Barcelona Insider

Passenger traffic in European airports increased towards the end of last year.

There was a rise in European passenger traffic in November 2009.

This has been shown in figures released by ACI Europe.

According to the statistics, passenger traffic at hubs in the continent increased by one per cent in November 2009 compared with the same month in 2008, which could have led to increased demand for breaks in Barcelona.

Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, said that the sector is “finally getting back to a positive air traffic trend”.

Meanwhile, freight figures showed a 5.6 per cent rise in traffic during November in comparison with the same month in 2008.

Mr Jankovec added: “Passenger traffic keeps underperforming significantly compared to freight, reflecting the fact that the financial crisis is giving way to an employment crisis and low consumer spending throughout Europe.”

Those looking for a break in Europe could take flights to Barcelona, where they can find attractions such as the Barri Gotic, Barcelona Cathedral and the Nou Camp.

Barcelona was among the winners at this year’s British Travel Awards event, which took place in London last week.

Barcelona was voted the best city break destination at the 2009 Travel Awards.

The Catalan capital was voted the best city break destination, with Paris picking up the silver award.

People staying in Barcelona can see some of Spain’s most popular landmarks and attractions in the city, such as the Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell.

Why not take advantage of the city’s awarding winning status by booking a stay in a hotel in Barcelona today.

The US was voted the most popular country to visit for this year’s British Travel Awards, with Italy in second place.

Travel professionals and consumers alike submit votes for the event, which is the largest awards programme in the UK.

Singapore won the best overseas airport accolade ahead of Dubai, while Manchester was voted the UK airport of the year, an honour it has now received for two consecutive years.

Virgin Atlantic was named the best long-haul scheduled airline and British Airways picked up the top prize in the category covering European scheduled carriers.

Music fans in Barcelona are in for a treat next month.

A younger Depeche Mode

This is because Depeche Mode, one of the most successful bands of the early 80s, are performing in the Catalan city on November 20th.

The group will be heading to the Palau Sant Jordi, a 20,000-capacity arena that is also used for sporting events – a far cry from their musical roots in Basildon, Essex.

According to EMI, Depeche Mode have sold 75 million albums around the world, so tickets for the event are sure to be in high demand.

Fans attending the gig can expect to hear classics such as See You, Shake The Disease and It’s Called A Heart.

It was announced in 2007 that Depeche Mode were heading back to the studio to record their 12th studio album, Sounds Of The Universe.

This was released internationally in April, which has so far been well received by the group’s fans.

People staying in Barcelona over the coming months will have the opportunity to visit an exhibition celebrating the genius of Antoni Gaudi.

Museo Diocesano de Barcelona

The show was launched to mark the centenary of Gaudi’s Colonia Guell crypt.

It will be open at the Museu Diocesa on Avinguda Catedral in Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella district until January 31st 2010.

Visitors will have the chance to see a selection of 100 items that relate to research on Gaudi’s work conducted by the glazier Pere Canovas, the archaeologist Manuel Medarde and the architect Roger Moras.

The items, which have never been shown in public before, are displayed alongside Gaudi’s drawing case.

Another highlight of the exhibition is a file of sketches that Salvador Dali dedicated to the Catalan architect, which were delivered to Gaudi personally when Dali visited the crypt.

Gaudi played a major part in the development of modern Barcelona and the creation of its aesthetic appeal, designing buildings such as Casa Batllo, Casa Mila and parts of the Sagrada Familia.

It has been confirmed that the final of the 2009 Davis Cup tournament will be held in Barcelona.

Rafael Nadal

Tennis fans will be able to see Spain and the Czech Republic go head-to-head in the event at the Palau Sant Jordi from December 4th to 6th.

Some of the biggest names in tennis have taken part in the Davis Cup this year and could appear in the final, including Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco for Spain and Radek Stepanek for the Czech Republic.

Barcelona previously hosted the final of the international tournament in 2000.

Jordi Hereu, mayor of the city, said: “The federation will not regret selecting us to host this event. The city will show the world once more we can guarantee international events are a success.”

Tennis fans will also be able to plan some trips abroad next year to catch up with the ATP World Tour, which will feature events including the French Open in Paris in May.

