Salsa in Barcelona - 7 nights

Transcription

1 Salsa in Barcelona - 7 nights A week in Barcelona giving you your last chance to tan! Enjoy Salsa classes with our Barcelona Salsa stars in the morning, top up your tan on the beach in the afternoon and Salsa into the night at the busy Salsa clubs. Dates and Prices 24 September to 1 October Unique Features Salsa nightlife: The Salsa nightlife in Barcelona is arguably the best in Spain. It has high level LA style Salsa dancers and also many Cuban style dancers. There is regular live music, Cuban Wheel dance sessions and often some great dance shows. Your Holiday Barcelona - it's exciting, it's alive, and it's fascinating. And your Salsa holiday is an all embracing experience. In addition to Salsa classes, nights out in hot salsa clubs, delicious meals in carefully chosen restaurants and great social nights out which will can last all night long if you want to, there is this extraordinary city to experience with its funky architecture and showy, innovative, avante garde people. Our local knowledge ensures we are where the action is so you get the most out of your stay. What's Included Return flights from a London based airport (Other flight options available) Meet & Greet upon arrival at the airport Return airport transfer for all arrivals and departures coinciding with the standard Dance Holidays flight 7 nights bed & breakfast accommodation in a three star hotel 10 hours dance tuition Club Dance Holidays Tour Host Welcome Drink Orientation Pack on arrival What previous Customers Have Said about this Holiday 'Brilliant way to experience Barcelona, meet like-minded people and Salsa the night away!'. 'V.relaxing and organized events v. enjoyable. Liked having choice to be independent as and when you please.' 'Its an absolute joy for me to write a letter of appreciation to you and your whole team for the totally fantastic holiday that I have just had dancing Salsa in Barcelona. It has become one of our all-time top three holidays to date. Our group comprised English, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French-Moroccan, Indian and Irish with ages ranging from about 25 to 59; it was an excellent advertisement for the United Nations and anti-ageism.' 'Jorge Camaguey was a perfect tutor, very entertaining and was kind and helpful to the whole group and gave attention and advice individually. He knew how to bring everyone to their own peak of dancing ability.' 'Salsa tuition - professional, sensitive, empowering.' 'Great fun made special by terrific host'. Your Destination, includes sightseeing Barcelona is a dynamic city: colourful, energetic, proud, hip and fashionable. To Catalans, Barcelona is not in Spain but is the capital of a different country Catalunya. A bilingual city, with a growing sense of self-confidence, Barcelona is in fashion. The Sights: The Ramblas is a mile of unending activity, street performers, flower stalls, and general merriment for which Barcelona is famous. There is the Sagrada Familia, a cathedral designed by the famous Catalan architect, Antonio Gaudi. This famous landmark appears on many postcards and travel brochures. There is historic Montjuic Mountain, providing spectacular views of the city, and reached by a pleasant cable car ride. Enjoy the Picasso museum, the old Gothic Quarter and Cathedral, and much more. Full details on these sights and more on arrival. The Beach: Barcelona has a variety of good Mediterranean beaches. The water and sand are both clean. There are beach bars and cafés where you can eat. The beach is about 25 minutes walk from Plaza Catalunya. For those travelling with us between May and October, the water should be warm enough for a dip! Climate and weather Weather: Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean coast and so the climate is always mild and nearly always sunny. It can be possible to bathe in the sea as early as February although though you might have to be fairly enthusiastic. The beach chiringuitos (cafés/restaurants) are open from around May to October.

