There’s nothing quite like reading a memoir that details a place you are living, but not the time. Even more so I think, if you are a foreigner in that place. A place that you now know well, but that you didn’t grow up in. It opens up a world you know, but from a very different perspective and time. And this memoir from Catalan-born Isidra Mencos is just that. It is an absolute joy!

“A lush memoir and richly detailed exploration of a pivotal time in Spain.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Promenade of Desire is many things at once: a page-turning coming-of-age tale, a gutsy examination of family, a vivid portrait of a vanished time and a place, and a profound meditation on the nature of desire. Mencos is a sure-handed, open-hearted storyteller whose yearnings reflect our own.” — Aaron Shulman, author of The Age of Disenchantments: The Epic Story of Spain’s Most Notorious Literary Family and the Long Shadow of the Spanish Civil War.

“Promenade of Desire sets the author’s sexual coming-of-age story against Spain’s sexual and political awakening in a unique and intriguing pairing.” — Julia Scheeres, NY Times bestselling author of Jesus Land

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One-time Barcelona resident Ben Holbrook spent lockdown trawling through old video footage and honing his video editing skills. Read his story and watch the resulting short film below.

‘Barcelona. A Day. A Life.’ A Short Film by Ben Holbrook

One of the worst things about lockdown life has been not being able to visit my beloved Barcelona. It was my home for so many years, and although I no longer live there, it’s still where my heart and soul belongs.

It’s hard to say exactly what it is I miss so much… Obviously I miss the wine and the tapas and the lazy afternoons spent strolling (and sometimes stumbling) from bodega to bodega. I miss cycling along the dusty pine-scented tracks of Collserola, peering down on the city glistening below. I miss my friends – the chasers of dreams, the forever young. Read the rest of this article…

I have been living in Barcelona all my life, so I know the city like the palm of my hand: from the best cafés and cheap traditional restaurants to the most underrated city attractions, I am one of the lucky locals who can brag about their knowledge of the best things to do in Barcelona.

That is why when one of my coworkers suggested that we went on a free tour around the city I couldn’t help but feel a bit skeptical. What could they tell me that I didn’t already know? Spending an afternoon following a crowd of thrilled tourists didn’t sound very appealing to me. However, I joined for the sake of team building and because I felt curious about how foreigners learned about my home town.

The perfect Barcelona free walking tour for tourists and locals

We decided to take the Free Tour Gaudí and Modernisme, which focuses on the most emblematic buildings of the Modernist movement in the 19th century. We met near Barcelona’s cathedral, three minutes away from Plaça Catalunya. As it was a Sunday afternoon we were only 6 people (three German tourists, my coworkers and I) and the streets were quite empty. Our guide Diana was already waiting for us – as she was holding a blue umbrella at the meeting point it was not difficult to find her. We started the tour right away.

The Gaudí and Modernisme Free Tour

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Puente del Diablo (The Devil’s Bridge), Martorell, Catalonia

“A compelling and eclectic narrative full of the unexpected”, is how Nick Inman from Rough Guides describes Barcelona journalist Brett Hetherington’s new book, “Slow Travels in Unsung Spain“.

Reading the book, I myself felt like a bird sitting on his shoulder, seeing all that he sees in wonderfully vivid detail. Because the following paragraphs are also funny as well as entertaining and informative, I chose them from near the end of the book where Brett tells us about what he finds after leaving Barcelona Sants station on RENFE’s Line 4… Read the rest of this article…

Running up the steps in Montjuïc

As an exercise fanatic I was thrilled to find out about the Spartan obstacle race that comes to Barcelona every year. Loving a new challenge, I made Spartan my excuse to get “out of my fitness comfort zone” in 2019. As a trainer it is important to shake it up as every discipline has its benefits and something to take away.

On sign up I assessed my fitness routine. Like most people I am better at certain types of physical activities than others and I stay with what I know, what I tend to be good at. The type of fitness needed for an obstacle duration course is not my forte so I got to thinking about my training routine and how I could add or change it to get myself all round fit.

My fitness route normally consisted of…Monday yoga, Tuesday trapeze, Wednesdays Pilates, Thursday rest. Friday Pilates, Saturday weights, Sunday rest. I realise that to get myself up to speed I would have to ramp up and change my routine adding at least 2 HIT training and a cardio training to my week…BUT WHEN was my first reaction! And cardio, yuck, was my second.

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The modern business environment has evolved in leaps and bounds thanks to the fast internet and portable devices. Besides this, the millennial generation which is slowly dominating the work environment, prefer jobs with flexible working hours, that also does not require them being in the office from Monday to Friday.

In a recent study, over 30% of the population are freelancers and leverage on technology for work. These freelancers are also known as digital nomads and forecasts show that the number will continue to increase exponentially, and by 2035, there will be more than 1 billion digital nomads. And what better place to enjoy this work-life freedom than in sunny Barcelona.

In 2015, Spain, and especially the city of Barcelona, had the third highest number of digital nomads using over 300 co-working spaces throughout the city. Today, Barcelona is the fastest growing digital nomad community in the world, who can work anywhere, from coffee shops, hotels, and public libraries, to name a few. Read the rest of this article…

Déu n’hi do, com parla català!

To learn or not to learn Catalan? If you are an expat in Catalonia, you might be in this common dilemma as you constantly hear different opinions about the topic.

In this article I’ll share with you the difficulties, the benefits and insight into Catalan culture and society that has come from knowing it, the reception I’ve received from local people and more.

I moved to Catalonia 3½ years ago and decided to study Catalan after finishing my course in the Spanish language. Obviously, as an expat I also had the same questions and doubts: should I learn the Catalan language, do I really need it, is it practical, will I get into society? In my Spanish school, I heard from many international students that Catalan people are very closed and even if you learn the language, that’s not the way to get into the society and make local friends. Well, that depends. Read the rest of this article…