Sports in Barcelona

Since the Olympic Games hit Barcelona in 1992, the Catalan city flourished even more in case of sports. Various parks have been built and citizens were animated to do more for their health. Today, one quarter of all inhabitants is said to do sports regularly. Possibilities to do so vary from popular activities like soccer, basketball, tennis or running to regional opportunities such as sailing, beachvolleyball and (wind-) surfing.

Of course, people are not only motivated by the Olympic buildings, which have been constructed throughout the whole city and especially in the south-western part of the town. There are also several famous personalities such as the former tennis star Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, the current FC Barcelona star Ronaldinho or the basketballstar Pau Gasol, who plays an amazing season in the NBA. Inspired by these sportsmen, people go and do running on the boardwalk in order to get into shape for the Barcelona Marathon, for instance. Or they train their fitness in order to strengthen their soccer performance when playing on one of the several soccer fields which are spread all over the city. Moreover, there are various parks, e.g. the “Parque de la Ciutadella Villa Olímpica”, and green spaces throughout the city, which are equipped with little running tracks or invite to do cycling, hiking (especially the Montserrat Natural Park) or just to take a walk. Visitors who would like to improve their golf skills can enjoy their time in the warm climate and explore some of the various surrounding golf courses. Many sportsmen also come to Barcelona in order to do water sports in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the windy climate at the sea, it is possible to do every kind of surfing. Especially windsurfing, kitesurfing and surf riding are famous and attract many people among the different beaches of Barcelona up to the Costa Brava. A very special event will take place in the north of Barcelona from the 12^th - 14^th of May, 2006: the Formula 1. It will perform one out of its worldwide 19 races in Spain on the “Circuit de Catalunya”. The track exists since 1991 and attracts fans from all over the world as it is known for its modern style and its fast circuit.

However, visitors should be aware of more than just sports sites and certainly need some time to rest as well. Therefore, it is important to have a well-located accommodation and some interesting sightseeing attractions nearby. This will give the stay a cultural touch and it will also appeal to the sportsmen's preferences in case of the lunch schedule and the meals itself. Many sportsmen prefer their own food or have a certain timetable because of their training, which makes it difficult to stick to the hotel's offers. Apartments are an ideal alternative and providers such as www.oh-barcelona.com make searching for the right location pretty easy. This will allow visitors to make up their own personal plan for a sporty stay in order to enjoy their time in Barcelona.