2 Average temperatures: January 10 C February 13 C March 13 C April 14 C June 21 C July 25 C August 25 C September 22 C October 18 C November 16 C December 12 C Your Accommodation Rialto - Hotel*** (Bed & Breakfast) (Included) Superbly located just off Barcelona's famous Las Ramblas, the Hotel Rialto is right in the heart of the city's Gothic Quarter. It is situated close to shops, cafes and restaurants and is only a short taxi ride from the beach. The hotel was refurbished in 2001 and all rooms are en-suite with telephone, television and air conditioning/heating. Gotico - Hotel**** (Bed & Breakfast) (Upgrade) The four star Hotel Gotico was completely renovated in It is located in the city centre, at the heart of the Gothic Quarter with shops, bars and restaurants closeby. Rooms have air conditioning/heating, individual safety deposit boxes and minibars. The hotel also boasts a coffee shop, breakfast buffet hall, lounge and a solarium. It is within a short walk of the Hotel Rialto. There is a public car park 100m from Hotel Gotico "Parking Princesa" in c/princesa (Hotel Gotico does not have its own car park). Whilst there are no tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms, there is a coffee shop within the hotel which is open most of the day. Classes and Workshops Your Salsa course will be ten hours long: Two hours a day over five days. Dance Levels: There will be a minimum of two levels. There is a level decider on the first day which ensures that you are in the level which is most appropriate to your ability and experience. Dance Studios: We commonly use centrally located Dance Studios just off Las Ramblas which afford mirrors, a music system and a wooden floor. Please find below walking distances between these Studios and the hotels in Barcelona that we are using. Hotel Rialto***: 20 minutes walk. Hotel Gotico****: 25 minutes walk. Hotel Atlantis***: 30 minutes walk. Daily Itinerary This is a provisional itinerary, aiming to give you an idea of what the weekend might look like. Some details may change. (OP) indicates an optional extra for which a charge will be made in advance. Day 1 Late morning - Coach transfer from Barcelona Airport to Hotels. Check in from 12/1pm. Afternoon - Stroll down Barcelona s famous avenue Las Ramblas with its street performers, pet and flower stalls, terrace bars and cafes. 8.30pm Welcome drink and Overview of the Holiday. From 9pm - Tapas and drinks. From 12pm - Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. Day 2 Morning - Stroll around the Gothic Quarter and enter a medieval world. Watch the locals dancing La Sardana, a local folk dance- outside the Cathedral. Free day for lunch. Afternoon Level Decider & Salsa classes (2 hours for each level) From 7.30pm - Salsa-ing at Salsa Matinee (afternoon salsa session) with live music pm Tapas and drinks at stylish restaurant located near the salsa club. From 12pm Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. (OP) Taxi dancers available.

3 Day 3 Morning Suggestion Discover the fantasy inspired Cathedral Sagrada Familia (great views from the towers). 1.30pm - (OP) Paella lunch in the Gothic Quarter. Free evening for tapas and drinks. From 12pm - Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. Day 4 Morning Suggestion Visit the Picasso museum. Free day for lunch Afternoon - (OP) One hour Argentinian Tango dance class. 10pm - (OP) Enjoy a heart stopping Andalucian flamenco show. From 12pm Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. (OP) Taxi dancers available. Day 5 Morning suggestion - Sunbathe on the beach. Afternoon - (OP) One hour Ladies Styling dance class. Free day for tapas and drinks. From 12pm - Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. Day 6 Morning suggesiton - Walk the Gaudi route to see the best of modernist architect Antonio Gaudi s finest buildings. 1.30pm - (OP) Lunch in elegant restaurant with turn of the century, modernist decor. Afternoon - (OP) One hour Cuban styling dance class. Free evening for tapas and drinks. From 12pm Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. Day 7 Morning suggestion - Enjoy your last day by shopping. Free day for lunch. 9.30pm - (OP) Take your last night dinner at a fantastic seafood restaurant near the modern marina Port Vell and watch Barcelona s beautiful and famous promenade. From 12pm - Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. (OP) Taxi dancers available. Day 8 Late afternoon Coach departs hotel for Airport Nightlife The Salsa scene in Barcelona offers something for everyone: Cuban Salsa, LA Salsa, Cuban Wheel, live music, dance displays and a Salsa community from all over the world! The Salsa scene in Barcelona is increasingly active and happening with many clubs and bars. We will visit different Salsa venues to ensure you enjoy a wide variety of Salsa ambiente. There are a lot of salsa dancers in Barcelona and thus many potential dance partners for you! In addition, we offer Dance Holidays male taxi dancers as optional extras. They are local to Barcelona and may speak a little English. Please see the 'Optional Extras' section below for details. Your Teachers We will be working with a variety of local first-rate teachers, such as Diego Cornella who will teach Beginners and Improvers and our Intermediate/Advanced teaching team - Martin Leboski and Jorge Camagüey and Augus. They are all highly regarded professionals not only for their technique and teaching abilities but also for their exuberant and fun personalities. They are very popular with our clients and we are sure that you will enjoy their classes. The salsa taught on our Barcelona weeks will be predominantly Cuban style. Food and Meals International cuisine: Barcelona offers a wide choice of restaurants offering many different types of cuisine from all over the world - modern Catalan, traditional Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Lebanese, Moroccan, Argentinian, Colombian and much more. Tapas and raciones: Its worth remembering that Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city, and prices here are higher than in other parts of Spain. A good way of keeping your costs down it to eat 'tapas' by way of a meal. Tapas bars are an intrinsic part of Spanish culture. Tapa translates as lid. The idea is that you keep you hunger in check by ordering small plates of food. In most tapas bars you don t sit down. Rather, you stand or sit on stools at the bar. In tapas bars and in many restaurants you can also order raciones. A ración is a plate of one type of dish (either meat or fish or salad etcetera). The idea is for a group of people to order a ración each and for the group to then share the dishes between themselves. It s a great way to be able to try different dishes! If you would prefer to eat a sit down three course meal, we suggest that you eat at a restaurant with a set menu.

