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You are from the US and you are looking for a place which reminds you of home? You want to escape the Spanish food and have some good ol' comfort food? Or do you just want to drink a couple of beers and enjoy a NFL or NBA game with your friends? Well, lucky you! Because we found the perfect place for you to go to! CocoVail Beer Hall in Barcelona!

CocoVail Beer Hall was founded in August 2016 in Barcelona by two friends named Andrés and Toni. Both of them are originally from Barcelona and spend 8 years of living in the USA from 2007 to 2015. After meeting their two friends from Argentina und visiting their beer garden „Brüder“ in Argentina, Andrés and Toni started to follow their dream to create their own beer hall. Therefore, they traveled among the US to get inspired and collected materials in all the different breweries, beer halls, beer gardens and brewpubs.  In 2015, the two all-time friends returned back home to Barcelona to stop dreaming and to start accomplishing. In order to this, in 2016, they bought an old textile factory from the 18th century and transformed it into the first Beer Hall in Barcelona! It is now the most authentic American restaurant which you will find in the city, serving the typical pitcher filled with iced tab water and broadcasting any live games from NFL, NBA to college basketball.

#feelathome

Besides the amazing „beach culture“ that you will experience when entering CocoVail Beer Hall, you will find amazing food. Ugh, the Food! (I can feel the water running in my mouth) There is something to find for everyone and every taste, trust me. You can choose between different kinds of starters like fries, nachos, braves and different kinds of wings, burgers, sandwiches and pokes. BUT. We can highly recommend the wings which they serve. They are just amazing and if you are craving for wings, since good wings are hard to find in Barcelona, than that’s your place to go to! Because here you can get them marinated with 16 different kinds of sauces from the good old classics like buffalo, bbq and teriyaki to exotic marinated ones like glazed orange, Caribbean jerk, garlic parmesan and many many more! If you are at least two really hungry people than go with the two kilos of wings to share option, because there you can get up to 4 different sauces which are included in the price! Our favorites are by far buffalo and honey bbq! Hungry yet? Well I didn’t even tell you the best part of the wings! Because you probably know that there are 2 different kinds of wings, right? The ones with two bones in it, which have less meat and are really nasty to eat and then the good ones with just one bone and a lot of meat. So guess what, at CocoVail they only serve the good ones with just one bone, the „drumsticks“. One more reason to go there! These pictures just below are enough to get us drooling!

Okay that was a big talk about wings and meat. But don’t worry, they serve vegetarian and vegan food as well! For example the vegetarian burger as seen below with caramelized onions and guacamole. So there is definitely something for everyone as I already mentioned above.
But it is not called CocoVail Beer Hall for no reason! They offer over 24 different kinds of craft beer where 90% of those 24 kinds are Catalan beer to support the local and regional beer scene. So, if it is all about drinking beer, watching a NFL game and having a great time with your friends, then I would suggest you to go there on a Sunday evening. Because Sundays are the NFL Sundays which means that you can watch live games broadcast and NFL Red Zone all night! There is also a beer special on those Sundays where you only pay 5€ for a pint of any kind of the 24 craft beers or 15€ for a pitcher of Pilsner. 
But you are not a big fan of beer? Don’t worry! CocoVail has many more events running during the week where you can catch the best deals! Mondays are all about wings with their „Lord of the Wings“ special from 7 to 10pm where you can get 50cent wings! On Tuesdays you can get shots for 2€ or mixers for 4€ between 11pm and 3am because its college night! Wednesdays are more for the wine lovers, since ANY bottle of wine is just 10€. ANY shot for 2€ and sex on the beach for 4€ is what you will get on those thirsty Thursdays at CocoVail. 
Sounds like a good week to me! As you can see, CocoVail Beer Hall is the perfect place for lunch, dinner, cocktails, relaxing evenings with NFL and boradgames and much more, so don't hesitate and check it out and let us know what you think of it!  Cheers Katja 

Catalunya is a fascinating region that offers beautiful historical and natural sites so if you live in Barcelona you must plan every now and then a day trip to visit those wonderful places. Today, for our day trip from Barcelona we take you to Tarragona, back to Ancient times !

Walking on the Roman footsteps

Just one hour away from Barcelona, Tarragona was founded before the 5^TH century BC by the Romans and first called Tarraco. During the Roman Republic, the city was fortified and much enlarged to be converted into a fortress and arsenal against the Carthaginians. The Roman ruins seem to whisper old tales, creating a very unique atmosphere. The first site we visited was the impressive UNESCO listed Roman Amphitheatre. Facing the sea and illuminated by the sun, it used to welcome 15 000 spectators. Its good conservation status allows you to imagine the spectators roaring for blood during the gladiator battles, grrr !
The city also had a centrally located circus of which you can see some well-preserved remains. The Praetorium is a Roman tower that used to have the stairs that connected the lower city to the provincial forum by way of the circus, using underground passageways.
We got up onto the original Roman walls and took a tour of the ramparts where we had a beautiful view on the west side of the city.  To complete your visit, we advise you to go to the National Archaeological museum which has a rich assortment of Roman sculpture, ceramics, clothing, coin and  everyday household items.

