Since the beginning of February 2009, two new interns are working with Akaza. Noortje, is an International Business and Languages student from the Netherlands who decided to come to Barcelona to gain business experience and improve her Spanish language skills. The other intern at Akaza is Sofie, a Belgian International Business student who fell in love with Barcelona a couple of years ago. Next to gaining international experience, she came to Barcelona to improve her Spanish skills and to learn about the culture of Barcelona. After two months it is time for the girls to review their time in Spain's most sparkling city and to give a view on their lives away from home...

 

Arriving in Barcelona was quite an experience: arriving at a new home, exploring the city and starting to work with Akaza. Everything went rather fast, but that is not a bad thing. The 'chicas' were really thrown into the adventure. They handled it quite well; they got to know their new neighborhoods and Akaza with its apartments and clients. While Noortje was enjoying her time and her nice apartment in El Born, Sofie found her apartment a bit disappointing. After an intensive search for a better apartment to share with a fellow student, she finally found a lovely apartment with a great roof terrace. That was about time after visiting almost thirty apartments all over the city! From that moment on both girls started enjoying their time equally: walking in the sun, shopping, trying out several restaurants, exploring the city, going out and meeting new people. Despite of all the great experiences and activities outside Akaza, the girls also enjoy their working experience in Barceloneta. The collaboration is excellent and the 'Flemish classes' during the lunch break really enhance the girls working relationship. While Noortje tells the most awesome stories about her childhood, Sofie teaches her Dutch colleague how to speak 'Antwerps' (the Flemish dialect that people speak in Antwerp, Belgium). The atmosphere is already great, now the girls are only waiting for the summer to begin so they can spend their lunch breaks at the beach. Besides waiting for the summer sun, the girls are also curious to meet Andréa. After a couple of months in India, she will return to Barcelona and to Akaza some what after Easter. Since the girls have only worked with Patricia up till now, they are excited to get to know the 'boss' and to experience the collaboration with Andréa. For the next months, the girls want to improve their Spanish and enjoy the lovely weather and the great city even more. The sightseeing trips during the weekends will be preceded and experiences will be gained even more. Without any doubt, you will get a full report of their whole experience in Barcelona in the newsletter of July!

Below we have put together some useful information for you about the apartment, its neighbourhood, Barcelona and what Services Akaza can offer you.

First of all we want to thank you for choosing to book your accommodation with Akaza. We hope that you enjoy your stay in this wonderful city, and that you have a great time in this apartment.

Please take good care of the flat, cleanliness is important, so we would ask you kindly to leave it as tidy as you found it.

The garbage/rubbish can be placed in any of the grey containers on street corners, as there are no allocated bins for the apartment.

If the apartment contains plants we kindly ask you to help us keep them alive :->

Please respect the neighbours and keep the noise level down, this is a residential building where people here live and work year round, and they have little tolerance for late night disturbance.

At the end of your stay, please be sure the balcony/windows are closed and the lights and electrical equipment are switched off. All your garbage should be taken out and the keys left on the table.

Departure time is at 11am. If you wish to leave at a later hour, please call me, Andrea to see if I can accommodate your needs.

We do remind all our guests to NEVER let go of their personal belongings at any time, as pocket thieves are numerous and quick in this town.

However this is the only real crime scene we face in Barcelona, even in restaurants and cafes, do not leave your bag unattended on the chair next to you.

Contact telephone numbers (including mine +34 626658548) are available in the AKAZA Barcelona directory provided.

Have a fantastic stay in Barcelona!

Andréa Drottholm

Owner of Akaza Service Agency

Your neighbourhood

Barceloneta

Some say this is the next Born… an up and coming, trendy area. Maybe it’s not quite yet there as it still with holds onto its charm without the designer boutiques. Barceloneta beach is the closest beach to Barcelona city centre. This area is probably one of the favourite areas for the tourist coming to Barcelona on a holiday but also wanting to hang out on the beach. As Barceloneta served as the fishermen neighbourhood this is obviously also where you can find some of the best fresh seafood on offer in Barcelona (amongst these we do NOT recommend (Rey de las Gambas!).

Barceloneta beach is the first choice of beach being closest to town. this quickly fills up during the summer months, and is definitely not a relaxing beach, but more of a people watching place, full of people offering plenty of entertainment. From the Frenchmen selling doughnuts from a basket on their heads, while singing and balancing through the crowds, to family dramas and fully tattooed bodies exposed to the passing crowds. A drink on the beach is not a problem as the Vendors make sure you have a fresh drink in your with their distinctive chants of, “Fanta, agua, Coca Cola, Cerveza,” …so if you are up for a day on the beach in Barceloneta, either expect the theatre that comes with it or bring some good music with a head set. For more quiet beaches you can walk along the seafront to some of the other beaches along, the further away you walk the more peace you will find.

