City Matters
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Badalona's dimoni, 2014. Photo by Carquinyol (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
Badalona’s Fiery Festival: La Cremada del Dimoni
For the whole month of May, Barcelona's neighbor to the north with be filled with the Festes de Maig celebrations, the highlight of which is the traditional burning of the demon on May 10th.
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The sculptire "Carmela" by Jaume Plensa (2015) sits next to the Palau de la Música Catalana. Photo by Antonio Lajusticia Bueno courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera
Many of the walls of this part of the city date back over 1,000 years. The past few decades have seen it transform into a warren of trendy coffee and craft beer bars, tapas restaurants, alternative fashion shops, artists’ studios and upscale hotels.
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The Colla Castellera and the Colla Jove participating in the "diada castellera" for La Mercè 2023. Photo by Cesc Maymó courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Catalunya’s Castellers: Pile ‘Em High
Defying straightforward definitions, human castle building is more than a national sport: it’s a form of social display, requiring huge commitment from all participants.
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La Diada, September 11, 2014. Photo by Vicente Zambrano González courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
La Diada: Catalunya’s National Day
A guide to Catalunya’s national day on September 11th.
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Headquarters of the Nou Barris district. Photo by Pepe Navarro courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
What Do You Know about Barcelona’s Nou Barris District?
The hilly terrain of what is Barcelona's Nou Barris district was once was covered in fields and orchards; today, only a few old country houses from the past centuries still remain.
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View of Barcelona from Montjuïc. Photo by Vicente Zambrano González, courtesy of the Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
What Do You Know about Poble-sec?
Just outside the old city walls, Barcelona's Poble-sec neighborhood is a vibrant melting pot of history and modernity.
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A "correfoc" (fire run) on the streets of Barcelona. Photo by Xavi Torrent courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Catalunya’s Correfocs, Dracs, Diables and Fire Beasts
The tradition of wedding fire to public celebration isn’t unique to Barcelona or Cataluyna, of course; however, the specific way in which Catalans celebrate with fire tends to be both unique and entertaining.
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Parc de l'Espanya in the Sants neighborhood, photo by Vicente Zambrano González courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Get To Know Barcelona’s Sants-Montjuïc District
Sants-Montjuïc is the largest district in Barcelona, covering an area that is equivalent to almost one-fifth of the city’s municipal territory. It’s home to a vibrant and diverse community of inhabitants, as well as many cultural offerings.
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4-Day Work Week Trials Have Been Labeled a “Resounding Success”
Hopes of the 4-day week becoming reality have been buoyed by glowing reports of the success of four-day week trials, in which employers have reported cutting hours but maintaining productivity. But it’s still not clear whether the model would work.
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Dancing the sardana at a traditional dance festival at Castell de Montjuïc, photo courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Catalan Folk Dances: History and Identity
While the sardana is without question the most well-known and arguably most important Catalan traditional dance, there are many other folkloric dances that have either retained or recovered their historical significance.
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