The spiritual heart of the city

The Cathedral of Santa Maria, currently a catholic church is located in a site previously occupied by a Temple dedicated to Augustus. Crowning on the highest point of the city, the place is worth to visit. The main facade shows the Gothic style, with a very large rose window that is very beautiful. The inside is even more stunning, especially the Romanesque style cloister that left us with our jaws on the floor. Then you must go on the top of the cathedral to overlook the whole city.

Put down the maps !

After visiting Tarragona Cathedral we decided to put down the maps and get lost in the labyrinth of alleyways, Roman ruins and artisan shops. The old center is romantic and lovely with its colored modernist buildings and decrepit ones, the mixt of different architecture periods gives an incredible charm to the city.
Don’t miss the Pilon’s Street where the pilon are painted in different funny ways! There are plenty of bars and restaurants where you can sit and enjoy very good Catalan dishes. But if you feel like eating fresh fish, you must go to Serallo, the former fishery district where there are restaurants offering tasty fish dishes.

Sunbathe

Tarragona is surrounded by beautiful beaches, so prepare your sunscreen! Platja Arrabassada is the closest to the city center, a 5 minute bus ride or a 30 minute stroll. We advise you Platja Larga , where there is a long sandy stretch from which you can begin a forest coastal walk through the El Bosque de la Marquesa , to join secluded beaches such as the famous Waikiki beach.
If you have time, located 4 km north of the city, the Les Ferreres Aqueduct, is another worth to see Roman ruins, listed in the UNESCO World Heritage. Nicknamed “Pont del Diable” (Devil’s bridge), the  legend says it was built by the devil after he won the soul of a maiden in a bet.

How to get there ?

It’s very easy to get to Tarragona from Barcelona. We took the RENFE train from Barcelona Sants Estacio and we arrived in Tarragona one hour later. The cost is between €8 and €20 depending on what time you travel. Of course you can also drive there by car or take the bus, it’s up to you ! We hope that this article made you want to visit this wonderful city and we would be glad to hear about your day trip experience ! If you have any questions or comments we’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Coworking in Barcelona has gone viral just as it has all around the world and Ciutat Condal just couldn’t avoid this phenomenon. Used by entrepreneurs, work-at-home professionals, or people who travel a lot, coworking promotes a great sense of community and sharing, let’s understand this new way of work!

What is coworking ?

Coworking spaces gather people, who are normally self-employed or working for different small businesses, in the same office or work place, designed to provide a productive and collaborative environment. Workers share the whole infrastructure, the equipment and the costs. But coworking is also and mostly about belonging to a community of workers, who have the same values, the same vision of work. It is a place to meet people, to come up with new ideas, the share knowledge and experiences.

Some History

Bernie de Koven, an American game designer and author, was the first one to use the term  “coworking” in 1999 to describe and analyze the new collaborative work methods in Germany. Actually, coworking is not a new concept! It already existed under different forms, the oldest one going back to the Renaissance, when Italian painting workshops used to gather different artists, like Leonardo Da Vinci or Sandro Botticelli, to share new artistic technics and knowledge. The first modern form of coworking space appeared in Berlin in 1995 with the C-Base, a community of computer engineers who set up an informal “hackerspace” for collaborative working. Although this early space contained some of the basic elements of coworking, the idea would not take full shape until 2005, when Brad Neuberg opened the first coworking space in San Francisco. The place proposed a mixture of desk space, shared lunches and events such as bike rides and group meditation. Sillicon Valley took up the idea a few years later, and since then coworking spaces have been popping up all around the world, and our beautiful city seems to have a new one each week. The number of coworking spaces is growing fast. According to DeskMag, in 2017 there were 13 800 spaces worldwide, compared to 11 300 in 2016, and these spaces have gathered more than one million members. In addition, coworking spaces are becoming more profitable, which shows brighter prospects for the future.

Advantages and disadvantages

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of coworking is the creative environment and the sense of community from like-minded professionals. The place is thought and designed to improve the efficiency and productivity of workers in a laidback atmosphere. If you work at home and feel isolated or not focused, then coworking places are the best solution. Another huge benefit is the potential for networking. The people that you meet at a coworking space could be looking for your kind of work and/or they could be great resources down the road. Of course one of the downsides is it’s not free, but it’s still cheaper than renting your own office and you can find more flexibility, paying a month fee.  Another negative point is you might have the same distractions as you would when working at an office: interruptions from others, noise, and less privacy. To choose the best suited coworking place to your way of working you must consider two major aspects. First the accessibility: your coworking space has to match with your work schedule, with your budget and it has to be in a convenient location for you. Second, the community : it has to gather people who share the same values, who feel like sharing their experience and support other worker.