As Barceloneta is within short walking distance to Las Ramblas and the Born, it makes it a desirable place to stay at night with its tranquil streets, since there are no late night bars and clubs in the area. You could say that Barceloneta is its own little village in the heart of Barcelona, as the Barceloneta natives see themselves as being apart from Barcelona. You will find everything you need within the neighbourhood; shops; supermarkets; bars; restaurant; bakeries and even daily fresh produce market.

Barcelona

This fantastic city is rated as one of Europe's number one destinations, not for nothing, as Barcelona has more to offer then most large cities known to the world. Its given attraction with the world famous Gaudi architecture mixed in with modern architecture of the 21st century, makes Barcelona a destination for many architects and students, as well as a popular tourist destination.

In the old town you can find the narrow cobbled streets with buildings going back further than most people can count to and in the middle of it all we find the cultural centre of Barcelona, Las Ramblas, known for its famous "human statues" and numerous outdoor cafes. Las Ramblas, however, is only a start to what this city has to offer its visitors. Not many major cities in the world can say they have beaches and, more over, amazingly clean beaches. This is among the few cities to have a metro line dropping you off a 2-minute walk away from La playa.

"I came to Barcelona 11 years ago only to return 7 years later, after having travelled the world and seeing a few continents in the past 17 years, my heart called out for Barcelona. The buildings, the people, the endless activities, restaurants and bars in all shapes and forms. We have it all here under one umbrella. It is not hard for me to talk about Barcelona and give it the credit it so well deserves. The locals are very proud of their city and it is projects to improve Barcelona and build it up to an even better city is something that everybody gets involved with, and they do. The place is becoming more and more metropolitan being home for people all over the world, and the Catalans are very open minded about receiving outsiders.

Andréa Drottholm - Akaza

Night Life

For tourists who love their nightlife, Barcelona will not disappoint you. We have some of the most famous musicians and DJs coming to play in anything from the small smoky underground clubs, to the massive big out door discos. The variety of music is endless, Jazz, Techno, Flamenco, Salsa, Pop and Reggae are some of the sounds played in various locations. The Catalans love their festivals. Any excuse for a Fiesta is valid. Year around there always seems to be a festival of some sort in one of the barrios (neighbourhoods), where the smaller of children right through to the grannies all drink, eat and dance together. At the end of the celebrations, it is not a proper festival if it is not finished off with Fireworks and in Barcelona they do it in a very grand style!

Bars:

La Concha – C/Guardia 14 (Arabic music mixed with Flamenco, very original bar)

DosTrece – C/Carme 40 (restaurant, bar, club, cinema all in one)

Jamboree – Placa Reial 17 (speacially good on Monday)

Harlem Jazz Club – Comtessa de Sobradiel 8 (live Jazz music)

Pipa Club – Placa Reial 3 pral (very original bar, flat converted to a bar, with several rooms and a Pipe collection)

Que Bar –C/Baluard (A local Bar for mainly local expats in Barceloneta)

Clubs

Sala Apolo – Nou de la Rambla 113 (very varied music played here, the venue is an old theatre, Thursdays, funk and soul)

Mond Bar – Plaza del Sol 21 in Gracia

Arena C/Diputacio 233 (Gay & Lesbian Club)

Catwalk - Ramon Trias Fargas 2-4 Porto Olimpico (another designer and “in” place to go to)

Moog - C/Arc del Teatre 3 (electronical music)

Razzmatazz - C/Almogavares 122 ( different rooms with different music, one of the most popular places in Barcelona)

City Hall – Rambla Catalunya 2-4 (various line ups of well know DJs)

La Terrazza – Avd. Marques de Comillas (Poble Espanyol) (Outdoor club in an old replica house, young crowd)

Restaurants and Cafes

Find additional sheets for restaurants with the contact details of restaurants that we recommend.

Feel free to add your own comments and recommendations to help future visitors.

Starting from the top are the more exclusive restaurants followed by the medium priced to the budget dining. The stars indicates the quality of the food, and the € sign the prices.

Things to Know about this apartment

Rubbish/Garbage

You may use any of the grey containers in the street, as there is no specific allocation for this apartment.

Towels

Please refrain from using the bathroom towels for the beach, as they will get stained and difficult to wash out. Please use the coloured towels provided for the beach.

Hot Water

There is a hot-water tank containing 100 litres of water. Please keep this in mind, as hot water will only last for finite amount of time. However, it will reheat within an hour.

Fans

Please remember to turn the fans off when exiting the apartment for the day.

Washing Machine

Instructions for the washing machine and which program to use is in the powder drawer.

( 2=90 degree hot wash only recommended for white towels and linen, 3=60 degree for white washing, 4= 40 degree, for coloured and more delicate material). Washing liquid is stored under the kitchen sink.

Keys

Don’t forget to take the key with you as once you have closed the door you cannot reopen it without a key. If you lose your keys, don’t panic! Give us a call. There is a replacement cost however.

