Barcelona Insider

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.