Coliving : when the concept goes further

The concept of coworking has inspired a new one:  the coliving. It means any shared housing designed to support a purpose-driven life, a modern and sustainable urban lifestyle that values openness, sharing and collaboration. To explain you, it is like sharing a house with other people who have a common interest to collaboratively and efficiently manage and share resources, coordinate activities and strengthen social relations. These shared houses are also designed to offer a great and serious place to work. The purpose is to create a home environment that inspires and empowers its residents to be active creators and participants in the world around them. Coliving seduces in general freelancers, self-employed, people who set up their startup, or young workers who are looking for flexibility and networking. Shared houses offer a lot of benefits like coworking spaces, workshops and activities (excursions, sports, etc) to create a real and lively community. Many of them don’t require a long term lease, you can chose to stay either a week, or month or more, which doesn’t hinder worker mobility. There are more and more companies that work in this new niche market. For instance you have the platforms Welive in New York,  or Coworkation and A Landing Pad in Barcelona which propose to find your community.  More than an opportunity for the real estate sector, the coliving represents a new vision of private/professional life, which philosophy is  “sharing and communion”.

Find your coworking space

La Vaca Coworking
Carrer de la Creu dels Molers, 19, 08004 Barcelona La Vaca was a former dairy shop turned into an original coworking space where you can find a café-chill vibes and many different work spots adapted to your way of working. The community  gathers many freelancers, startups and digital nomads and organizes weekly activities like Afterworks, “Paella Day” … etc to strengthen bounds and create the best atmosphere to work! Cahoot Coworking
Carrer de Floridablanca, 92, 08003 Barcelona Cahoot is located in Sant Antoni in a newly and well redesigned industrial space. They provide you all the equipment and tools to feel comfortable and focus at work while having fun with your co-workers. It is also a strong community of workers that value innovation, empowerment and giving back, organizing many events to cultivate this philosophy. Of course there are many other coworking spaces in Barcelona, and it can be hard to find the suited one. That is why we propose you a list of different places with pictures and description to help you in your research. Just check out The Best Co-Working Spaces in Barcelona We hope that this article helped you to better understand this phenomenon and we would be glad to know your opinion on the subject ! If you have any questions or comments we’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Christmas in Barcelona 2018

Christmas 2018 is here and Barcelona has plenty to offer during this exciting time of the year. Traditionally, Christmas in Barcelona is celebrated in style as locals and visitors love to enjoy a magical and authentic atmosphere. However, if you are expecting crazy cold weather and a lot of snow, you might get upset. Barcelona has actually very pleasant temperature that serves well to those, who do struggle with cold weather. Still, don't worry, despite the weather not being so “Xmassy” Barcelona substitutes that with many amazing events and things to do that will certainly make you remember Christmas in Barcelona like in no other place. However, if you are looking for some tips where to dine, we got your back- check traditional dining places during Christmas in Barcelona.

In nutshell, this article will help you find something to do in Barcelona during Christmas time without you extensively researching online. We going to introduce you to the best Christmas markets, Christmas fiestas, concerts and activities you or families with kids will enjoy greatly. So, sit down, get a cup of your favourite hot drink and let's get going.

Christmas Markets

Christmas markets in Barcelona undoubtedly fit in perfectly with the whole atmosphere of Christmas. Luckily, Barcelona has a plenty to offer and is well suited for every visitor, just choose the one you feel that will be most enjoyable for you. Here are the options:

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christmas in Barcelona 2018[/caption]

Fira de Santa Llúcia 

This is a very traditional market for celebrating Christmas in Barcelona. The beginning dates back to the late 18th century and nowadays this Christmas market is a must see as it offers around 300 stalls full of possible Christmas gifts. You can find here handmade jewellery, toys, clothes, scarves or puppets. On the top of that, you can discover at the same time Christmas trees, moss, candies, and crafts of Christmas decoration. Plus Fira de Santa Llúcia is very family friendly as you can find Tio de Nadal ( Christmas log) full of presents for the children. This Christmas market is great and easy to visit as it is located next to Barcelona Cathedral, so you might as well take both at the same time!

This market opens gates on 30th November to 23 December from 11:00 until 20:30

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winter market[/caption]

Fira de Nadal de la Sagrada Familia

Another great place to celebrate Christmas in Barcelona. This Christmas market is located right next to Sagrada Familia so it would not be a bad idea to visit this market if you looking to see the mighty art piece of Gaudí. Other than convenient location, this Christmas market has plenty to offer such as Christmas trees, jewellery, sweets, craft products or Christmas decoration.

The market starts in late November till early December.

Fira de Reis la Gran Via 

One more tip for an amazing place to try if you looking for some more Christmas in Barcelona. Located around Gran Via is one of the old, traditional Christmas markets, that originates in the 19th century. What you can find here? Simply put plenty of inspiration for the Christmas gifts. You can get here anything from toys, handcrafts and food. When it comes to food, make sure you try the Churrerias stalls with churros. We are sure, you will able to smell it from far away! Maybe you can get it with hot chocolate, but we leave it to your imagination. Another important info you need to know about this Christmas market is the best visiting days. These two are  St. Stephen’s Day on 26th of December and evening of Reis from 5th to 6th of January.

