Barcelona Things to Do Tips by Peret

Orxata

What drink a barcelonian? Well, he can drink bier, that I think here is not so well then in the central Europe. Wine, to acccompany a meal. Watter of course...But I'll present you a drink that you don't know and the barcelonians drink often with pleasure: The "orxata". Orxata is a valencian drink made with earth-almond. He is very very refreshing. There's a orxateria, in carrer Parlament In the photo, (my girl-friend in), where I think is the best orxata of the world, with permission of valencians. Every day in the summer a lot of barcelonians comes there to drink. It's funny becouse you can see there: rich men, poor men, punkies, police, workers, youngs, old people...everyone with a smyle. Worth to taste, the only probleme is you can become addict.
Què beu un barceloní? Pot beure aigua, cervesa -no tan bona com a Europa central, em temo-, vi per acompanyar un menjar. Us presento una beguda que la majoria de vosaltres no coneixereu, però que molts barcelonins veuen en el bon temps: l'orxata. Feta amb "xufes", es força refrescant. On podeu anar a provar una de les millors orxates el món, amb permís dels valencians, és a l'"Orxateria Sirvent", al carrer Parlament. És un espectacle veure-hi gent de tota mena: punks, policies, pijos, gent jove, gent gran, aturant-se a veure un got.

Havaneres Seasonal Events Review

One thing that is always present in the "Festes majors" is the "Havaneres". This is songs that have a specyal rhithm, similar to the rhithm of the waves of the see. Often these songs have fanny lyrics, in catalan or sometimes in spanish, although another are sad, related with the nostalgia of the saylors.
If you can't understand, at least you can enjoy the melodies, and also taste the "Rom cremat", that always accompany the fest. It is a drink, with ruhm, sugar, lemons, cooffe, and i don't know what more, burned a little bit. It's really worth to taste. The origins of these songs are in the saylors who went to Cuba in the times in which was a big interchange. Now, the bands who sings these songs, are almost al of the villages of the coast, and there's bigs festivals in coast villages, like Calella.

Website: http://www.havaneres.org/

Gegants Seasonal Events Review

The "gegants" (giants) are almost always in the fests of towns of Barcelona. If you travel with children, they sure enjoy a lot these big characters who walk around the streets. The music of the "gralles" accompany and invite to dance with the giants. Normally it take place in the middle of the morning.

Correfocs Seasonal Events Review

The correfocs is present in probabilly every festa major de Catalunya. Of course in Barcelona. A group of "diables" (evils) run around the streets with a kind of stick with fire and sparks in the top. The street becomes a little hell. Don't worry about burning, is all controlled. But really is very spectacular. If you go, is well wear clothes that can not burn, or that you don't care if they get a spark in. Let you take for the atmosphere and run with the devils.

Website: http://dmoz.org/World/Catal%E0/Arts_i_cultura/Tradicions/Diables/

Festa major de Sants Seasonal Events Review

Sants is the quarter that you can find near "Estació de Sants". Get his "Festes Majors" in the end of August. These fest have a long tradition, although they have got stages of almost non-existence. In this moments, 20 streets share the organization, celebrating their usual activities, and, in the same way as Gràcia, filling with adorns. The best well adorned street get a reward. Worth at least to walk cross the streets.

Website: http://www.festamajordesants.org/

Festes majors Seasonal Events Review

The "festes majors" are a annual celebration that all the vilages of Catalonia do once in year. Surely there's a equivalent in the rest of the world.
In Barcelona, you can say every quartier have their own "Festa Major". I know three of them that is worth to visit. Maybe the other also have enough interest, but i don't know them. The most espectaculars are, no doubt, The "Festes majors" of Gràcia, Sants, and Barcelona.

Website: http://www.bcn.es

Opera Seasonal Events Review

In Barcelona, maybe you know, there's important Theater of opera: The Liceu. Liceu was builded in 1840, and have a long tradition. 7 years ago, more or less, the Liceu burned. This changed a lot of things. Before, Liceu was an exclusive club of the high catalan society. From the rebuilding, with private but also with a lot of public money, the Liceu became a more popular establishment, although the architecture, with modern additions, it's the same.Today, there's a double regular season, with expensive but another with popular prices, where sing young (but good) singers. The seasons, are, althoug, overbooked, but you can do visites and to see a lot of activities, a lot of times with popular prices.
In the photo, me, my girl-friend and some friends, in front of Liceu after a opera (of course, popular). We was 2 years going to the season and it was very pretty.

Website: http://www.liceubarcelona.com/