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“I love traveling the unbeaten track, the less people that have crossed through, the better,” says Andréa Drottholm, owner of one of Barcelona’s leading vacation apartment rental agencies, Akaza. This young Swedish entrepreneur has sailed the Seven Seas and has no plans to stop traveling.

When Andréa is not riding on the back of a motorcycle across the Himalayas or beach-combing in Cozumel, she’s sitting pretty on a docked sailboat in Barcelona’s harbor and managing her business from a central office in Barcelonetta.

“I’d always wanted to live on a houseboat. And now I live on a sailboat. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll cut the ropes and sail around the world,” joked Andréa about her unique living arrangement.

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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.

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Skiing is not far away from Barcelona. Only a 2-3 hour drive away, you will find yourself in the snow and in the mountains. Why not combine a visit to Barcelona with a skiing Holiday. Akaza can arrange a package for you with an apartment in Barcelona and either Hotel or an Apartment in one of the ski resorts of your choice.

Check out the following recommended ski venues:

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Just a quick reminder for all you fashion lovers out there. A fairly new event coming up on the fashion calendar is Bread and Butter Barcelona. The next one is due to take place in January 16-18 2008. Bread and Butter is not the only fashion event held in Barcelona, Pasarela Gaudí and Barcelona Fashion week are well established events attracting thousands of visitors every year. So what makes Bread and Butter different? Well firstly the Bread and Butter team are keen to emphasis the fact that they offer a tradeshow for “selected” brands.

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Catalonia’s wine regions are well worth visiting. Formerly overshadowed by Rioja, Catalonia has always been best known for its cava, whose biggest brands like Freixenet and Cordoniu are found in supermarkets all over the world.  

However, the international success of Miguel Torres in the Penedés region has drawn attention to the large variety of wines produced all over Catalonia in regions such as Alella, Costers del Segre, Ampurdán, Tarragona, Terra Alta, Priorat and Conca de Barberá. Priorat and Penedés are a particular favourites among wine experts. The majority of vineyards are happy to receive visitors for guided tours and tastings.

If you want to visit the Catalan Wine country click here: Akaza's Wine Tours or check check out more on here:

Akaza Excursions The ecological vineyard Albet y Noya offer a detailed tour sharing their trade secrets with interested tourists, aficionados and those thinking about bottling their own label.

A great way to buy in your Christmas supplies, but as most of these vineyards are found deep in the Catalan countryside, it’s recommended you hire a car as buses and trains won’t get you close enough, or sign up for one of the Akaza Wine Tours.

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Closer to street level are the new regulations brought in by Barcelona council to prevent what Mayor Joan Clos sees as “incivismo” (anti-social behaviour).

Heavy on-the-spot fines (300EUR-1500 EUR) will be imposed for drinking in public and various connected activities.

The council are also coming down hard on street performers, top-of-a-blanket marketers, people washing car windows at traffic lights, aggressive begging, feeding the pigeons, jaywalking and, bizarrely, that other great ‘menace to society’, the single-blade roller-skater.

The new laws will apply to locals and tourists alike and form a part of the general move by business leaders and politicians to improve public life around the city.

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The other day when I was walking home from work, I passed by this small place. I had seen it before, but I never really paid any attention to it. I don’t know why, but it did not give me any special wipe. Not until this Monday in early February.

Strawberries. Large, red strawberries. They just looked at me; they send me this special wipe I have not had in many months, not since summer last year. The sun was shining, it was almost like spring, so I crossed the street to take a closer look at these red beauties.

3 euros 50 cents for one kilo of strawberries. I just had to buy them! I bought them and carefully, I carried them home with me.

The sun was still shining when I sat on the balcony enjoying my first red, sweet strawberries of the year. This is what Barcelona can offer you in February: Red and Sweet Sensations, your first strawberries under the sun.

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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.