Toilet

Make sure when you use the toilet, that the flush is back in its place. Do not flush down any other objects (cotton pads, panty liners, slips, etc) other than toilet paper into the toilet, as it will get blocked.

Rules of the House

Nobody other then the people renting the apartment is to enter the apartment. Late night disturbance will not be tolerated and breach of these rules may result in guest being asked to leave the apartment.

If anything has broken down, or been damaged please notify Akaza as soon as possible.+34 626658528.

Please do not try to fix it yourself as this might cause further damage.

We kindly ask you to step outside on to the balcony, if you wish to smoke.

Barcelona Directory

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency services:	112
Ambulance:	061
Fire Service:	080
Policia nacional:(first choice in a Police Emergency)	091
Guardia Urbania/ City police	092

If you have been robbed or attacked, you need to report the incident as soon as possible at your nearest police station. The one to be more likely to have English-speaking officers is the Guardia Urbana on Ramblas.

Operator Service:

General information:	010 Open: 08:00-22:00
International Directory enquiries:	025
International operator, reverse charge calls:	Europe & North Africa: 1008 rest of the world: 1005
National Directory	11818
National operator, reverse charge calls:	1009
Time:	093
Wake-Up calls:	096
Weather:	932 211 600

Taxis:

Companies:	(24 hours booking) Phone cabs start as soon as a call is answered.
Radio Taxi:	933 033 033
Barnataxi:	93 35777 55
Fono Taxi:	93 300 11 00 93 307 0707 Mercedes: at no extra cost and For special services: 93 284 8888

Car Rental:

Easycar /http://www.easycar.com/ Passeig Lluis Companys, 2-nd level of underground park house.
Other branches: Sants Railway station, Gran Via Carlos III 97-105. Tel: No phone, only online booking, Open: 07:00-23:00

Europcar /http://www.europcar.com Placa dels Paisos Catalans, Sants, Tel: 93 491 48 22 Airport branch: 93 298 33 00 Open: 07:30-22:30 Mon-Fri, 08:00-13:00 Sat.

Vanguard/ www.vanguardrent.com C/Viladomat 297 Tel: 93 3227951 Open: 08:00-14:00, 16:00-20:00 Mon-Fri,09:00-13:00 Sat, Sun.

Bicycles:

Un cotxe meyns Bike rentals Esparteria, 40 Tel: 932682105

Biciclot Bike rentals and Bike tours Passeig Marítim, 33 (A peu de platja) Tel: 932 219 778 Fax: 932 219 778

Airlines:

Easyjet:	902 299 992
British Airways	902 111 333
Virgin Express	932 266 671
Air Europa	934 784 763
Ryan Air	807 220 022 open: 10:00-19:00
Alitalia	934 152 521
Lufthansa	934 870 352
Spainair	902 131 415
Iberia	902 400 500
Air France	901 112 266
KLM	934 160 713

Consulates:

Australia	Gran Via Carlos III No 98, 9th Floor, Barcelona 08028 - 9333 09496
Austria	Carrer Mallorca, 214 Atic- 08008 - Barcelona - 934537294
Belgium	Carrer Diputació, 303 1er- 08009 - Barcelona - 934677080
Canada	Passeig de Gràcia, 77 3er- 08008 - Barcelona - 932150704
Denmark	Rambla Catalunya, 33 3er 1ª- 08007 - Barcelona - 934880222
Finland	Carrer Puig i Xoriguer, 17- 08004 - Barcelona - 934431598
France	Ronda Universitat, 22-B 4rt- 08007 - Barcelona - 933178150
Germany	Passeig de Gràcia, 111 11è- 08008 - Barcelona - 932921000
Greece	Avinguda Diagonal, 593 6è 2ª- 08014 - Barcelona - 933212828
Ireland	Gran Via de Carles III, 94 10è 2ª- 08028 - Barcelona - 934915021
Italy	Carrer Malloca, 270- 08037 - Barcelona - 934677305
Japan	Edifici Planeta. Avinguda Diagonal, 662-664- 08034 - Barcelona - 932803433
Luxembourg	Carrer Tuset, 8 8è- 08006 - Barcelona - 932922266
Holland	Avinguda Diagonal, 601 4rtD- 08028 - Barcelona - 934106210
Norway	Carrer Balmes, 184 5è 2ª- 08006 - Barcelona - 932184983
Portugal	Ronda San Pere, 7 1er 1ª- 08010 - Barcelona - 933188150
Sweden	Carrer Mallorca, 279 4rt 3ª- 08037 - Barcelona - 934882501
Switzerland	Gran Via Carlos III, 94 7è- 08028 - Barcelona - 933309211
United Kingdom	Edifici Torre Barcelona. Av Diagonal, 477- 08036 - Barcelona - 934199044
United States	Passeig Reina Elisenda, 23- 08034 - Barcelona - 932802227

Out and About

The key services nearest to you are identified on the map at the back of booklet.

