What's On, July in Barcelona (Grec Festival)

This month we’re looking at Barcelona, where you’ll find the annual Grec Festival taking place throughout July.  The festival centers around the Teatre Grec but you’ll find events running across the whole city, here’s our pick of some of the top acts not to be missed.

Wonderland; Teatre Grec; Tue Jul 1 – Wed Jul 2

A thought provoking performance choreographed by Andrea Miller exploring the potential troubles of human instinct.  Widely tipped as one of the best performances coming across the whole of Grec Festival, expect to see highly technical levels of skill from the Gallim Dance Company throughout the entire show

The Fountainhead (La deu); Teatre Lliure: Montjuïc; Wed Jul 2 – Fri Jul 4

Taking Ayn Rand’s bestselling 1943 novel and adapting it for the stage, this performance looks at an artists decisions between maintaining their ideals or betraying them in order to achieve success.  Produced by Ivo van Hove, director of one of the biggest hits of Grec Festival 2013 (Human Tragedies), this is a performance not to be missed.

Hiromi; Teatre Grec; Sat Jul 5

This Japanese composer and pianist gives a breathtaking show fusing music from a broad spectrum of genres together.  Any single piece of work from her vast back catalogue will show you just how much Hiromi can masterfully craft music which defies categorisation.

Eels; Teatre Grec; Sat Jul 12

Mark Oliver Everett brings his band Eels to Barcelona for the Grec Festival as part of their European Tour.  Promoting their latest album, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, this is a chance to see one of the most influential indie rock bands of all time in a unique outdoor setting.

Rudo; Manolo Alcántara; Fri Jul 18 – Sat Jul 19

Billed as a circus performance, watch as large structures are built from heavy wooden crates while an orchestra of violins and cellos play in the background.  The show is a truely unique experience that shouldn’t be missed.

Those were just some of our picks from the Grec Festival this year in Barcelona, for full details on these events, to buy tickets and to read everything else at the festival over the month, visit the official website here.  You can download Trippa Barcelona here, or if you’re not making the trip to Barcelona, why not look at one of our other guides like: Trippa Athens, Berlin, Cardiff, Helsinki, Marseille, Palma, Oslo, Reykjavik, Seville or Stockholm

Top Five Stockholm Swimming Spots

It’s a common misconception that Stockholm is a cold city, it may be quite high in comparison to the rest of Europe, however during the summer months it’s not uncommon to see the shorts and t-shirt come out.  We thought we’d take a look then at the top five swimming spots surrounding the Swedish capital so you know where to head for a quick dip if you’re heading there this summer.

1. Långholmen

The number one spot for people visiting Stockholm looking for a dip in the ocean. This tiny island is located just off Södermalm and also houses a former prison which is now a hotel and restaurant.  It can get a little bit crowded on this tiny island, but if you head further along and more towards the cliffs you can usually get a bit of peace and quiet.

2. Reimersholme

Not a beach as such, more a dock that’s great to go swimming; Reimersholme attracts a young, hip crowd who want to cool off in the summer months.  A large green area for a bit of sunbathing and fantastic views looking at Liljeholmen and Södermalm give you a quite surreal experience of city and beach life together.

3. Smedsuddsbadet

A popular spot for families, the large sandy banks of Smedsuddsbadet can be found on the outskirts of Rålambshov Park, in Mariaberg.  Easily accessible by T-Bana, this beach is one of your better guesses for getting some time away from the hustle and bustle in the city.

4. Kärsön

A little bit further out of the city, Kärsön is an island which can be found on the journey towards Drottningholm palace.  Get off the bus before you get to the royal site and cross the fields to discover the private cove and cliffs.  There’s rumored to be a nudist colony here though so this probably isn’t the best beach for a family day out.

5. Fredhäll

Rated as one of the best spots to mingle, this collection of cliffs regularly attracts groups of young people in high spirits.  You’ll be disappointed if you’re looking for sandy beaches, but if you want to make some new friends and go for a swim then this is the place to head.

So that was our run through of the best places to go for a swim in the sea in Stockholm.  If you’re not going to Stockholm but fancy getting away this weekend, why not take a look at one of our other fantastic guides like Trippa Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Cardiff, Helsinki, Marseille, Palma, Oslo, Reykjavik or Seville

Cardiff International Food and Drink Festival 2014

A big part of the summer for me, and I’m sure many others, is getting a taste for other cultures; trying out new foods, listening to new music – anything that lets me escape the routine of everyday life. One of the perfect ways to do this is through a food and drink festival and there’s one just around the corner this July in Cardiff.