You can enjoy this festival from 20th December to 6th January.

Three Kings Parade  (Arribada dels Reis Mags a Barcelona)

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Three Kings[/caption]

Fabulous show for everyone. There is not a better way to reinforce Christmas in Barcelona other than with the arrival of three kings to the centre of Barcelona during the evening on 5th of January.  You have to get ready for the great show and arrival of three kings in fashion. This is a perfect opportunity to take out your friends, family, kids or partner.

The program starts at 4:30 pm and the whole show finishes at around 9:00 pm.  The whole event is hosted in Moll Bosch I Alsina,2 in Ciutat Vella.

Ice Rink 

We already talked about the weather at Christmas in Barcelona. However, there is always a way to get that more traditional Christmas feeling here in Barcelona. Ice skating might be the one activity you have been craving for. To try it out, you need to go to  Roger de flor 168 in Barcelona, where you can find an indoor rink, which is the home ground of the Barcelona team. For those who never tried and want to learn this rink offers ice skating lessons and school. You can find opening hours and prices on ice skating centre website.

Nadal als Museus

These are exciting events in Barcelona to bring Christmas to all . Nadal als Museus runs throughout the city. What you can expect is a manifestation of Christmas in various interactive and engaging ways. These events are designed for everyone of any age. Just to give a better understanding, you can look forward to things, such as Christmas cinema, children’s workshops, Christmas markets, performances, Christmas stalls, live music and others. These events start just before Christmas. Here is a list of some of them:

Tió de Nadal

Where: Moll Espanya, 7 :Ciutat Vella

When: From 22/12/2018 to 24/12/2018.

Nadal al Poble Espanyol

Where: Poble Espanyol de Montjuïc

When: From 06/12/2018 to 29/12/2018.

Cercavila 'La Carassa de Nadal'

Where: Diversos carrers de Ciutat Vella

When: From 01/12/2018 to 23/12/2018.

City of Dreams for kids (Ciutat de Somnis)

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dreamland for kids[/caption]

Specially designed for kids.  The dreamland, where limits are created by the child’s imagination. This one is a truly must visit if you have a young one at home. This event is best for kids aged between 4-12 years of age and their families. City of dreams gets over 100,000 visitors and has around 170 activities, which will for sure keep your little ones fully occupied. Your kids can get all excited about pirate ship crews, turning into policeman or firefighters, lego constructing, painting workshops, costume workshops or driving special kids’ motorbikes. Pretty awesome ?! That is just a glimpse of what you can actually do! So if you want to really give your child a great gift. This is an amazing tip for an amazing family day full of adventure.

This event is held at Fira de Barcelona - Montjuïc from 27 December to 31 December.

Concerts and carol signing

Concert "Barcelona Christmas Gala"

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Christman in Barcelona 2018: Gala concert[/caption]

This an event for true Christmas lovers. During the magical night of this concert, you will be able to hear all the biggest Christmas hits and carol out there. "O Holy Night", "Feliz Navidad", "White Christmas" or even classic songs from artists such as Mozart or Bach.  

Barcelona Christmas Gala is taking place at C Palau de la Música, 2: Ciutat Vella on 19 of December 2018. The tickets for this concert are still available starting at 28 euros.

Teatre "Nadales"

Carol singing. What a better of celebrating Christmas in Barcelona than to come and sing along with the live band some traditional Christmas carols we all know.  Certainly Christmas in Barcelona will resonate in all the visitors' ears. Just get your voices ready! Teatre "Nadales" is taking place at Teatre El Maldà from 18.12.2018 till 22.01.2019.

Nadal al Tren de l'Oreneta

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Santa train[/caption]

Especially for kids and families!!!

Do you want to join a Santa on his train ride !?

Santa Claus will be visiting Barcelona. Yes, he made it and he is coming with his train too! Best thing is you can join him along and get maybe candy or two and signing some carols. The train operates from  25/11/2018 to 30/12/2018 put only certain days. 

Bottom Line

Christmas in Barcelona is a very exciting time and it is very hard to be bored in this city. As we presented for you, there are many markets, workshops, concerts, food stalls and even more to choose from. The only question is how much time do you have to try as many things as possible. It is your chance to explore now!

The whole team of SuiteLife wishes you Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

For a couple years now we have heard about the fight Barcelona vs Airbnb, in which the city tries to curb negative effects of a perceived tourism boom, attacking the famous home-sharing platform. What does it involve? Let us explain you all about this huge issue !

Why Barcelona fights against mass tourism ?