1. Metro station
2. Bus stop
3. Pharmacy
4. ATM
5. Internet
6. Supermarket
7. Fresh market
8. Closest Hospital
9. Police station

Akaza services:

Akaza offers a wide range of services to our clients, in order to make your holiday and stay in Barcelona as smooth and as unique experience as possible. To enquire or book any of our services please call Andrea on: +34 626658548

DAYS OUT AND EXCURSIONS

For those who love nature, you do not have to go far to breath fresh air. Jump on one of the suburb trains, and in 20 minutes you will find yourself in the middle of the beautiful Montseny Natural Park. The smart little seaside resort Sitges only 30-minute train ride south of Barcelona, is a popular place to visit for a day on the beach or only to stroll around its quaint little lanes. For the art enthusiast a well worth visit is the Dali Museum. Up North a worthwhile visit is Figueres, which was once home to the world famous artist, Salvador Dali. It houses his artwork from his early days up to his most recent work. This is only to mention a few out of many easily accessible destinations for a day out of Barcelona.

"Beatle City Tour" - Barcelona Sight Seeing

How about a Barcelona excursion in a Beatle?? Barcelona has a lot to offer and should not be missed out. We can tailor make your tour in the city for the day, to see various sights such as: the world famous Gaudi Cathedral Sagrada Familia, Plaza Espana, The Gothic Cathedral, Montjuic Castle, Parque Guell, Poble Espanyol Nou Camp etc...it is all there waiting for you.

"Kayak Central" - Sea Kayaking the Best of Costa Brava

Catalunya’s Costa Brava is regarded as one of the best destinations for Sea Kayaking in Europe. Launching from one of the many gorgeous beaches, you will be guided along the Costa Brava’s dramatic cliffs exploring deep caves and warm, secluded coves and beaches. Depending on the Tramuntana (north wind) and paddler preference, outings are from 2 to 4 hours, stopping for lunch and a short siesta at turn around points. 8 hour trip. *All ages and kayaking ability levels are accommodated to ensure a positive, unforgettable experience.

"Save the Castle"- Castle Exploration

Castles explorations are an excellent way to understand the rich culture and history of Catalunya. From Barcelona you have great castle storming opportunities. While some castles are in better shape than others, they are all fascinating in both architecture and lore. As castles are logically located in protected, remote areas, we have logically included great trekking opportunities and Catalan fare in authentic country restaurants. 8-hour trip

"Medieval Villages"- Village Explorations and Nature Walks

Amazingly well preserved medieval villages of the Pyrenees, the coast and interior are quietly waiting for you. We take you deep into the spirit and history of the Catalan culture that few Barcelona visitors ever see or even hear about. You’ll explore age-old villages and enjoy a hearty lunch of Catalan food at one of the local restaurants. The nature walks are highly recommended but purely optional. While these ultra-charming villages are still inhabited, you will not find the crowds of Barcelona at your heels this day! 8-hour trip

"Wines of Catalunya"- Wine Country and tasting

Catalunya, Spain is home to several innovative and exclusive wines and cavas. We offer you private visits and tastings in small wineries located in beautiful, remote locations only a stones throw from Barcelona. Our wine and cava country trips are not only entertaining, but also very informative for those wanting to learn more about wines and cavas as well as product elaboration methods of the past and present. Great food from the region accompanies these trips to make the tasting all the more enjoyable! 6 hour trip

"Routes and Tasting"- Cycling the Wine Country and tastings

We offer you tasting of the regions finest wines, cavas and foods mixed with great cycling excursions through the rolling wine and cava region of El Penedes, just south of Barcelona. Pedaling through the picturesque terrain of El Penedes’ rolling hills, flanked by the peaks of Mediterranean mountain ranges makes visiting these wineries all the more memorable. This is a great day’s escape for both wine and cava connoisseurs or ever those simply looking to drink wine and cava and enjoy the hidden corners of the region. *Cycling routes vary in length and are not difficult. A support vehicle accompanies those preferring not to ride or who simply get tired. Families and all ages and abilities are welcome!

