Month: August 2015

Joan Mirò Museum

6 Reasons to Visit the Joan Miró Museum

bizFlats

Barcelona has long had a celebrated community of the arts, from incredible design and architecture throughout the city, to painters and sculptors like the amazing Joan Mirò, a Barcelona native known for his rebellious surrealism. If you have yet to visit the Joan Mirò Museum in Parc to Montjuïc in the heart of the city, it is well worth the trip and is easy to reach by public transportation or even on foot depending where you are staying when you visit.

6 Reasons to Visit the Joan Mirò Museum

  1. The Intrigue of Joan Mirò Himself
    At the Joan Mirò Museum, you will have the chance to learn of this man’s intriguing life, and what inspired his famous life works. He lived from 1893 to 1983 and is known for being among a group of classically trained  and extremely talented artists who rebelled against the fundamentals of painting and sculpture. They believed art had long been confined to the bourgeois class and so moved into creating surreal pieces influenced largely by cubists. While he was born and raised in the Barri Gòtic, Mirò’s art was not only rebelling against society, but also against his working class roots, having been born into the families of a goldsmith and a watchmaker. In 1920 he began spending the majority of his time in Paris, where he was part of the artist community in Montparnasse, though he still summered in his home of Catalonia.
  2. Explore Contemporary Artists Who Have Won the Joan Mirò Prize
    The Fundaciò Joan Mirò, which runs the museum, has been awarding the Joan Mirò prize annually since 2007. They look for contemporary artists who display the exploration, innovation, commitment, and freedom that was central to Joan Mirò’s life and work. This year’s winner is Ignasi Aballí.
  3. It’s Easy to Get There!
    Located right in the famous Parc de Montjuïc, you can get to the Joan Mirò Museum completely by public transportation, and visit the numerous famous attractions at this amazing location while you’re there.
  4. Breathtaking Exhibits
    Aside from one of the largest exhibits of Joan Mirò’s paintings, drawings, and sculptures that are installed permanently at the museum, you can also look forward to various rotating exhibits. Showing through September, the Alfons Borrell exhibit “Work and Days” is a conglomeration of over 160 of his paintings created over 60 years of his career, forming a sort of essay of his work.
  5. Take a Guided Tour of the Joan Mirò Museum
    Guided tours are offered, and even in English! They last about one hour and cost only 12€ per person.
  6. Family Activities
    If you are traveling to the Joan Mirò Museum with your family, there are numerous activities that will keep your little ones busy and having fun! From workshops to shows and tours all related to the museum’s permanent exhibits, come let your kids be inspired by the creativity of the man Joan Mirò’s lifeworks!

Many visitors to Barcelona look forward to exploring the area’s wonderful museums of Catalan artists from Picasso to Joan Mirò. The Parc de Montjuïc is likewise full of stunning views and amazing cultural attractions, making it well worth the trip when you are in the city.

 

catalan cuisine

Experience Catalan Cuisine

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Catalunya has long been known for its cuisine, but until you’ve gone and eaten your way through Barcelona you won’t quite understand just how ingrained food is into this independent Spanish region’s daily life and priorities. There is much more to Catalan cuisine than giant paella pans full of fishy goodness, or tapas bars with a million bite-sized options to choose from – though both of these could probably keep you occupied for your entire stay.

Much more than just the unique tastes, smells, and textures, experiencing Catalan cuisine is as much about the ambiance of time, place, and form. There’s really no way to miss out on authentic Catalan cuisine moments while visiting as the locals take their food and dining seriously. Here are some ways to enjoy Catalan cuisine.

Tapas Bars

A Catalan cuisine all their own, tapas are as much a style of eating as they are a style of food. Offering two or three-bite snacks in different shapes, sizes and colors, any of Barcelona’s tapas restaurants promise an explosion of different flavors that there’s simply no way to prepare for. Another wonderful thing about tapas is that they are an inherently social food. Made for sharing, lingering over, and to accompany carafes of wine or bottles of beer, locals will typically spend hours at a restaurant chatting and nibbling late into the night.

Seafood Sampling

Being that Barcelona is right on the beautiful Mediterranean sea – yes it is actually a beach town within a metropolitan city! – there is very little chance that you’ll miss the opportunity to munch something fresh off the boat. If you’re not a huge fan of seafood, try a little nibble when out for tapas. If you love seafood then go to virtually any Catalan cuisine restaurant and sit down to order either paella or another local dish, esqueixada, which is salted cod with tomato and onion.

The Market

If you’ve traveled around Europe before, assuming you aren’t from there, you already have an understanding for the fact that they do food and shopping a little differently. If you’re staying in a flat in the city and need provisions for the week, there is no better place to go than one of the city’s famous markets. La Boqueria and Santa Caterina Market both offer photo worthy displays of everything fresh. The Mediterranean climate promises year-round fresh produce, so prepare to be spoiled, and don’t be afraid to make a trip to the market a daily habit while visiting the city. That’s how the locals do it!

Take a Tour

If you like to nerd out about food science, then you don’t want to miss the chance to tour one of the local wineries or dairies. Wine and cheese are staples in Catalan cuisine, and not only will tours afford you the opportunity to learn more about them culturally and historically, but you’ll certainly have a chance to taste some real rarities.

Catalan cuisine is one of the best parts of visiting Barcelona. Cooking classes, eating with the locals and visiting a famous restaurant are other wonderful ways to fill out your meal time here in the city. No matter how you choose to line up your foodie experience, you won’t be disappointed!