Barcelona is a 1.6 million resident city and receives every year around 30 million visitors and about half of them are day-trippers. The city is a victim of its own success: tourists are attracted by the sun, the beach, Spanish culture, nightlife and cheap prices especially compared to cities such as Paris or London. This is the result after 25 years of relentless promotion of the city as a tourist destination post Olympics. Moreover, low-cost flights, as well as the popularization of home-sharing platforms such as AirBnb and Homeaway, which tend to be cheaper and more convenient than hotels, have definitely contributed to the growing number of sightseers. Of course visitors bring in a huge amount of money which makes the tourist industry one of the cornerstones of the city’s economy. But their excessive and unsustainable number impacts the daily life of local residents.
Indeed the massive upsurge in tourist apartments is driving rents up and residents out. Some investors have begun to speculate and buy entire buildings – some where families have lived for decades – to take advantage of this flourishing industry. Landlords are seeing an opportunity to gain up to four times as much as they would for renting to long-term local tenants. As a consequence, those who live and work here find less housing available and increased rents which raised by 16.5 per cent in 2016 by the way. When you take a walk on Barcelona’s streets you can notice some angry graffiti on the walls: “tourists go home”, “Stop destroying our lives!” or “Tourists you are the  terrorist”. This anger follows up the increase in rental prices but also daily inconveniences. Many residents, especially in the city center, are kept awake by badly behaved visitors, and increasingly find their local shops and bars taken over by gift shops and coffee chains. Not only that, tourism impacts the cost of living, making it more expensive to buy food, clothes etc without seeing any increase in wages.
As a results, it has become a major concern for locals : in a survey carried out by the city council in October 2017, residents see tourism as the second biggest problem after unemployment. Despite some demonstrations, locals know that tourism is positive for the city economy but many think it must be further regulated.

How Barcelona cracks down on illegal holiday flats?

The city council has acknowledged the situation and taken measures to try and contain it. It wants to create a new model that encourages sustainable tourism and benefits all local people, while preserving the traditional features of Barcelona’s old neighborhoods. In that purpose, the local government created a tourist tax applied to accommodation for spending the night in the city and have stopped, since 2015, the licensing and building of new hotels, hostels and touristic apartments. Since 2017, the special urbanism plan for tourism (PEUAT)  has restricted the licensing of tourist accommodation depending on the area to distribute tourists more evenly throughout the city and decongest the most overcrowded neighborhoods.
Barcelona focuses its efforts on cracking down on the illegal, unlicensed flats, that popped up all over the city.  And Airbnb, the dominant home-sharing platform, is in the eye of the storm, although not the only offender. In 2016, Airbnb was hit with a €600,000 fine for listing unlicensed apartments, following a more modest €30,000 fine the year before (that same fine was also levied against HomeAway). In May 2018 the city asked again Airbnb to remove 2,577 unlicensed listings or face a court case potentially leading to another substantial fine. They finally found an agreement whereby Airbnb gives Barcelona officials access to data about what’s being listed around town. The city officials are now able to refer to host data that details specifically where unlicensed apartment are located which will be far easier to pursue rule-breakers and if necessary, fine them.

What are the first results ?

In 2017 there were 75,000 hotel beds in the city and about 50,000 beds in legal tourist apartments, plus an estimated 50,000 illegal ones. According to the council, there are about 16,000 holiday rentals in the city, of which nearly 7,000 are unlicensed. And since then, investigations by the city have already led to 1,500 unlicensed apartments being de-listed. To go further, Barcelona considers a new option that would have hosts in the city submit their rental permit number to Airbnb before listing goes on the website. If the box were left blank or filled in with a false number, the listing would not appear on the site. This would be a major advance in the fight against illegal flats.

How to get a tourist licence for a flat ?

If you want to rent out your apartment in Barcelona to tourists, you absolutely need a tourist licence ! Otherwise you would slide towards illegality and risk a huge fine.  For the City Council a touristic rental includes any rental period less than 32, so summon your patience because there is a lot of administrative proceedings to bear. If you want a touristic rental flat, they are still excellent investments. The licenses used to be transferable from one property to another but now are not. Hence, if you want one you have to buy a flat that already has one. We hope that this article helped you to better understand this current issue and we would be glad to know your opinion on the subject ! If you have any questions or comments we'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Learning Spanish in a vibrant city like Barcelona is an exciting opportunity, whether you’re coming specifically to practice your Spanish or moving here. However, it can sometimes be tricky to sort through the sea of great language schools to find the one that suits you best- Let’s be honest, there’s so many and they all seem to offer similar things at first glance. But don’t panic! We’ve put together a list of our Top 9 Best Language schools to help you figure out your favourite. We've even included this handy chart below to help you out if you're in a hurry or looking for something specific.

Barcelona Plus

The first is Barcelona Plus Academy that has a wide range of courses including part-time, standard and intense. It also has a range of optional activities on offer during evenings and weekends. The great thing about Barcelona plus is, unlike many other language schools, it has evening classes for people who work during the day but still want to improve their Spanish. As well as all the other schools we will be mentioning in the article, the class size is small – 10 students or less expect for the U2 class at Barcelona Plus which can have up to 15 students. It also has a special section of classes for teenagers learning Spanish!