"Peaks, Valleys and Coves"- Trekking Catalunya's Best

Why not get out of bustling Barcelona for some great walking or trekking? Barcelona is only an hour or so from the peaks of the Pyrenees, the rugged Costa Brava and an impressive interior all loaded with lush valleys and winding mountains capes. We take you along the best routes in Catalunya and through various charming villages along the way making this day trip more than satisfying for any culture, nature and adventure enthusiasts. All ages and physical abilities are welcome! 8-hour trip

"Canyon Conquest"- Canoying

Descend beautiful river canyons and waterfalls by rappelling, sliding or jumping off astounding rock formations into crystal clear pools. The unique landscape, location, weather and pristine condition of the Pyrenees make Catalunya one of the best destinations in Europe to practice this exciting sport. Canyoning is, in fact, safe and is today one of the most popular adventure activities in Catalunya among locals and visitors all ages.*Specialized training and equipment is provided for guests. Safety and careful calculation are the highest priority with all our guides, who are always the first and last to go over the edge. 10-hour trip

"Snow Bound"- Snow shoe the best of the Pyrenees

Why walk when you can snowshoe? Snow shoeing is definitely the best way to see and experience the Pyrenees Mountains in the winter. About an hour’s drive from bustling Barcelona, you’ll snowshoe one of the sunny Pyrenees peaks or valleys to be rewarded with views that many only dream about. The natural environment of the Pyrenees is rich in plant and animal life that you will experience and enjoy first hand with our expert guides. *Only gloves and warm clothing required. All ages and experience levels are accommodated. If you can walk, you can snowshoe! 8-hour trip

"Horse Around"- Horse Trekking Catalunya

Expert guides lead riders along the trails that flank the coast and pass through the gorgeous valleys and rugged mountains of Catalunya. We invite you to a ‘horse around’ and experience the beauty of Catalunya from the saddle. Guests gain a true respect for Catalunya’s beauty, as these outings are guaranteed to make an unforgettable positive impression on any new or experienced rider.*Excursion destinations and lengths vary depending on rider experience and preference. 6 hour trip

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

Limousine Services Are you one of those that have always dreamed about cruising around in a limo? Well why wait? Feel like a star even if it’s for just a moment. We can organize pick up services in a spacious, comfortable vehicle of your choice, with a driver that speaks your language.

Airport Pick Up We can arrange personalised pick up service from the airport. No need to worry about the taxi driver taking you for a ride making sure to double the standard taxi fare. We have a flat fee of 40 Euros, one of our team members will meet you at the airport, and give you a brief city tour on the way to your final destination.

Ticket Service to Barcelona Events Would you like to go and see a Barcelona football game, FCB voted the best football team in History? We can arrange tickets for you in some of the more privileged seats in the stadium. We can also purchase tickets for you and your group for any other events taking place in Barcelona. To find out more or book any other ticket contacts us for assistance.

Babysitting Did you come with children, but would like to enjoy Barcelona by night? If you need someone to look after your children, we have reliable baby sitters that can come to your home for the hours you are gone. All our baby-sitters have been interviewed and come with references that have been carefully checked.

Massage Massage is a unique form of bodywork that rebalances body and mind, leading to a profound state of relaxation.. Duration: 1h

COURSES

Language Courses You can learn Spanish, English, French or Italian, if you wish. Courses are offered at your own pace and with emphasis on what you would like to learn; conversation, grammar or pronunciation. If you need someone to help you translate or interpret, we have the solution for you in many different languages, Spanish, French, German, Swedish, Italian, Hungarian, Catalan, etc.

Music Technology Courses Located right in the gothic quarter, the BCNSOUND music studio teaches music technology and production courses, focusing on the latest software. The main options are Logic Audio and ProTools, which are industry standard tools. The tutor has previously taught on industry recommended courses in London, and courses are taught in English or Spanish. All levels of user are catered for, from beginner to advanced pro users. Classes are one-to-one or in small groups, with plenty of hands-on experience.

Cooking Courses Would you like to improve your cooking skills or maybe extend your skills into a different cuisine? You can learn how to cook Mediterranean food with one of our qualified chefs. The courses are offered in a very relaxed atmosphere, where the Chef invites you to her own kitchen only accepting small groups. The course can be structured over several days or as an intensive course, all tailor made for you.

Reiki 1 or 2 Our Reiki Master offers a 6-hour course to enter the world of Universal healing. A gift we all hold within us, which needs to be developed. Emily will work on opening your channels and guide you through the first steps on how to become a Reiki healer. We also offer a Reiki second level course.

Ashtanga Yoga Would you like to come to Barcelona to practice Ashtanga Yoga. Our Yoga master offers intensive courses over weekends or week long courses with a few hours of Yoga and Meditation on a daily basis. Classes can be offered privately or participation in Mysore style morning classes. Sunday to Friday.

It is not hard to believe that Barcelona has been rated as one of Europe's number one destinations, as this city has more to offer than most big cities all over the world. With a privileged position next to the Mediterranean you find four kilometres of beaches in the middle of a city with more than 1,5 million inhabitants, as well as the pulse of a cosmopolitan city that never sleeps. After an extreme makeover lasting more than two decades, Barcelona has transformed itself to one of the most interesting and stylish cities in the world.

Barcelona is the second largest city of Spain and capital city of Catalonia, one of 17 provinces that form Spain. Catalonia has two official languages, Catalan and Castilian (Spanish) which are both widely spoken. After a political repression in Francoist Spain where public use of Catalan was forbidden, today Catalonia is working for political autonomy and greater freedom of cultural expression.

