Top Things to Do in Barcelona

1. Try all the tapas in a tapas bar. My recommendation is Quasi Queviures adresi Passeig de Gracia 24.
2. Watch the show of live statue in Las Ramblas.

3. In Eixample, lose yourself shopping. Vincon and Habitat really nice options for household goods.

4. Drink a hot chocolatte in a Jamaican Coffee Shop.

5. See all the city in a open-top bus and tourist attractions in a few hours.

6. Getting lost in the narrow streets of old Barcelona.

7. Take a picture in mosaic bench in Parc Guel. Enjoy this park designed by Gaudí. Especially on days when the sun shines on mosaics.

8. Definitely see Miro museum and the Picasso Museum!

9. Climb Montjuic.

10. Trip to Montserrat. There's a famous monastery. Mountain climbing is also very suitable to do.

The Other Face of Barcelona

Hello BecomingBarcelonian reader, today i am writing this text a little bit depressed. Because something bad happened last night.

There is a problem which exists in Barcelona, thieves. They are incredibly professional and dangerous and the most of them are not Spanish, they are immigrants. 

Last night me and my two friends sit in front of a closed shop and we were talking, laughing around 11pm. It was a really big street close to Plaza Catalunya. I am saying that because I want you to know it was not a backstreet or small Barri Gotic place, it was downtown. Then a man closed to us and sit in front of me my friend. He was saying something but we did not get it. Then he put a paper between me and my friend. A friend of mine hold the man´s arm and I sad police. The man took the paper and go away from us with his friend. We thought like he scared. But after 5 minutes we realized actually he did not scared at all. He stole my friends phone with the paper. Because he put the paper on the phone. Then he took the paper with the phone and we did not realize at all. He was so professional. Maybe we are so lucky to not realizing it. Because maybe he has knife or gun or something else and he could have hurt one of us. And it would be the worst scenario. After realized the phone is gone I felt nothing. Because my friends came to Barcelona on this date for me. And I wanted to sit in front of that shop. And this happened. I felt myself so quilty. And I just looked to the road without any sense. My friend who stolen her phone was calm. But i could not stay calm.

All my life I thought like these kind of things does not happen to me or to my relatives. To seen all the incident alive, effected me bad. I still feel so sad. Because it was the last  hours for my friends in Barcelona, they had a flight to Madrid 3 hours later and it has happened. Finally, I wanted to say to you all this writing, please be careful and if you are careful but this happened be calm and think like that “It has meant to be and it has done, there is nothing to do, lets move on.” There is always a possibility for come true this kind of situations in every country, but you have to be more careful in Barcelona if you do not want to have a bad memory. Have a nice day. 

A day at the beach: Sitges

In 1Global Translators, the majority of us are young interns who love travelling, so that what's better than taking the train and visiting some Catalan places during the weekend? After Tossa de Mar and Tarragona, last Saturday we went to Sitges, in order to sunbathe, dive into the (frozen) sea, lie on the beach and - of course - write an article, providing new Barcelonians with all the information they need in order to better exploit their stay in Barcelona!

Sitges

Sitges is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona and it is famous as the 'Ibiza in miniature'. Moreover, it is known for the Film Festival - dedicated to fantasy and horror movies - and for the Carnival. 

The Carnival takes place between February and March and the festivity begins on Dijious Gras (Fat Thursday), with the arrival of Rei Carnestoltes, the main protagonist of the Carnival. 

Sitges' Carnival: Rei Carnestoltes

Sitges has been blessed by Nature with a great location, between the sea and the Garraf Massif, and has quickly become a touristic destination. Moreover, Sitges has become widely popular for LGTB community, since is one of the most gay-friendly places in the world. 

On the Sitges' official touristic website, they claim that Sitges benefits of 300 sunny days per year! In addition to this, Sitges offers you over 18 kilometers of coast with beach bar services, toy libraries, sun loungers, sunshades and umbrellas, sorts facilities, massage services, sailing schools, water activities and beaches awarded with ISO 14001, EMAS and Sicted certifications.

Sitges

Sitges is considered the Spanish Saint-Tropez, because its setting by the sea and the Parc Natural del Garraf: the property prices, in fact, reach those of the most expensive European cities. 

So, if you're having a studying or working experience in Barcelona, you definitely have to visit Sitges, defy the cold water and have the first swim in the sea even at the end of April! 


Carlotta Neuenschwander

Barcelonian tips

When moving to a new country, there are some unconditional things to deal with, in order to live in peace. By reading this article, you'll become familiar with the Catalan regulation and organisms that aim to help you with it.

First of all, your situation depends on your country of origin. If you are a citizen of the European Union (EU), and/or if you are from a State that is member of the Schengen Area, it's gonna be easier for you to live in Barcelona. 

Indeed, as you may know, the Schengen Area, formed by 26 countries, abolished any form of border control. Moreover, if you are from the EU, you don't need a visa to move from a country to another.

    Full Schengen members (EU member states which have implemented the Schengen Agreement)

    Associated Schengen members (non-EU member states which have implemented the Schengen Agreement)

    EU member states which are bound to implement the Schengen Agreement but who have not done so yet)

    EU member states outside the Schengen Area

If you come from the rest of the world, you should ask for a visa in order to be allowed to take up residence in Barcelona, and in Spain in general.

Once you're in the city, you must think about paperwork. The very first thing to do, if you're here to work, is to ask for a NIE - Número de Identidad de Extranjero - compulsory to sign an employment contract. After that, you should get some information about "la tarjeta sanitaria", that is to say, the Spanish medical card. The first year that you own this card, you'll be able to read "acces catsalut primer nivel", meaning that you only have access to general practice. However, if you need a specific care, a committee regularly meets in order to define the real needs of each one. From the second year that you have the medical card, it's indicated "acces catsalut segon nivel", and you'll have free access to every kind of medecine.

Lots of organisms in Barcelona are here to help you to understand the functioning of Spain. The first one is the SAIER - Servei d'Atenció a Immigrants, Emigrants i Refugiats - located in Avinguda Paralel·lel, 202-204 (metro station: Espanya, L1, L3). It has existed since 1989 and its goal is to help imigrants and refugees who live in Barcelona. Then, the SOAPI - Servicio de Orientación y Acompañamiento para personas inmigradas - counts an office in each districte. It gives general information about rights and duties, administrative steps, the area knowledge, etc. The OACs - Oficines d'Atenció Ciutadana - also exists in every districte. It aims to facilitate the administrative steps.

About specific needs, you should take note that the PIADs - Puntos de Informació y Atenció a las Donas - are here to help women when it comes to discrimination or violence. There's one of them in each districte. The "oficinas d'habitatge" aim to help people to buy or rent social accomodations in each districte. Barcelona Activa, located in Carrer de Llacuna, 162-164, is an organism that may help you to set up your company in Barcelona. Finally, the "oficina d'atenció del consorci d'educació de Barcelona", located in Plaça d'Urquinaona, 6, helps families to put their children into the educational system.

Some interesting phone numbers:

- emergency phone number: 112

- Police: 092

- Firemen: 080

- ER: 061

By the way, you may wonder what a "districte" is. Actually, Barcelona is divided in 10 districtes that are administratives areas, in order to facilitate steps. In these districtes, you can find barris, that are neighbourhoods.

Barcelona's districtes

Barcelona's barris

I really hope that this is gonna facilitate your arrival in that beautiful-sunny-hot city! =)