. Crema Catalana

The classic Catalan dessert, very similar to crème brûlée. The difference is that the cream is bit smoother (it is flavored with lemon zest and cinnamon) and the sugar on top is caramelized with a broiler instead of with a flame. All this is of course accompanied by some glasses of cava, wine or beer and great friends! Hope you liked our top 5 food to try in Barcelona! If you have other places or foods to try in BCN please drop a comment below!

Park Guell - personal guide to Barcelona'’s most famous and spectacular park designed by Gaudí

Park Guell was commissioned by Count Eusebi Güell and was originally intended to be a gated community to house the Barcelona aristocracy but in the end only two houses were built and the estate proved to be quite commercially unsuccessful.  Park Guell is now a municipal garden and a world heritage site.

Visiting Park Güell

When visiting Barcelona Park Guell I came from the Vallcarca metro station.  By arriving this way I came across a wonderful street that was one of the steepest streets I’ve been on, and I’ve been to San Francisco.  Just off Avinguada de Vallcarca near the metro you will find “Baixada de la Glória”.  It is mostly a pedestrian only street with stairs and escalators and when you reach the top be sure to look back and enjoy the view. At the top of the street you reach Park Guell, although you won’t see much Gaudí influence there as most of his work is near the centre of the park.  You do however come across a great viewpoint at the top of the hill with brilliant views of the city.  As you walk over this hill and down towards the centre of Park Guell you begin to see the works of Antoni Gaudí.
The main terrace has an unmistakable serpentine mosaic bench weaving around its edge.  Interestingly Gaudí designed the bench so you don’t get a wet bum.  The bench is tilted to ensure rain runs off it and the bench dries quickly.  Gaudí also installed small bumps, to ensure people don’t sit on the wet bits. Being very popular and famous ensures that Barcelona Park Guell is full of tourists and, as I found, children on school trips.  One downside of this is the amount of rubbish lying around.  You will also find salesmen trying to offer you tacky souvenirs off what seems like a bed sheet. (One guy was selling earrings off an umbrella).  But don’t let me discourage you, it is still a must see.
Under the terrace you will see what I found to be the most spectacular sight in Park Guell.  The terrace is supported by a series of spectacular columns, and the ceiling is decorated with unique mosaics that perfectly reflected Antoni Gaudí and his crazy visions.
Further down is the famous entrance with the mosaic dragon fountain.  This is an iconic Gaudí sight and so it is a little busy with tourists. You may struggle to get a picture with other tourists posing for their photos.  There are also the two iconic Gaudí buildings near the entrance, which are used as gift shops.

Opening times

January to March – 10.00 to 18.00 April - 10.00 to 20.00 May to September - 10.00 to 21.00 Oct ober - 10.00 to 20.00 November – 10.00 to 19.00 December – 10.00 to 18.00   If you like Antoni Gaudí then try our Gaudí one day tour or check our guide to the Sagrada Familia.   If you have any comments or have any good tips for visiting Park Guell then we would love to hear them! Cheers, Matthew Rutter

Sagrada Familia - an intro to Barcelona's most famous building

Sagrada Familia and Gaudi are two terms that are inextricably bound up with Barcelona. The sight of the cathedral is iconic to the city's skyline. The Sagrada Familia attracts thousands of visitors every year. It could well be the most famous building of Barcelona. But what's the story behind the impressive building? Read on to find out!

"Sagrada Familia? Never heard of it!"

Hmm, although not likely, it is possible. In that case: the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (commonly known as Sagrada Familia) is a church designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi is the exponent of the (Catalan) Modernisme movement, of which the Sagrada Familia is now the most important symbol. The Sagrada tells the life of Jesus and the history of faith (hence the name, which translates as 'the Holy Family'). Although construction has taken 129 years already, the church is nowhere from finished yet (completion date currently estimated to be 2026). Because of this, some of the oldest parts of the church are in need of renovation, while other parts aren't even built yet. In spite of this, the basilica attracts millions of visitors every year, is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was proclaimed a 'minor basilica' by Pope Benedict XVI only last year. The title 'minor basilica' gives the building some privileges over normal churches (and it also sounds fancier). It has always been an expiatory church, which means that it has always been built from donations. Gaudí himself said: "The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família is made by the people and is mirrored in them. It is a work that is in the hands of God and the will of the people."

"That sounds crazy. Why did anybody ever start this?"