4 Optional Extras What are optional extras? In addition to your holiday we also offer you a variety of optional extras to make your holiday even richer and add some local colour. You can buy your optional extras at the welcome meeting at the beginning of your holiday. We will ask you to pay in cash and fill out a form. These are the optional extras that we anticipate running actual details and prices will be confirmed on arrival. Some may require minimum numbers. Paella lunch at the heart of the Gothic quarter ( 20) Seafood lunch down by the marina were Barcelona's rich and beautiful hang out. ( 21) Social Dinner: Dinner (catalan cuisine) at elegant, atmospheric restaurant with turn of the century modernist decor. ( 20) Flamenco show: Heart stopping Andalucian flamenco. ( 22) Tango class: One hour Tango class for beginners ( 10). Ladies styling dance class: One hour class in ladies styling for all levels ( 10). Cuban styling dance class: One hour class in Cuban styling for all levels with the unforgetable Cuban teacher Jorge Camaguey. ( 10). Taxi dancers: We want to give you as much opportunity to improve your new found dancing skills as possible. So we offer you the option of hiring taxi dancers (local female or male Salsa dancer) who are there to dance with you when we go out at night. It's also a great way of getting to know the locals. Each taxi dancer is shared between a maximum of four people (minimum of three) for two hours each night. ( 10 per person per night). Single Room Supplements, Upgrades and Budget Options Option 1 - Included Rialto - Hotel*** Bed & Breakfast - (24/09/2005 to 01/10/ nights) Twin Room (Single Occp.) (1 Person) GBP Twin Room (Based on 2 sharing) Included Option 2 - Upgrade Gotico - Hotel**** Bed & Breakfast - (24/09/2005 to 01/10/ nights) Twin Room (1 Person) Twin Room (Based on 2 sharing) Twin Room (Single Occup.) (1 Person) GBP GBP GBP Flights and Transfers Flights: Published prices are based on flights from UK airports and there is usually a choice. Our customer care team are happy to price you a flight from any airport and you can also buy the holidays without a flight and make your own way there. If you live outside of the UK you can travel directly to the resort. There could be substantial "Early Bird" prices available so please see our special offers page on our website or ring us to find out what these are. Transfers: We are normally able to meet you at the airport and take you by private transfer at no additional charge to your hotel. Sometimes you may have to wait a short while at the airport to connect with this transfer. Occasionally depending on your arrival time there may not be a group transfer available and we may ask you to make your own way to the hotel by taxi or public transport. In these circumstances we would give you easy to follow instructions. Making you own way to the hotel for ground only package Making Your Own Way to Your Hotel in Barcelona: 1) Taxi: For those whose flights don't coincide with our Airport coach transfer, you can easily reach any of the hotels by taking a taxi from the airport for approximately 22. 2) Public Transport: There is an Air Bus (Autobus del Aeropuerto) that stops at all airport terminals, or an Air Train (Tren del Aeropuerto) that stops only at Terminal A going from the airport to Plaza de Catalunya. The hotels Atlantis, Gotico and Rialto are within walking distance from Plaza de Catalunya. To get to Guillermo Tell from Plaza de Catalunya, get the Metro line L7 direction Avenida Tibidabo and get off at Station Plaza Molina. The Guillermo Tell Hotel is close to the station. What to Expect in terms of On Arrival: You will receive a detailed itinerary and annotated map, details of any optional extras and any extra classes we are running. We also include information on the local sights and recommended restaurants and other