While visiting you will not be left bored. A lively street life, an extensive nightlife and a wide variety of art will keep you more than busy. Walking around the city it is hard to miss the work of the world famous architect Antoni Gaudí. Among his work you find the impressive basilica La Sagrada Família and the garden complex Parc Güell, both a must to see. When leaving Barcelona, you have probably taken more than one stroll down Las Ramblas, a kilometre-long pedestrian avenue, in the middle of the old town of Barcelona, that connects the main square Plaza Catalunya with the Christopher Columbus monument near the port. Las Ramblas is famous for its non-stopping performances (human statues, mimes etc.), cafés and small shops.

The tourist attractions are many and offer something for everyone. The Picasso Museum, Ciutat Vella (Old town), Barcelona Magic Fountain and the village Poble Espanyol are all popular places to visit,. To arrange a tour in or out of Barcelona please e-mail us. info@akaza.net with your preferred sights to see, or simply let us take care of it and put together a tailor made sight seeing tour for you either in Barcelona or out of Barcelona. or why not go to Nou Camp to see a football match with FC Barcelona. It is a once in a lifetime experience, "Barça" is all about politics, love, hatred and a true passion for the game. To get tickets for one of the games please e-mail us with your request of game you want to attend and how many tickets you need: info@akaza.net We can then arrange to deliver them to you once you are in Barcelona.

http://www.bcn.cat/english/ihome.htm (Offical homepage)

www.tutiempo.net/Tiempo-Barcelona-E08001.html (Weather forecast)

http://www.tmb.net/en_US/home.jsp (Public Transport)

www.guiadelociobcn.es (What is going on)

Some Facts:

Privacy, Freedom and Breakfast at home!

Since its very beginning back in 2003, The Akaza Team has been gathering its guest's comments on the apartments offered and services provided. The purpose of the questionnaires is to ensure that a high service level is provided and that the apartments have the facilities which the guests request.
Another factor of interest has always been to find out why people rent apartments instead of a room in a hotel, a question which gives many different answers.

Why choose an apartment?
Privacy, Freedom and Breakfast at home are some of the key words from our clients' questionnaires, and they describe very well what out clients are looking for when they choose type of accommodation. Our main clientele is the independent traveller coming to Barcelona, mainly for leisure, and they belong to two different segments: couples between 30-60 years old, and families travelling with children. Geography wise, the majority come from Scandinavia: a total of 36.36% of which a 24.16% is from Denmark.

The high percentage of Scandinavian in general and Danish specifically visiting Barcelona has raised my curiosity towards why this specific Danish / Scandinavian target audience chooses an apartment over a hotel during their stay in Barcelona.

Lots of Coffee
One of our Danish guests stated as a reason to why she chose an apartment "Masser af kaffe" (In English: "Lots of Coffee") - a comment that might be seen as irrelevant for our agency to analyse on, however, dealing with the Danish clientele, it is an obvious and very descriptive comment closely related to Cultural Values.

Normally, the cultural values are used to describe a country, like for instance Denmark, as a tourist destination / product, however, can these cultural values be transferred to a more personal level and thus describe the way a Danish person acts when he or she is on vacation in a foreign country? There seem to be a tendency of a transfer of national cultural values from our client's home country, in this context Denmark, to their preferences regarding their vacation in Barcelona: "Cosy", "Informal", "Oasis" and "Freedom" are four of the six cultural values used to describe Denmark as a tourist destination and applied to the replies received in the questionnaires, these cultural values are key words when choosing accommodation as the vast majority of our Danish guests say: privacy, freedom and breakfast at home.

 

Privacy in Barcelona
Families travelling with children tend to choose an apartment over a hotel in order to have one space for everybody and thus have more privacy to do family things, like planning a day out while enjoying breakfast quietly at home. "Cosy" and "informal" is all about the family spending time and doing things together in a relaxed atmosphere.
The couples also seek accommodation in order to feel at home even though they emphasize being among the locals in the smaller districts of Barcelona as an important factor for choosing the apartment. For both segments matter to enjoy their privacy but still have the freedom to do whatever they desire together.

Freedom in Barcelona
Our Danish guests choose an apartment in order to have the freedom to get up whenever it suits them, eat breakfast at 2pm, or have dinner at mid-night. They choose the apartment in order to have their little oasis in the city centre of Barcelona where they can find a personal space to relax from the stressful day and streets which surrounds them, and to do whatever suits them the best in order to make their vacation perfect.

Price and Design
But not only privacy, freedom and breakfast at home are important: some of our clients mention price as being an important factor when choosing accommodation as, in their opinion, when coming with larger groups, the total cost is cheaper than a hotel. Many of the Danish guests mention that the design of the apartment gives them a special feeling of being "at home" as opposite to the white walls and cold hotel rooms with no personal feeling to it.