BCN Langauges

Our second recommendation is the BCN Languages School; it stands out because of its very reasonable prices and the fact that it has centres at various locations within the city so you can access its courses no matter where you are staying. This school also has an ELE25 course that teaches both language and culture inside the classroom and out, including a range of activities and trips to sites around Barcelona. Although this school does not offer weekend or evening group classes, it does offer online learning, a practical alternative that will fit almost any hectic regime.

Camino Barcelona

The next school Camino Barcelona which not only stands out for its central location, 10 mins from Plaza Catalunya, but also because it is the ONLY one of these schools with onsite accommodation, making it even easier to take full advantage of the experience. The school also prides itself on having exceptional premises with relaxation areas that include large terraces. As well as this, the school provides a range of daily and weekend activities, including an after school club to help improve your Spanish further.

Dime

Dime language school is not Cervantes accredited but has become well respected in its own right as an excellent language academy. If you’re looking for a smaller school this would be perfect for you. Located in between Gracia and Sant Gervasi, it is also slightly further removed from the touristy side of Barcelona. They pride themselves on teaching Spanish in a real-life context, using the communicative method where everything is taught in Spanish so that students learn quickly are able to fully integrate themselves into the city and culture. It offers a wide range of courses from those directed at babies and parents to in company teaching. It even has classes  for pronunciation, distance classes via Skype and Saturday classes. The school also organises its own monthly activates from visiting open-air cinema events to city walks.

Dinamo

If you’re looking for something unique and trendy Dinamo bcn is for you. Although Dinamo, like Dime, is not Cervantes accredited, it is also a very well renowned school. It has an old-school vibe, using black boards for teaching in classrooms with beautiful interiors. It has a great location next to El Borne in the heart of Cuitat Vella, also close by to the famous Parque de la Citadella. Even though it is one of the smaller language schools, Dinamo has a number of cultural partners through which they organise events and activities. The school also has a partner that offers help with NIE’s, incredibly useful if you’re moving to Barcelona.

Enforex

Enforex is one of the largest language schools in Barcelona- modern with great facilities and a wide range of courses including standard courses as well as a Gap year programme and a volunteering programme. It is Cervantes accredited and prides itself on its learning environment with 50 light and bright classrooms, computer lab (free of charge), large terraces and library. However, this comes at a price being one of the most expensive schools in Barcelona. This aside, you get what you pay for in terms of facilities, range of courses and teaching quality. The school has a good location in the Eixample area, close to Rocafort metro station. There is a wide range of accommodation offered by the school, from host families to shared apartments.

Lingua Language School

Lingua Language School has a wonderful location, just ten minutes walking distance from Plaza Catalunya. The school itself is based in a beautiful 19th century colonial building with a garden for relaxing in between classes. It offers a range of courses as well as activities, which encourage students to socialise and practice Spanish. There are activities organised on a weekly basis, many of which are free of charge, including tapas tours and picnics in Parque de la Citudella. The school even offers weekend activities with a small charge. The school is very reasonably priced and offers off-site accommodation.

Olé Language School

Olé school prides itself on being one of the smaller language schools in Barcelona, which the staff believe creates a more personal atmosphere and learning environment. Olé is one of the only schools to have a specific evening course, perfect if you can’t make day time classes. Like Lingua language school, Olé is very reasonably priced, 99 percent of their students voted it very good value for money in relation to price and quality of their learning experience. They host a weekly meet up in the city centre for students to meet one and other and provide other paid weekend activities.

Speakeasy

Speakeasy language school has over 15 different courses to choose from- including an evening course! It is a modern school based near Plaza Catalunya, with great facilities including its own multimedia room. Speakeasy also offers a range of other services form help with visas to optional health insurance and a student card with discounts. The school believes it has an exciting atmosphere both inside and outside of the classroom and offers weekly activities to enhance students’ cultural experience. As well as offering standard DELE programmes, the school has also developed their own learning programme called CASA which they believe enables students to achieve their language goals most quickly.
So, we hope you've managed to pick your favourite school, let us know what you think in the comments below! Make sure you check out our other blog posts for more activities and lifestyle ideas in Barcelona. ~Phoebe

The Poblenou Superblock is simply a better place in which to live

Last 20th of June the Poblenou Superblock received a special mention at the European Prize for Urban Public Space. This competition underlines the importance of public space as a catalyst of urban life, and  aims to bolster public investments in its conservation and improvement. The “ Superblocks Program 2016-2019” has been implemented by the City Council  to reduce the space occupied by the private vehicle so as to favor pedestrian surface, bicycle lanes and network of fast bus lanes. The first pilot project called Poblenou Superblock is located in the Poblenou neighbourhood, of the Sant Martí district, a former industrial zone.