People planning stays in Barcelona this month will have the chance to expand their knowledge and appreciation of modern art at the CaixaForum.

An exhibition of modern art will be open at the CaixaForum until September 27th.

Until September 27th, the cultural institute will present a selection of pieces from its art collection, all gathered together under the title of Figurations.

The showcase features work by highly influential artists including Anselm Kiefer, Julian Schnabel and Georg Baselitz and aims to highlight the expressive and symbolic potential of painting.

Work by more than a dozen people features in the show, which focuses on a period in the early 1980s, when some artists were reacting to the popularity of abstract and conceptual work by creating more figurative and expressive pieces.

The CaixaForum is located on Avinguda Marques de Comillas in the Sants-Montjuic district of Barcelona.

People who are more interested in classical art can visit the Museu Frederic Mares before September 27th to see a display of work by the sculptor Antoni Sola.

The Barcelona tourist board has opened a new itinerary that combines a coastal walk with a boat trip.

A new coastal itinerary has been opened in Barcelona.

People staying in Barcelona can follow the route to learn about the mixture of historical and modern features that are located along the city’s coastline.

The guided tour begins at the Mirador de Colom and passes landmarks including the Drassanes Reials, Barcelona’s medieval shipyard.

Walkers will also be shown a tower that housed the lights of a lighthouse until the end of the 18th century and buildings that now define the city’s skyline such as the World Trade Centre.

During the boat trip, tourists will learn about the evolution of the Barcelona coastline over the years.

The route links up with four other walks that pass through various other parts of the city. Visitors can buy tickets online from the Barcelona Turisme website or at information offices and travel agents in the city.

Visitors to Barcelona will have an opportunity to see one of the biggest matches in the opening weeks of the new La Liga season in September.

Barcelona will play Atletico Madrid at the Nou Camp stadium in September.

Reigning champions Barcelona will take on another of Spain’s leading sides, Atletico Madrid, at the Nou Camp stadium on the weekend of September 20th.

Barca won the league title with three games to spare last season, eventually finishing nine points ahead of Real Madrid, who were second.

Atletico Madrid had a strong season and finished fourth, beating the likes of Villarreal and Valencia to a place in the Champions League play-off round.

People visiting Barcelona over the coming months will also have chances to see Barca take on Almeria at the Nou Camp on the weekend of October 4th, with Real Zaragoza visiting the famous stadium three weeks later.

Other stand-out fixtures in the opening weeks of the 2009-10 La Liga campaign include a match between Villarreal and Real Madrid on September 23rd and the meeting of Valencia and Atletico Madrid on September 27th.

People planning to visit Barcelona this summer have been encouraged to take advantage of the city’s beaches.

Barcelona City Council are encouraging tourists to visit the local beaches

The city council said that there is plenty more to do in Barcelona’s seafront hotspots than relax on the beach and take a dip in the sea.

Two new fun areas have been opened this summer, one of which is based at Barceloneta beach and features a number of exercise facilities.

At Llevant beach, visitors with children can make use of a new play area that includes a 7.5-metre-high rope pyramid. The beach has also had new public toilets and other facilities installed.

Holidaymakers who like the idea of relaxing by the sea with a book can hire some reading material from two libraries, one on the Bac de Roda breakwater and another at the Centre de la Platja under the Barceloneta arcades.

The Barcelona city council has also launched some new awareness campaigns this year calling on beach visitors to behave responsibly and refrain from dropping litter.

Gadget enthusiasts in Barcelona will be able to use their laptops, internet-enabled mobile devices and PDAs to access a number of wireless internet hotspots that have been opened up across the city.

Free Wi-Fi coming to Barcelona

Mayor Jordi Hereu described the high-tech initiative as “Barcelona’s ambition applied to 21st-century systems”.

The network is up and running now and provides free internet access at 170 hotspots around the city, which are clearly marked by ‘W’ signs. The number of access points will increase to 300 before the end of the year and is hoped to reach 500 by the end of 2010.

Ramon Garcia-Bragado, Barcelona’s deputy mayor for urban planning, said: “This is not a commercial or professional service, but rather a public one.”

Visitors will be able to access the internet at a number of public facilities, including museums, markets, libraries and sports centres.

The service could prove particularly useful for tourists looking for information on events and attractions around the city.