 

barcelona ramblas

Barcelona Ramblas: Things to Do and See

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The Barcelona Ramblas is the most famous street in the whole city. Stretching for 1.2 kilometers through its midst, this street has been a central meeting place for residents since the 18th century. Originally situated outside the walls of the medieval city, Barcelona Ramblas was once the site of a flowing river. In fact, the word ramblas originates from the Arabic word ramla, meaning a sandy riverbed. When the walls came down and the river dried up, sometime around 1766, covenants, monasteries, and a university were built along this new city limit.

Barcelona Ramblas quickly became the ideal place in the city to stroll and congregate, as the rest of the streets were narrow and winding. As it gained in popularity as a meeting place and a crucial aspect of social life in the city, the original buildings were torn down and replaced with marketplace businesses typical of urban gathering places. Known most frequently as La Rambla or Las Ramblas, this busy promenade is actually home to six separate ramblas that were different streams and tributaries before being built up.

Rambla de Mar

From the name you may have inferred that this is the rambla closest to the ocean and is a boardwalk area with little seaside shops and movie theaters. This is the newest addition to Barcelona Ramblas, as for most of its existence the city did not embrace its seaside location. Rambla de Mar was a successful attempt to integrate the beach into the life of the city.

Rambla de Santa Monica

This rambla is named for its original covenant that is now a museum, Centre d’Art Santa Monica. Central to this rambla is the roundabout whose central focal point is the famous Columbus Monument representative to most visitors of the Barcelona Ramblas.  

Rambla dels Caputxins

Named for the demolished Capuchin monastery, this rambla is known for the famous Gran Teatre del Liceu, where visitors and residents alike go to see the classics like Swan Lake and also contemporary composers like Mozart Gerhaher. If you’re a fan of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi you’ll love this portion of the promenade where you can see some of his most famous designs like Palau Güell and Plaça Reial.

Rambla Sant Josep

The vibrant marketplace, Mercat de la Boqueria is a favorite place to stop along the Barcelona Ramblas, which replaced yet another covenant in the mid 1900s. Central to this wonderful market is the gorgeous Joan Miró mosaic, an Art Deco masterpiece.

Ramblas dels Estudis

Named for the university that once stood here, there are several historic buildings still to see in this area, including one that houses the city’s first public clock!

Ramblas de Canaletes

Home to the famous Plaça de Catalunya, this rambla is named for the beautiful Canaleta fountain found at its center. The fountain has long been central to the city’s lore, as someone who “drinks water from Canaletes” is known to come from the Barcelona. It has also been said that those who have drunk from the fountain will keep returning to the beautiful Barcelona.

 

Walking Barcelona Ramblas is the perfect pastime when you visit the city, and is conveniently located at the center of the all the best hubbub. Whether you’re looking for shopping, cafes, or the chance to see some historic buildings, you’ll have no problem spending the better part of a day exploring this street.

 

Corporate Relocation in Barcelona

Corporate Relocation in Barcelona

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Sometimes business requires a change of scenery, be it for a conference, collaboration with a partner, or just a few long days of meetings. Whatever it may be, and no matter how many people or departments are involved in your company’s next corporate relocation to Barcelona, bizFlats makes staying in the city both laid back and luxurious. Corporate relocation, be it for a week or a month, can be a constant hassle of finding accommodations and workspaces, and end in a pile of unforeseen expenses between food, lodging and airfare. Our corporate flats provide the perfect spaces for both living, and working, and are much more affordable than luxury hotels in the city.

Our Corporate Flats are Multi Purpose Spaces

With free WiFi, plenty of plugin spaces and incredibly professional, spacious and wonderfully furnished meeting space, our corporate flats work well for both living and working. This means that your corporate relocation expenses can be cut more than in half without having to spend on conference rooms as well as hotel rooms. Staying in these posh flats in the heart of the city is sure to motivate your employees and whoever else you may be working alongside in Barcelona, as they are truly a treat to both hang out and work in. Without having to worry about traveling through a city they may not know, employees are likely to get more done as well!

Full-Service Flats

Our team is very experienced in corporate relocation services in regards to helping you get organized for working in these beautiful apartments. Whether you need technical equipment, housekeeping, or restaurant and masseur recommendations to impress your clients, we are happy to help you in any way that we can. All of our flats have state of the art kitchens as well, meaning you can both get catered meals, or have a fun team building cooking session to unwind from a busy day. This is yet another way that will help your company save money on your next corporate relocation.

Enjoy Convenience

All of our corporate flats are centrally located throughout the city, with multiple flats in the same buildings as well. This ensures the utmost convenience, not just for work hours, but also for play hours. When visiting Barcelona on business, you’ll have ample opportunities to explore this gorgeous city, and what better way to do it than on foot from your own private downtown apartment? Get outside for lunch in the park, or take a stroll through the Gothic Quarter to stretch your legs when that two o’clock drag starts to hit. When cocktail hour rolls around, you won’t be far from a great place for tapas and drinks either. It’s the best of both worlds!

Not only will your company save loads of money on your next corporate relocation with bizFlats, but your employees are bound to enjoy the experience more as well. Hotels can feel so impersonal, which makes being away from home more of a distraction than a reason to celebrate. Treat them right and save some money at the same time with these gorgeous apartments in Barcelona.