What does the Poblenou Superblock look like ?

The Poblenou Superblock is a wide area, delimited by Badajoz, Pallars, La Llacuna and Tànger streets. The plan designed large interstitial pedestrian areas, vehicles can access to all buildings but they are obliged to move more slowly and to take roundabout routes. The pilot project has been developed in two successive stages. The first one has been conceived by several students in architecture : temporary signs were painted on the ground, provisional elements of street furniture were placed, trees planted in mobile containers were scattered in the pedestrian streets. Residents have found their feet which gave rise to children’s playgrounds, sports areas, picnic and ping-pong tables, meeting spaces, literary tours and temporary markets. the second stage, initiated in autumn 2017, has consisted in consolidating the intervention on a permanent basis by means of conventional civil engineering work.

What are the results ?

In total, public space for pedestrians has increased by 13,350 square meters in the Superblock. The number of vehicles circulating in the inner streets has dropped by 58% which of course increased the traffic in the four roads around the perimeter by 2.6%. Daytime noise levels have dropped by an average of five decibels which is good news as the noise once exceeded the WHO’s noise exposure limits. In addition 212 new trees were planted, and open-air cultural activities have multiplied.

How the Poblenou Superblock affects real estate in the neighborhood ?

As the streets of the Poblenou Superblock are calmer and less noisy, the value of the houses and apartments located in the superblock are moving on. The extension of green spaces increases commercial rents and property prices. The new quality of life appeals to newlyweds and families who look for a calm and safety place to live. The Poblenou pilote project has given rise to a magical renaissance of urban life, if you take a walk in the Superblock, you will see free-range kids, families and locals enjoying the new car-free spaces. As Barcelona continues to create pedestrianized zones, residents choosing to walk rather than use transport will allow the government to prioritize their people rather than cars in the future making for healthier, and happier Spaniards. What do you think about the city 's new charm, would you wish for more extended superblocks in Barcelona ?

Barcelona's vision as a Smart City

Barcelona has long been a leader in the smart city movement but the city's government has recently implemented an ambitious plan for digital transformation that will place the City Council in the vanguard of efficiency, transparency and social innovation. Barcelona smart city strategy shapes a better urban area : we give you the key points to understand what it involves for its citizens in their daily life.

What is a Smart city ?

To explain simply, a smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic data collection sensors to supply information which is used to manage efficiently community services. This includes data collected from citizens, devices, and assets that is processed and analyzed to monitor and handle for instance traffic and transportation systems, power plants, water supply networks or waste management. A smart city uses information and communication technology (ICT) and the loT (Internet of Things), an ecosystem of various physical devices that are interconnected with each other to optimize the efficiency of city services. This allows city officials to interact directly with both community and city infrastructure and to monitor what is happening in the city and how the city is evolving.

Sentilo : a network of sensors that analyzes all the city !

Barcelona has a dense network of sensors, called Sentilo, which compiles city data from a wide variety of sources, something which has made the city a leading figure in the global smart-city ecosystem and provides real-time information on the state of the city. Parking Spaces: the city embedded underneath the asphalt a sensor system that identify the available parking spaces and notify the drivers. This program helps to reduce emissions and congestion while drivers save time when they want to park.
Street lights: a LED based lighting system is used to reduce light consumption. This system is more energy efficient as it adjust lighting based on the presence of people and the time of delay . A central unit in the street enables lights to communicate and this unit also manages various other services like electric vehicle recharging stations, Wi-Fi, and fiber-optic cabling to the home. Noise sensors: Barcelona is a noisy city because of its large avenues. Noise sensors allow the inhabitants to measure the level of noise and to take necessary action when the noise levels exceed the recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization). Other sensors collect data on pollution, humidity and temperature which allows for instance the city to adapt the watering in public spaces depending on the rain. Even more striking, there are now sensors on the bins that enable the city to detect the level of waste that comes from different places and optimize the collection of waste. The knowledge given by the sensor network helps the City Council to make better decisions about public services and infrastructures optimizing their organization and their cost.  This clearly improves the functioning of the city and the residents’ well-being.

A better policy for public transports

Barcelona has integrated the fight against global warming into its smart city strategy to improve its citizens’ quality of life. In that purpose, the city has developed a large and efficient public transport network, and created more pedestrian areas. The first stage of this policy has begun with the “Superblocks Program 2016-2019” which pilot project is located in Poblenou and consists in reducing the use of cars so as to favor pedestrian surface, bicycle lanes and network of fast bus lanes. The roads within the Poblenou Superblock have been transformed to be used by pedestrians and bikes only. Now this neighborhood is renowned for its lively streets and its peaceful atmosphere.
Secondly the transport system of Barcelona (TMB) has integrated a new orthogonal bus network, making it more frequent, easier to use, and faster. The bus transit system helps decreasing emissions using hybrid buses and solar panels in bus shelters. Soft modes of transport are of course encouraged, like Bicing, the city bike system only used by Barcelona residents, that helps reducing circulation and pollution. To go further, a new T-Mobilitat tranport tickets will provide Barcelona City Council with the return and use of data generated by city residents when they use public transport. This information will help improving public transport policies based on greater knowledge of city-resident mobility.