Reasons and Expectations vs. Actual Product
Our main clientele, the Danish guests, prefer to have their little oasis in the city centre of Barcelona where they have their privacy and the freedom to do family things together. The key words, therefore, are, as the title very well describes: Privacy, Freedom and Breakfast at Home - with lots of coffee!

In order to meet our main clientele's preferences and cultural values, we offer a great variety of apartments all over the city centre of Barcelona: from cosy one bedroom, 35 m2 apartments in the old fisherman's neighbourhood of Barceloneta where you will get a good feeling of staying between the local people to fashionable 2 bedroom apartments in the trendy Borne area which gives you the privilege of being in the areas of Barcelona with the most atmosphere with the freedom to stay inside your little, private oasis planning your night out.
We can offer you modern 3 bedroom apartments with access to a swimming pool in the quiet areas of Poble Nou as well as a 4 bedroom apartment which sleeps up to 8 persons in the absolute city centre of Barcelona.

Akaza S.L values customer service as being the core of its business and by constantly evaluating our guests' comments and suggestions, we have come to the conclusion that our guests value an apartment over a hotel due to different criteria which we seek to bear in mind when finding new apartments to list on our web site.

Apart from apartment rental and personalised customer service, we also offer our clients complete travel packages, airport transfers, ticket service for main Barcelona events like for instance tickets for FC Barcelona, and excursions in and around Catalonia.

Our current office is located in el Born in the city centre of Barcelona and, currently, we have five people working here from all over Europe: Ireland, Holland, France, Denmark and Sweden which means that we speak several European languages. From the end of September 2007, we will be moving to a larger office in Barceloneta which means that we will be closer to our apartments and clients.

I arrived by train from Monaco to Barcelona, 8 years ago now. The common question asked, "why Barcelona?" I came to Barcelona for the first time by train 1992, they were in the middle of the Olympic Games, but I was young and backpacking and could care less.   My destination was not Sagrada Familia, nor Ramblas, but the beach, to maintain a well and carefully worked on sun tan.   So after instructions I got on the metro from Sants Estacion, (main train station in Barcelona) down to Barceloneta. Now which city in Europe do you know where you can take the metro to the beach???   15 minutes later I was walking down Paseo Joan de Borbon heading for Barceloneta beach. City centre behind me, and the beach ahead.

 

 

As for every year and all year for that matter, Barcelona is hosting one event after the other what seems sometimes to be an never ending party.

After finishing the summer holidays, the locals went straight into the street festivals, starting off with the biggest one in the neighbourhood of Gracia. Then moving on to the festival in Sants. After this Barcelonas own festival starts, Merce, where the city is full of events, concerts, theatre, folk dancing, the dragon fire parade (El Foc) and not to mention the fire works, ending the evening on the sky. The fire works are building up, each and every night of the festival it can be seen from the beach front down in Barceloneta to then end it off with the big finale at Plaza Espanya, the 24^th of September n the day of the saints day of Barcelona, Mercedes, which is also a public holiday.

 

As soon as Merce has reached its end Barceloneta takes over from there. And the locals have gathered up during months for their yearly festivities. The streets are competing against each other for who can make the nicest decoration along their streets.

Anyone with a talent for something has been practising for the big day of performing in front of their neighbours up on stage. Bands are playing latest hits, old and young mixed up on the dance floor all with the same aim, to have some fun.

The festivities last for a week, with a big fair ground along the port, food stalls, markets selling arts and crafts. If you are planning to come to Barcelona in September, no matter what date you plan to come you are more then likely to coincide with one of these above mentioned festivities, and even outside of Barcelona the wine regions presenting their new wine harvest and fresh bottles of wines and cava.

 

Many people find it more pleasant to come to Barcelona this time of the year as it is still warm temperature and perfectly all right to swim in the sea, but also less tourist crowding the high lights of the city.

If you are planning to visit the city and have not yet booked any accommodation or need information about your stay, please do not hesitate to check our web site www.akaza.net or contact us, info@akaza.net

 

With greetings from the Akaza Team

Barcelona as we all know is to say the least is heaving! Tourist fly from all over the world to live and experience this wonderful city. This is pretty much taking place year round, but in summer it has an extra kick to it and the whole city turns in to a one long festival, as hardly has one finished before the next take place. So far we have had Primavera Sound Live Music Festival taking place every year with some big names occupying the stages.

Followed by Sonar, electronical music festival with well over 40,000 visitors, and just celebrated their 15^th year anniversary this year. After that we had the big fashion Fair, Bread and Butter where fashion people descended on town to inform us about the latest  street trends.