Once there was a man named Josep María Bocabella i Verdaguer, who founded the Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José (Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph). With this association he wanted to protect the Catholic faith (and faith in Saint Joseph in particular) from the dechristianization in that time. He received numerous donations with which he bought a 12.800 m² piece of land, now situated between the Carrers de Marina, Provença, Sardenya and Mallorca. On that piece of land the foundation stone of the Sagrada Familia was laid on 19 March 1882 (St. Joseph's Day). Originally, however, the design was in the hands of architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano. Apparently he got in an argument with Bocabella, with the result that Villar decided to resign from the project in 1883. From then on, Gaudi assumed responsibility for the design, which he changed radically. Gaudi worked on the church until his sudden death in 1926, 43 years later! He became so absorbed by his work on the church that he stopped accepting other projects as of 1914. He devoted the last years of his life entirely to the Sagrada, and even lived on the construction site for some time. In 1926, he was walking on the street, deep in thought, when he was hit by a tram. He died a few days later and was buried in the crypt of "his" Sagrada Familia.

"Well, it all looks very fancy, but I don't really get it..."

Granted, it is a strange building. It looks like other churches, with its pointed Gothic arches, rosaces and enormous towers. But at the same time, it is so heavily influenced with Gaudi's powerful imagination that nothing is what it seems to be. Look again and you'll see how the towers are covered with fanciful flowers, and how the pinnacles burst open into bundles of fruit. However, the Sagrada is not a random collection of towers, structures and stones. As I mentioned above, the church represents the life of Jesus and the history of faith. This symbology is apparent in different parts of the building. When it is be finished, it will have 18 bell towers, which symbolize Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the four evangelists and the twelve apostles. It will have 3 facades, which represent the life of Jesus. The Nativity facade (on which Gaudi worked the most) depicts his birth, childhood and young manhood. The Passion facade represents the Passion of Jesus. The Glory facade (which will be the main entrance once finished) represents his death: Death, Final Judgment, and Glory. The same symbology returns in the church's interior, which suggests the celestial Jerusalem. It also features a set of columns, dedicated to Christian cities and continents, representing the apostles. There has been some ongoing debate, though, whether or not the Sagrada Familia can still be regarded as "Gaudi's church". Sure, he spent a fair amount of his life designing and working on it. But what after his death? Gaudi was known to adjust his buildings as he went along, constantly modifying the details of his designs and forever trying out his ideas with full-size models. The man was so fanatically involved with his work that he made plaster casts of chickens, turkeys and even stillborn babies! Or what about attending a death at a hospital, under the pretext of conducting 'spiritual research'. You understand it's hard to find a successor to match his fanaticism or genius. Add to this the fact that the few drafts, models and drawings he left behind, were destroyed by a fire in 1936 (during the Spanish Civil War) and you'll understand why some people think that only little remains of his original ideas and instructions. But even if it cannot be labeled entirely 'Gaudi', the Sagrada Familia is a fascinating building nevertheless and a Barcelona landmark not to be missed!

"Neat! When can I visit it?"

The church is open for visits from 9.00 to 18.00 (October to March); from 9.00 to 20.00h (April to September); and from 9.00 to 14.00h (25 and 26 december and 1 and 6 January). Merely a visit to the church will cost you €12,50 (€10,50 if you're a student, retired or under 18). If you want to take the lift to the towers as well, then you'll have to cough up another €2,50. It's not cheap, but if it makes you feel any better: the entrance fees are part of the funding to finish the construction works. If you rather spend your euros on tapas and sangria, though, you should feel no shame. Many people find that the best parts about the church are on the outside, which is of course completely free to gaze at! So don't feel bad about passing up a visit inside the church. Place yourself on a terrace near the Sagrada Familia, order your tapas and sangria, sit back and be amazed by the richly sculptured exterior. More information can be found on the official website. Learn here how to beat the queue at Sagrada Familia! Let us know in the comments what you thought of your visit! - by Machteld De Groef

EADA Barcelona - one of the best international schools in Barcelona

About EADA Barcelona

Founded in 1975, EADA Barcelona was one of the first international schools in Barcelona to provide an English MBA programme in Spain. EADA Barcelona is quite well known for its very balanced combination of an academic and practical approach. It is promoting EADA Barcelona's unique educational philosophy as "leaning by doing". EADA Barcelona is ranked highly among the 50 most important business schools in Europe. In the EADA MBA programmes, 85% of the participants are from all around the world, and most of them are selected based on their outstanding performance to enter EADA Barcelona.

Reputation of EADA Barcelona

Accreditation:

• EADA Barcelona has been awarded the European Quality Label EQUIS.
• EADA’ Barcelona's MBA programmes have also received the AMBA accreditation granted by the Association of MBAs.

(Currently only 4 Spanish institutions and 66 throughout the world have received these awards.)

English courses from EADA Barcelona

International MBA

• • Language: English
  • Average professional experience: 3 years minimum; 5 years average
  • Educational requirements: University Degree
  • Dedication: Full time
  • Tuition: 29,500 €
  • Study contents: Marketing, Finance, Strategy, Human Resources and Operations.

Euro*MBA

• • Language: Proficiency level in English or similar
  • Professional experience: a minimum of 5 years in positions of responsibility
  • Minimum training: a Bachelor's degree
  • Dedication: 2 years of on-line training plus six weeks of contact classes in different European schools

Future career after EADA Barcelona - Where do EADA Barcelona MBA graduates work?