A new digital strategy to manage data

At this stage you certainly wonder to whom belong all the data collected from the sensor networks. Well, the City Council is working to have an entire sovereignty over the data and to less depend on foreign providers, renegotiating its different contracts with them. As data is a prime asset in the knowledge society, Barcelona opens up its urban network of sensors to public experimentation, by offering data to the general public through an Open Data Portal. Barcelona puts citizens at the head of its new smart city strategy :  the use of data has to provide better and more affordable services as well as make government more transparent, participative and effective. The strategy consists in expanding the social beneficial  uses of data, while guaranteeing data sovereignty, ethic and privacy.
With this is mind, the City Council works alongside a group of 14 European city, to defend the importance of e-democracy through the DECODE initiative. This project aims to promote a vision of data as a common asset and to empower the general public with an infrastructure that provides it with control over how the data is used. Concrete initiatives are creating hardware, software and business models to take on the quasi-monopolies being promoted through centralized foreign web services. For instance, the City Council is opting for the use of open-code technologies, publishing its software in public repositories with permissive licenses so that third parties can use it whether they be other public administrations, companies or individuals. It wants to stimulate local initiatives giving companies the tools and knowledge needed to spread their business. With this new strategy the Catalan capital proves that it is able to find efficient and sustainable solutions to optimize the functioning of the city. Barcelona is a wide urban area, and the City Council works to improve the well being of its citizens to create a better place to live.

Barcelona is full of great places to watch the sunset, and there’s no better way to finish a long summer day than to watch the sun go down over this beautiful city. If you love a good sunset as much as we do, you've come to the right place. Here are our top picks for the perfect sunset places in Barcelona.

1.Montjuic

The first is Montjuic- and your'e in for a treat because this location has two perfect areas to watch the sunset. The first is the historic Montjuic castle. The stunning fountain in front of the castle is breath taking any time of day but the view at sunset is extra special. However, if green spaces are more your thing then the Jardins de Miramar is also a great option. And, If you enjoy films, Sala de Montjuic is just round the corner. This is an open-air cinema where you can watch films whilst the sun goes down, does it get any better?

2.The Carmel bunkers

The next spot is a locals favourite: The Carmel bunkers. These old military bunkers now provide a stunning 360° viewpoint of the city. They have a great atmosphere, filled with people picnicking, drinking wine and playing music. We think that visiting the Carmel bunkers is the perfect end to a busy week and one of the best sunset views the city has to offer.

3.Skybar Barcelona

The next place is a little pricey, but we think it's worth every penny. The beautiful Skybar Barcelona, complete with pool and modern décor has a stylish and unique sunset vibe. Entry is after 9pm and costs 20€ including your first drink. If you're looking to do something a little more luxurious, we think this would be the perfect place.

4.Bogatell beach

Let’s bring things back down to earth, quite literally – because these iconic Barcelona sunsets aren't limited to high up spots. One of our favourite places to watch the sunset is the beach. We especially love Bogatell seeing as it’s a little less crowded than Barceloneta but you still get a great view of the promenade and W hotel in the background. We love to go for a run and a refreshing dive just before sunset to end the day off.

5.Tibidabo

If your'e looking for something magical, Tibidabo with its historic theme park and the famous Sagrat Cor church looks like something straight from a fairy-tale. Its breath taking view of the city is even better at sunset and is mainly due to the fact that at 500 metres tall, Tibidabo mountain is the highest point in Barcelona. You can access it by the little tram that runs daily from the base of the mountain to the summit.

6. Port Vell cable car

For those of you not scared of heights, another great way to see the city at sunset is to take the cable car. If timed right, you will get a spectacular view of the city at sunset as you travel over the port. Your cable car journey will begin at Torre Sant Sebastià, cross over Port Vell, and end up at the Miramar Jardims viewpoint in Montjuic. If your'e going in high season, remember to arrive early in case of queues.

7.Bell Tower, Santa Maria del Pi

If historic sites are more your thing, there is great sunset view from the Bell Tower of Santa Maria del Pi church. This 14th century Bell Tower is the tallest building in the ancient el Gótico area from which you get a stunning view over the old city. Tickets to visit the church and tower are just 4€ but, like the cable car, remember to arrive with plenty of time in case of queues in the summer season.

8. Hotel W Barcelona

Our last sunset favourite is the famous Hotel W Barcelona. This hotel is home to the stylish Wet bar with stunning views over the whole city of Barcelona. The Wet bar opens to external guests at 8pm, and this summer is hosting the coolest summer party series on Sundays, also open to the public. Feel like watching the sun go down on a Sunday evening with house music and a cocktail in hand? This one’s for you.