July hosted Lenny Krawitz in concert  a few days ago and one of my favourite yearly events coming up on the 18^th-19^th of July, Summercase, acts like: Primal Scream, Blondie, Ian Brown, 2ManyDjs, Kaiser Chiefs, Kings of Leon, Sex Pistols,  etc etc. Tickets starting from 110€ depending how soon you get them.

 

Akaza can organise tickets for this events as well as a holiday apartment near the event, Forum, right by the beach of Barcelona and only 5stops on the metro line to the city centre (approx. 10 minutes travel)

 

Contact Akaza for more information: services@akaza.net , www.akaza.net

Tel: +34 93 2210610, Mobile: +34 626658548

 

Other then Summer Case and music event, summer sales are on YUPPIEE!! For all you shopping lovers out there. Men specially ;-)

 

In August the locals abandon town. This is traditionally the summer holidays for most workers (not the Akaza Team though...) Hit the first of the Holiday the high ways are practically impossible to move more then 10km an hour since everyone is dying to get to their holiday destination where ever that might be. So if you are planning to visit the city by car around the first week of August bare this in mind!

 

If not you can subscribe to Akaza's Monthly Newsletter with information on the upcoming news in the next month.

Just click on this link:

http://www.akaza.net/bcn-info/barcelona-neighbourhoods/akaza-newsletter.html

 

Have a nice July and enjoy the summer!

 

All for now from Andrea and the Akaza Team enjoying a swim in the sea during lunch break hmmm J

 

And there it was.. the first Akaza baby is born. 2nd of April, 2008, little mix of  Scandinavia and the Med, gave a baby boy with Danish and Catalan parents, Kristina and Xavier. Kristina is the office manager of Akaza, having the first born baby all went remarkably well as she  gave birth to a healthy gorgeous baby boy.   Kristina is now on maternity leave until September when she will be welcomed back after being missed in the Akaza Team.   So if you pop your heads into our office during your stay there are big chances that you will get a glimpse of the first Akaza baby in the office, getting trained early for his bright career ahead!! We at the Akaza team are delighted about this little new comer and wish both parents lots of happy days with their new addition to the family.

 

Yet again Barcelona turned into a Festival place and space in the city centre. Sonar 2008. I was pleased to get myself organised this year as I wanted to attend Saturday day time, and last year we had to sit outside watch the event from a distance, a bit pooped that we could not get tickets no matter how hard we tried.. So this time I put the question out, who wants to go to Sonar for Saturday, in the end I think there was about 8 of us on and off. As Kiki had to go to work at 17h we arrived early for her to get the most out of the few hours she had. We got there by 14h, beating heat, and effected people. As we arrived the atmosphere was very chilled and really gave a festival feeling, people sitting around in the green fake grass covered floors. Chatting, listening to the music and chilling out, from probably was a hard night out night before. I am not really interested in the Sonar night time. Lots of great artist and a paradise for electronical (and more..) music lovers. Mind you I would not have been against going to see Goldfrapp opening the Festival on Thursday, I love that woman, such a power!! Check out their video on the Sonar web site http://www.sonar.es/2008/eng/prog/concerts.cfm?dia=1&fecha=1&publicarp=1 But the whole concept of having the festival in a expo hall, just does not appeal to me anymore. I went there few years back to see one of my favourite DJs, Mr Scruff. Which was great, but I have not been back since. When we arrived DJ Key was on the turn tables, a mix of music but a lot of fun music which brought us back in time with smile and giggles on our face, as it was a bit cheesy, but hey cheesy is good! Another one that my friends rated and boogied away to in some sort of a trance was "Flogsta vs Harmönia Klash" check this web page: http://www.myspace.com/harmoenia A mix of DJs from Sweden and Finland (if I understood it right) I think what amazes me with this festival, is how the whole vibe sweeps in over the city, and takes over. I mean this in a good way, every one seems to be having a great time, some with aid of substances some on a natural high. You don't really see anyone being aggressive and in polite. Everyone is there for the same reason, listen to music and have a good time. As a tourist service agent in Barcelona, renting out holiday apartments in central Barcelona, we tend to get a bit nervous that the Sonar people will not respect the neighbours, bring the Sonar party home..etc etc.. (I think that might be the ultimate, slightly over dramatised nightmare of mine..) So far we seem to have once again been proved that the worries are a waist of energy and the apartments are as good as they were when they first entered them. Of course having all of them rented out during this busy period, there is bound to be incidents that is out of our hands, like electricity company deciding to shut down the electricity in one of the apartments for a few days. Lanterns where shipped in and immediate solutions of any sort, but of course hot water was a no go, lucky the weather was as hot as it was..and cold shower was not only the only option but more like a must. The guests got reimbursed a large amount of their rent due to the inconvenience, and I think everyone was left with a pleasing solution. So we at akaza look forward to welcoming Sonar 2010 guests yet again and I will definitely be going back for more (but I think I will stick to daytime).

To book apartments http://www.akaza.net/

Read this article about Barceloneta