When you’re not visiting the castle or watching a sports event at the Millennium Stadium, take a break down at Cardiff Bay to sample both local and international produce from all over the globe. With a bountiful spread of farmhouse cheeses, handcrafted chocolates and specialist liqueurs, there’s sure to be something to tickle everyone’s taste buds at Cardiff’s International Food and Drink Festival.

Once you’re full up of food and drink delights then sit back and relax with the festival’s live music and entertainment or take a stroll along the beautiful bay. The capital’s favourite belly-filling festival is a free event so it won’t hurt the pocket and it’s the perfect getaway for a bit of sun, sea and Welsh culture.

The festival kicks off on Friday 11th July, so you can get down to see what’s on offer before checking out the variety of bars and restaurants Cardiff Bay has to offer. If you can’t make it down on Friday, it runs until Sunday the 13th so make sure you pop in at least once over the course of the weekend.

Cardiff’s International Food and Drink Festival is a part of Cardiff Festival which takes place from 21st June – 6th September with different events taking place in and around the city. For more information, visit the website  or download our Trippa Cardiff app, the best and most popular smartphone travel guide to the Welsh capital.

If you’re not going to Cardiff but fancy getting away this weekend, why not take a look at one of our other fantastic guides like  Trippa Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Helsinki, Marseille, Palma, Oslo,Reykjavik, Seville orStockholm.

Top European Festivals 2014

It’s summer now, and as you might have guessed from our last blog post - we’re quite excited about it.  We told you all the best things to get up to in Paris over the summer months last week and now we’re broadening the scope a little bit and looking at four of the best boutique European festivals that you should check out this summer.  Tickets are still available for all of them (at the moment anyway) so if you like the look of what you see, snap up a ticket as quickly as you can!

Secret Solstice, 20 - 22 June, Reykjavik

A festival like no other, Secret Solstice takes place over the summer solstice where in a country as far north as Iceland the sun shines for 24 hours a day.  Headline acts include Massive Attack and Disclosure, along with an abundance of internationally recognised names and local Icelandic talent.  Camping is available on site and even though it’s in Iceland, the weather should be pretty mild.  If of course you don’t fancy camping, hotel package deals are available.  Tickets start at 19,900 ISK (roughly £105), to buy tickets and see full lineup details visit the link above.

Lovebox, 18 - 19 July, London

Running since 2005, Lovebox is one of London’s biggest and best boutique festivals.  Taking place at Victoria Park during the day and in clubs in the immediate surrounding area at night, it’s a two day long experience you’re sure to remember for a while.  Chase and Status headline the Friday and M.I.A headlines the Saturday, with a whole host of world class acts in between.  No camping is available on site, you’ll have to find a hotel somewhere near.  Tickets are £80 for the two days, these are on the final release and likely to run out soon.  Check the link above for details.

Flow Festival, 8 - 10 August, Helsinki

Named by the Guardian as one of the best festivals in Europe for this year, Flow Festival is a music and arts festival located just outside of Helsinki city centre.  Combining old time favourites with current hot acts, OutKast and The National headline the Saturday and Sunday while a collection of local Finnish talent open each stage, each day.  No camping is available on site, the only accommodation is at hotels within Helsinki itself.  Tickets cost €159 (roughly £130) for all three days and these can be bought through the link above.

Berlin Festival 5 - 7 September, Berlin

Last year, Berlin Festival attracted over 20,000 international visitors and this year is sure to be just as successful.  Taking place at Flughafen Templehof (the airport), the whole event is sure to be full of fun and surprises.  With final lineup details still to be announced, with names like Moderat and Editors at the top of the list at the moment, you’re sure to not be disappointed.  No camping available, but there are an abundance of reasonably priced hotels in Berlin so this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.  Tickets are currently €79 plus booking and can be bought from the link above.

Those were our picks of the top four European Festivals this year, you can download Trippa Berlin, London, Helsinki and Reykjavik before you go to help you with everything outside of the festival.  Or if you're not going to any of these festivals,  why not take a look at one of our other Trippa guides, including Trippa Athens, Barcelona, Cardiff, Marseille, Palma, Oslo, Seville or Stockholm.