LOOP :THE VIDEO ART FESTIVAL '05 is an event that focuses on creating a platform to exhibit world premieres, new talents and the best trends in video art. It takes place from November 7th to the 20th, transforming the city of Barcelona into a big projection screen. LOOP :THE VIDEO ART FAIR '05 is the original international art fair dedicated exclusively to video art. From November 10th to the 13th in Barcelona, 52 invited galleries from different countries will present their most recent works from their best video artists. Highlights: Chantal Crousel (Paris) will present the Spanish Premiere of Jennifer Alloro's Amphibious shown at this year's Biennale de Lyon. Mizuma Art (Toyko) will present the International Premiere of Tomoko Konoike's Mimio. Tanit (Munich) will present the Spanish Premiere of new video Jeremy Blake's Century 21 previously exhibited this year at the SF MoMA. Filomena Soares (Lisbon) will present the International Premiere of Vasco Araujo's Far de Donna. Fucares (Madrid), Roebling Hall (Nueva York), Olaf Stuber (Berlín), Carles Taché (Barcelona) .... LOOP :THE VIDEO ART FESTIVAL '05 will present more than 200 artists in 140 projection sites!

ArtFutura 2005, the digital arts and new media festival of reference in Spain, will be an event not to miss on October. The festival will offer a wide range of activities: workshops, conferences, performances, special presentations and a powerful audio-visual program. Special guest will be Bruce Sterling, one of the most important science-fiction writers of the last twenty years. Other participants will include Hiroshi Ishii, founder of the "Tangible Media" concept, the interactive systems that regulate themselves via the manipulation of everyday objects. We also highlight the Theo Jansen's beach creatures, "Strandbeest": huge robot sculptures which use the wind strength as a source of energy. Mercat de les Flors - C/ Lleida, 59 - October 27th to 30th - Tickets: 9€

Gracia, the relaxed and bohemian neighbourhood, used to be an independent village that had its own mayor and wasnt a part of the greater city of Barcelona. The small town atmosphere can still be sensed and in summer -second week of august- the Gracia Festes in the streets offer an overwhelming experience. Live music, dancing, theatre and all sorts of processions and games set Gracia on fire for a whole week. Every street chooses a unique decoration for the festival and the most originally decorated street recieves a price. The squares are great all year round but get something truly special during the festival. If youre in Barcelona in the hottest month of the year be sure not to miss out!

Looking for people to share car rental during weekends to go camping, to the beach and anywhere around Catalunya and Spain. Shared cost aprox. 30 per person

When visiting Barcelona, it is really worth taking a 45 minute-1 hour train ride to Manresa to see Monserrat. It is a monastery that sits on top of a mountain. You have to take a cable car to reach the top, but make sure you buy a ticket that allows you to go to the very top of the mountain. There, you can hike all the way up....and it is an absolutely amazing site. I'm afraid of heights but I made myself do it! It was so beautiful and breathtaking.

Hi guys! This time on sport: I was running (jogging) on Montjuïc, and after climbing the "mountain" really in a extenuated situation below this warm weather (will I go again?) I saw from Palau Nacional.. one of the best views of Barcelona, great!!! There you can see The Venetian Towers and Plaza España, The Cathedral... Also at night the Fountains in Montjuïc are now iluminated in a rainbow of colours…strongly recommended!!! cu, Jorge

The best way to experience Palau de la Musica is by attending a performance there. Tickets are reasonably priced (from 1,200 to 4,000 for most performances) and it will definitely leave you with a more lasting impression than a guided tour (and for little more money). Tickets can be brought at the ticket office on site.

I think one of the best monument, which is able to transmit the magic of Barcelona, is the Palau de la Música Catalana.<BR> It's a very special place with magnificent sculptures, stairs, roofs, columns, and very special details in the architecture which make this place very different from the other buildings, examples of the Modernisme.<BR> You'll be surrounded by flowers all the time, but I let you discover it... <BR> <BR> You've got guided visites in English, Spanish and Catalan, every day from 10 am to 3.30 pm (visits every half an hour). These visits take 50 minutes (but you'll think it's not enough at the end of the visit !!!). You can buy the tickets at the Palau ticket office (from Monday to Saturday, from 9.45 am to 3 pm) or at the shop "Les Muses del Palau" (every day from 9.30 am to 3 pm). The price is 700 pesetas (but for the students, there are some discounts).

BEMPOSTA, is for the moment, the most important realization of the nation. located to some kilometers of Orense, it occupies an extension of 200.000metres squared, a leafy forest of pines and eucalyptuses.

There are a couple of places where you can go up and have a really good view of Barcelona, for example, the top of the Christopher Columbus monument. But while staying in Barcelona, I was lucky to have a room with a view on the side of the Cathedral. And everyday I would see people walking on the roof. I had always wondered how they got there, so not until my last week did I discover the way up. You have to go in one of the cathedrals crypts (sorry, don't remember which one), look for a elevator sign. It costs 200pts, but proceeds go towards the church. Once you get on the top of the cathedral, you see the city from a whole different perspective, perhaps a historical one, because after all, you are on top of a medieval building, looking down on the Barri Gotic. You can go even higher by taking the stairs up one of the bell towers. Really really cool!