The city of Barcelona is a wonderful tourist destination throughout the year and is quite tempting place for a stay in the colder winter months. The temperatures in Barcelona usually do not drop below 10 degrees Celsius at that time of the year and only February has some chilly days that are best to be avoided. In case you plan to visit the city in the winter and have already chosen and booked your Barcelona apartment or apartment in Madrid, then read some ideas here and find out what you can do in this lovely city for the period of your stay.
The first thing that deserves to be mentioned is that during the winter months there are no so many tourists in Barcelona and this is normal. It also means that there will be no crowds on the streets, no long queues at the galleries and the museums and several interesting festivals that are great to be visited. Locals love their city in the winter, as they feel they have it all for themselves. There are no tourists crowds, no cruise ships and no charter flights, the stag parties are also waiting for better times, etc. Those travelers however who have learned their lesson, know that the flights in the winter time are cheaper and the accommodation is more affordable as well.
The city of Barcelona is very lively around the Christmas holiday, but not only. An area nice to be seen is Fira de Santa Llucia with its seasonal market and the nativity scene at the Placa Sant Jaume, which is different each year. Besides Christmas, another much celebrated holiday is the Three Kings’ Day, which is held on the Twelfth Night. It is on that holiday that most of the children receive presents. The holiday is celebrated with a street procession, during which the helpers of the king throw sweets to the crowd. After these two holidays start the winter sales, when the city is more quiet, if Barcelona could be quiet at all.
In the middle of January the city celebrates the Festa dels Tres Tombs or the Three Turns on the St. Anthony’s Day in the district of Sant Antoni. The city celebrates it with horse riders and beautifully decorated carts. Another important holiday is the Santa Eulalia Holiday, which is celebrated for five days around February 12th, when are organized various free concerts, processions of giants, etc. At that time of the year many of the museums are free to enter as well. Another interesting holiday is Shrove Tuesday and the Burial of the Sardine, which is a strange local tradition. Several weeks after that is celebrated the Festes de Sant Medir with a lot of sweets.
Nice places to go to at that winter period are the Museu de la Xocolata, or the lovely courtyard of El Jardi. Another good idea is to check the winter exhibitions in the city. Of course, always nice to be visited are the Museum of Picasso and the Gaudi’s La Pedrera, as well as the Catalunya Caixa exhibition centre.
Another destination that you can visit after your trip to Spain is Portugal where you can stay in Lisbon apartment
The city of Paris, the capital of France, is among the top ten destinations in the world for tourism and entertainment. Being ranked so high by the travellers from all continents and nationalities, means that usually the city of Paris is overcrowded by tourists especially during the summer months, but not all parts of it and actually one can find areas which are far from the tourist noise. Now, everybody is familiar with the main attractions in the city of Paris, the major landmarks, cultural sites and museums near the Paris apartments. For those who want to experience something different and feel part of the city and the way people actually live here, there are certain local activities that should not be missed.
Among the areas that are included are the Batignolles area, placed between place de Clichy and Rue Rome to where Rue de Batignolles starts. The neighborhood is called Batignolles and is not known by the tourists groups. The atmosphere is authentic and one can enjoy some truly pleasant Parisian experience, especially when the weather outside is warm and nice. This district is famous for its many small shops, restaurants, boutiques and terraces. For those who are looking for some loud music and fun at night, there are many restaurants and bars placed on Rue des Dames. There are some interesting boutiques there as well, usually visited by the resident transvestite community. Nearby is placed the town hall the Marie and there are two nice cafes opposite it. Not far away is available a wine bar, which is open only during the day.
In the region there is also a nice church from 19th century and several restaurants with a pleasant outdoor area, where one can try Provencal food. Close to the church, there is the Square de Batignolles and a small park with very beautiful and old trees, while at the far side of that park are available two pitches for the sport that is typical for France – petanque. That park is usually full of families, couples, people reading books. If one goes out of the park and along Rue des Moines, one will see a busy shopping area and covered market with stalls, as well as some outdoor cafes. Nearby is set a lovely chocolate store.
If you like that atmosphere of Paris, then stay away from the highly ranked restaurants like Guy Savoy, Chez L’Ami Louis, Georges or Josephine Chez Dumonet and try to appreciate good food and fine dining in some of the smaller restaurants which are a bit away from the main tourist flow. And finally, tourists who want to experience some “local” activities in Paris, should remember that this is a major international capital city and thus it should be accepted for what it is. Thus, if you still want to get the typical feeling of France, then it would be better to go to the French province and spend some time there.
