It’s Christmas Time in the Catalan Capital

As of November 25th, the lights in Barcelona have been turned on. That can only mean one thing: It’s officially Christmas time. Every year, this city is filled to the brim with celebrations, festivals and markets that are sure to put anyone in the Christmas mood.

If this is your first Christmas in the Catalan capital, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know.

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Where to Get Some Fresh Air in Barcelona

Fresh Air; our parents forced it on us as kids saying it was “good for us”. Turns out our parents were right. It is. A widely cited study from the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health has found that individuals living within 1 kilometre of green space are less likely to experience depression. Other studies have found links between spending time in nature and improved immune system, better sleep and heightened memory function.

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Barcelona’s Newest Economy – Sharing!

To claim that technology brings us together has become somewhat of a cliché. But recent years have seen the growth of the sharing economy, in where technology has — literally — brought people together.

Barcelona has never been a city to shy away from innovation, and its got hundreds of startups to prove it. It is fair to say that Barcelona is a testing grounds for this new way of life, where any two people can be connected by a smartphone.

Lets look at some of the coolest startups in Barcelona that are making the sharing economy a tangible way of life:

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Barcelona’s Quirky Subcultures, and Where to Find Them

Everybody likes to be apart of something. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological and sociological explanation that humans have social needs – to feel connected and loved and respected. Looking to find your place in Barcelona. Here are 5 quirky subcultures in Barcelona!

As psychological research piles up, the public is becoming more aware of the dangers entailed with loneliness. Due to the individualism of cities, people are becoming more and more isolated from their neighbors, friends, and family.

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Forget the Mall: Let’s Go to the Public Market

Every neighbourhood in Barcelona is blessed with its own market. Locals have the convenience of grabbing fresh and organic products anytime they want all the while appreciating the beauty of their very own market. It’s also important to notice how, unlike supermarkets, which tend to sell plastic-wrapped products, public markets are as much sustainable as they are enjoyable.

Whether you have an interest for handicraft or you want to satisfy your inner foodie, Barcelona has the market for you. Here is our diverse list of the trends at some of the best public markets in Barcelona.

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Barcelona’s Rejuvenation

There’s hundreds of technological and infrastructural innovations happening all over the globe – the soon-to-be-built $1 billion residentless city, the possibility of floating airports, and underwater villas to name just a few – but not many cities see so much rejuvenation condensed in such a short time as Barcelona.

It’s interesting to see how fast the city takes on new innovations, rejuvenation, or outright creation projects when La Sagrada Familia is still under construction after 131 years; but Barcelona is such a vibrant and lively city, it’s impossible for it to stay static. Below are just a few of the latest innovative projects happening around the city. Continue reading “Barcelona’s Rejuvenation”

Hidden Places in Barcelona

Barcelona is a beautiful city with countless famous attractions and landmarks. If you are here for only a week or two, it is of course necessary to check all of the tourist-y places off your list.  If you’re lucky enough to spend more than a few days in Barcelona however, you might want to explore some of these less known, off-the-beaten-path and hidden places the city has to offer. Continue reading “Hidden Places in Barcelona”

Tourism in Barcelona

Sweet summertime in Barcelona! Sunshine, beach days, and tourists, flocks and flocks of tourists. You can’t really go anywhere no matter how much of a local spot it is without seeing families, friends, or large groups on holiday. The beaches and streets went from already being busy to being packed with barely any room to walk.

Just how is tourism affecting Barcelona?

Ever since the Olympic Games were hosted here in 1992, Barcelona has greatly benefited. Barcelona is a great example of how a city can quickly develop a tourism industry after the Olympics. The benefits of this would of course be money. Money from tourism has resulted in new jobs, new roads, buildings, restaurants and many more good things. Today, about 14% of Barcelona’s economy is made up of tourism. Continue reading “Tourism in Barcelona”

Festivals in Barcelona

It’s almost summer! I am so excited for all the sunshine and beach days (finally, after all the rain we’ve had!). With summer comes many activities to do and festivals to visit in Barcelona. How to figure out what to do?? We’ve got you covered here at The Grid BCN!

Looking for a fun way to kick off your summer? Coming up in just a week is the Primavera Sound Festival. It runs from June 1-5. Primavera Sound is the biggest Indie and alternative music festival in the world! According to Time Out, Primavera Sound is the number 1 festival in the world. This is going to be something you don’t want to miss.

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