Countries

• • 54% Europe
  • 4% Africa
  • 33% Latin America
  • 3% North America
  • 4% Asia
  • 2% Middle East

Sectors

• • 26% Other
  • 9% Finance
  • 18% Consulting
  • 7% Manufacturing
  • 10% Distribution
  • 6% Pharmaceuticals and retail Biotechnology
  • 10% Technology Heathcare
  • 9% Consumer products
  • 5% Real estate

Positions

• • 49% Manager
  • 5% Controller
  • 15% Other 5
  • % Specialist
  • 12% General manager
  • 4% Business owner
  • 10% Consultant

Contact

• Website: EADA official website
• Tel: +34 934 520 844
• Fax: +34 933 237 317
• Address: info@eada.edu

Did you know that the founder of SuiteLife Barcelona (Benny) did a EADA Barcelona MBA It's true! Do you have any questions about studying business in Barcelona? Just let us know! By Charlotte Jiaqian Chen / A happy SuiteLifer~

Most Famous Catalan Musicians - cantem en català!

Hey SuiteLifers! We’ve already introduced you to some famous Catalán artists - painters, and architects – now it is time to continue the series with the most famous Catalan musicians!. Music life in Barcelona is very entertaining and you can find a lot of scenes to listen to live music in Barcelona:  jazz bars, restaurants, clubs. There are already articles on our site about Macacó and Ojos de Brujo who are also some of the most famous Catalan musicians from Barcelona. In this particular post we want to show you how many other talented professional musicians are from Catalunya. Maybe you will be very surprised that these most famous Catalan musicians are originally from Barcelona! So here are our most famous Catalan musicians:

1. Montserrat Caballé (1933 - )

She was born in Barcelona in 1933, and completed her music studies here at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu (Liceu Conservatory) – which was the part of the Gran Teatre del Liceu.  Caballé is a very famous operatic soprano, sang in several roles in operas of Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Wagner, Strauss and much more.  She is best known for her “bel canto” (it is an Italian word for “beautiful singing”) repertoire, which is a very popular singing technique among sopranos. In the past few years she has become a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and in 2003, Caballé starred in her own documentary film, called “Caballé Beyond Music”.

2. José Carreras (1946 - )

[caption id="attachment_1771" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Opera singer Jose Carreras entertains during the draw[/caption] He was born in Barcelona, 1946. He is also one of the most famous Catalán musicians, being a tenor. Carreras made his debut at age 11, unbelievable! Mainly known for his roles in Puccini’s and Verdi’s works he became very famous for being one of The Three Tenors alongside Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo. Carreras is also a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and he was the musical director of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

3. Pau (Pablo) Casals (1876 - 1973)

Pablo Casals was born in 1876, in a small Catalán village called Vendrell. Even though he was proficient at the violin, piano, organ and flute, he finally became one of the most famous Catalán musicians, being a cellist! He was the first cellist of the Barcelona Opera Orchestra. In the early 20’ he launched his own orchestra and he was also a conductor – as he truly loved the music itself, not just playing cello. He was famous for recording the Bach Cello Suites in the 1930’s. Casals also had a great impact on Puerto Rican music, where the Casals Festival still takes places annually.

4. Tete Montoliu (1933 - 1997)

Montoliu also born in Barcelona, in the same year as Montserrat Caballé. He was totally blind but became a very famous jazz pianist. He studied classical piano at the Conservatori Superior de Música de Barcelona (Barcelona Conservatory) and by the age of 17 he was leading jam sessions at one of the Barcelona theaters. He is said to be an atypical jazz pianist, since he not only expressed his own musical heritage but also an individual interpretation of American jazz as well, exhibiting warmth, deep feelings and humor in his playing.

5. Xavier Cugat (1900 - 1990)

He was born in Girona, Catalunya but soon moved to Havana, Cuba. There he trained as classical violinist and played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional. This famous Catalán musician’s work really did a lot to help the infusion of Latin music into the American popular scene. He took his band to New York, and became the Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s resident muscians. Interestingly, he was also a cartoonist – working for the Los Angeles Times– while also finding time to be an actor and womanizer (5 wives all together :)). Cugi (as he is often called) had a very funny trademark - to hold a Chihuahua while waving his baton with the other hand.

So these are our favourite 5, but there are more and more of the most famous Catalan musicians! If you spot some, let us know your favourites here or on our Facebook page!

Cycling in Barcelona - introduction to Bicing BCN transport system!

Cycling in Barcelona

Compared to many European cities, theBarcelona transport services offer excellent value. A variety of fun, cheap and fast ways to navigate the city are easily accessible. Without doubt my favourite way of getting around the city is cycling in Barcelona. The sun on your back, the wind in your hair and the hustle and bustle of city life to keep you entertained along the way.