Catalonia Festivity

Catalonia Festivity is known as “Diada de Catalunya” and it is celebrated the 11th of Setember. With this festivity, Catalonia celebrates the the fall of Barcelona in the hands of the Bourbon troops under the Duke of Berwick during the War of Spanish Succession on September 11th, 1714, after fourteen months of siege.

Institutions and political parties traditionally made floral offerings to the monuments of Rafael Casanova (Ronda Sant Pere 51, metro Urquinaona, check Barcelona Metro map here) and Josep Moragues, both in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia.

Since 2003, the main festivity is holded in Ciutadella Park (click here for Public transportation information in Barcelona). On this festivity, music, catalan personalities and thousands of citizens meet to celebrate and enjoy this very special date.

During the celebration, the most relevant icons: la Senyera (Catalan flag) can be usually seen everywhere and specially hanging from balconies and the Catalonian National anthem “Els Segadors” can be usually heard as it is commonly played to exalt the Catalan feeling.

Joan Gamper Trophy 2010

The Joan Gamper Trophy (Trofeu Joan Gamper in Catalan) is Barcelona’s annual pre-season football competition. It is Barça’s official presentation in front of their own supporters.

This year the Joan Gamper will take place on August 25th at 19:45 and Barcelona will play against Italian giants AC Milan.

This will be the perfect chance to see the new signings Villa and Adriano as well as the rest of Barcelona stars Messi, Xavi, Ibrahimovic, Puyol and of course Iniesta who score the goal the gave Spain their first World Cup title in South Africa.

Ticket prices vary from 19 to 88 euro for the general public and from 14 to 66 euro for Barcelona members.
Tickets can be bought directly at F.C. Barcelona official website.

F.C. Barcelona – Ac Milan – August 25th at 19:45

Spanish Super Cup

Football is back !!!

F.C Barcelona will play the 2nd leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Saturday 21th of August at 21:30.

Barcelona has to overcome a 3-1 deficit to Sevilla, although for this second leg at home, Barça’s coach Pep Guardiola should have the Spanish internationals (Valdes, Puyol, Piqué, Busquests, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro and Villa) who did not play the first leg in Sevilla.

Barcelona supporters hope to celebrate the first official trophy of the 2010/11 season.

Ticket prices vary from 32 to 102 euro for the general public and from 26 to 82 euro for F.C Barcelona members.
Tickets can be bought directly at F.C. Barcelona official website.

Bullfighting banned in Catalonia

Catalonia’s politians voted in favour of banning bullfighting. This vote was the result of a petition signed by 180,000 people against bullfighting. The ban was passed by a 68-55 vote in Catalonia’s parliament last Wednesday 28th of July 2010.

Bullfighting supporters state that it this part of Catalonia’s cultural heritage while antibullfighting activists argue that is is cruel and against animal rights. However some people believe this is an attempt by Catalan nationalists to differentiate from by rest of Spain by banning one of the most important traditions in Spain.

However, this is not the first Spanish region to ban bullfighting as it was banned in the Canary Islands in 1991.

The ban will take place on January 2012 so until then you still have the change to see bullfighting in Barcelona.