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It’s that time of the year again, the annual ‘Torneo Godó’ is returning to Barcelona on 20th April. Usually billed as Spain’s second most important competition after the Madrid Masters, it attracts not only the top players Spain has to offer but from around the world as well.

This year the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona will welcome back reigning champion and world no.1 Rafael Nadal. Having won the tournament for the last four years running and playing in the form of his life, he is odds on favourite to take home the ‘Trofeo Conde de Godó’

Although competition is sure to be fierce for Rafa as a selection of the world’s best will be joining him in Barcelona. He will be accompanied by several of his countrymen in Fernando Verdasco, who has given some stellar performances in recent months, and David Ferrer who finds himself ranked no.12 going into the tournament. Veteran Spaniard and former winner of the Open, Juan Carlos Ferrero, has been given the first of five wildcard entries for this years competition.

Three of the last four finals have been all-Spanish affairs and it would be no surprise if it were to happen again given the talent Spanish tennis is currently blessed with but there will be plenty of other nationalities out there looking to upset the home crowd.

Argentineans have had some success with three reaching finals in recent years and David Nalbandian has a good a chance as anyone else in trying the pry the trophy from Rafa Nadal’s hands.

With Gael Monfils, currently ranked no.9 and the energetic Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 11, the French may fancy their chances of causing an upset.

You would be stupid to bet against Nadal walking away champion for the fifth time but you never know!

The tournament begins on Monday 20^th and runs through until Sunday 26^th. You can reach the stadium by taking the green metro L3 to Maria Cristina or Palau Reial, it is located on the crossing of Carrer del Marqués del Mulhacén and Carrer de Bosch I Gimpera. Tickets are selling out fast with some days already sold out, visit the Barcelona Open official website below to see if you can still get yourself a piece of the action!!

http://www.barcelonaopenbancosabadell.com/index.asp?lang=eng

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Sunday is traditionally a day or rest, something taken quite seriously in Spain, a day that most people laze about on. Some use it to clean the house or to simply read a book. With many local shops and businesses closed it may seem there’s nothing else to do but sit in or go for drink. But your time could be much better spent!

They say nothing in life is free, but that certainly isn’t true in Barcelona. There’s good news for the culture-vultures out there or those wishing to broaden their horizons. Museums are free on the first Sunday of the month!!!

Of course being the cultural city it is, Barcelona has a plethora of museums to visit and with the majority of them only opening between the hours of 10am – 3pm you obviously have a limited amount of time in which to see what you want. Each museum varies in size and the amount there is to see so I’ve picked 4 worthwhile ones that geographically ensure you don’t waste too much of your time travelling between them.

1. Zoological Museum (Parc de la Ciutadella) – The museum itself is located in the Castel dels Tres Dragons (Castle of the Three Dragons), which was built in the 19th Century to resemble a medieval castle. It is home to a comprehensive insect collection and on the ground you will find a skeleton of a whale and mammoth. Upstairs in the museum houses many stuffed animals, birds eggs and preserved reptiles and amphibians. You can access the museum from Passeig de Pujades outside of the Parc.

2. Picasso Museum – Arguably the most popular museum in all of Barcelona. It was first opened in 1963 but it wasn’t until after 1968 that Picasso himself made a significant contribution to the museum. Among items you will find there are; school books, academic pieces and paintings from Picasso’s Blue Period. The museum is located on Carrer de Montcada 15-23.

3. Barbier Mueller Museum of Pre-Colombian Art – Conveniently located directly opposite the Picasso museum on Carrer de Montcada, 14. Here you will find Latin American artworks dating from 1500BC up to the 16th Century. Opened in 1997, the collection isn’t very big but but still you are able to view jewellery, pottery, textiles, wooden and stone statues and metallic pieces.

4. MACBA – The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art. Located in Raval, this gallery opened in late 1995. The collections come from three different periods of time; the first is the 1940s – 60s, the second spans the 60s and 70s and the third is the contemporary period. The museum can b found at Plaza dels Angels, 1.

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Gracia was once an ancient village located outside of Barcelona until it became part of the main city after L’Eixample was built towards the end of the 19^th Century. Now one the many barrios of Barcelona it is characterized by its narrow streets, a stark contrast to that of the wide boulevards of L’Eixample bustling with traffic.

This once old part of town has now found itself as one of the modernist sections of the city and as such has become a haven for stylish bars and trendy restaurants. Many of these can be found in the squares or plazas which populate the area. These are always buzzing with activity and are particularly popular with the younger crowd who have been responsible for the spectacular boom with places to eat, drink or just chat the night away.

The well known square of Plaça del Sol is certainly worth a visit and if so a trip to the Envalira restaurant should be on your list of things to do. Its Eastern/Asian dishes are famous in the area and its atmosphere is welcoming to families and young people alike. Its opening hours are Tuesday – Saturday 1.30 – 4.30 pm and 9pm – 12am and with an average meal costing between €20 and €30 it is accessible to most budgets.

After a nice meal, the more youthful crowd can visit the Mond Bar also conveniently located in the Plaça del Sol. It offers a great variety of drinks and different DJ’s every month ensure that you could spend many a weekend dancing to your hearts content. If clubs aren’t your thing or you’r looking for a quieter end to the night with the kids then why not take them to the Teatreneu? Located on Carrer de Terol, only a short walk from Plaça del Sol, it offers a wide range of entertainment from plays to stand –up comics and even musicals.

Gracia – Easily accessible by metro on Line 3 (Green) at Fontana or Lesseps

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