5 Organisation helpful tips. Independence within the social activities: Although your holiday is fully hosted, we believe our guests do not like to be over-organised. So we give you quality information and an itinerary including a map and all the addresses of where we have organised social and dancing activities. You can decide for yourself if and when you want to turn up. You are fully independent on these holidays. If you are travelling on your own the tour host will be at all the meeting points on the itinerary plus being with a group means there is always company and normally the chance say to share a taxi back the hotel. Club Dance Holidays Host: Your holiday tour host is there to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible. Club Dance Holidays Tour Hosts are a cut above your typical Holiday Rep with a lightness of touch that enables you to get the best out of your holiday without being in the least bit interfering. We make sure you get the best out of the destination even though you are there for a relatively short time and we do this through our local knowledge and our knowledge of dance. Club Dance Holidays Tour Hosts normally offer much more of themselves than you would expect including making sure your nights are sociable and fun often well into the small hours if that is your whim. During the daytime the level of participation and presence of Club Dance Holidays tour hosts varies according to the nature of each holiday and its destination. Getting Around: You are responsible for making your own way to the dance classes and meeting points on the itinerary. When you arrive we give you all the addresses of all the venues you will be going to which you can give to any taxi driver to get to the meeting points. Barcelona is a big city and if you want to see the best of it you will have to move around by foot, metro or taxi. Taxis are cheap and plentiful and will allow you to visit the best of the city with the minimum of fuss. The metro is also easy to use. Before Your Go Books on Barcelona and Spain: It may be worth your while reading up on your destination before you go. Time Out Guide to Barcelona the best local guide. See Barcelona is an excellent glossy booklet sometimes available free in the reception of many hotels. Penelope Casas writes beautifully on Spain, The Blue Guide or The Foods and wines of Spain. Ian Gibson s The Fire in the Blood is one of the most fascinating insights into Spanish Culture. Budgeting for your holiday: Its worth remembering that Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city, and prices here are higher than in other parts of Spain. If you wish to keep you costs down, we suggest eating 'tapas' by way of an evening meal. Here are some guidelines on prices, to help you do your own calculations. Please refer to the optional extra section of the fact sheet for the prices of the optional extras. Three course meal including drinks in the centre of town: euros An evening of tapas and drinks: 15 euros Taxi ride across town: 5 euros Rum and coke in a nightclub: 6 euros Beer in a bar/cafe: 3 euros Coffee in a bar/cafe: 1.50 euros Entrance to a monument or museum: 5 euros. Health and Fitness: There are no particular health requirements for a dance holiday. However you should be able to dance for at least two hours a day in order to be able to enjoy the dance classes. Insurance, Visa and Passport Requirements: In brief, Insurance is a condition of booking. You must check with your local embassy regarding Visa and passport requirements. British nationals need a full passport to travel to Spain. Travel Documents: You receive these when you have paid for your holiday in full and we have received your airline tickets. In some cases the airlines do not release the tickets until five days before the departure date. We also confirm the address and phone number of the hotel and the emergency contact numbers. Essential equipment and clothing to bring What to wear for Salsa dancing: We recommend that you bring shoes with a leather sole for the dance classes and the evenings. Your shoes should be comfortable and supportive. Wear lightweight cotton socks to avoid sweaty and blistered feet! It is probable that you may get through quite a few clothes in the classes and dancing at night (you can get quite hot!) so bring a variety of outfits. Wear comfortable loose clothing for the classes. The Barcelona Salsa clubs are quite informal - it is common for both men and women to wear jeans. Most of them do not allow shorts or trainers. Useful Things to Bring: Camera Shoes suitable for spending a long time walking around the streets Summer clothing for day and light jacket for evenings. Swimming costume, suntan lotion and beach gear This fact sheet and Joining Instructions Passport, money, plane ticket. At Your Destination Banks and Money: The easiest way to buy obtain euros is by using a credit card at one of the numerous cash points. You can buy small amounts, as often as you like, at any time, without queuing. You will need to know your

6 P.I.N. Cash points are very easy to use. Bank opening hours are normally 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. Banks will change cash, travellers cheques and will sell you currency on your credit card providing the lines are open. You will always need to show your passport at a bank. Tipping is generally less common in Spain than back home. There is no need to tip taxis but it is usual to leave a 5-10% tip at a restaurant if you are particularly pleased with your dinner/lunch. We feel our tour hosts work hard to give you an exceptional holiday and sometimes you may find that they add some special touches which are beyond the call of duty. If you agree with us, you might wish to show your appreciation by way of a tip. You can do this by putting money in an envelope on your own or by getting together with other guests. This evidently is entirely at your discretion. Making friends with the Locals and people not on the holiday: If you make friends with a local and would like them to come along to the activities organised by us, then just ask your Tour Host and except for the dance classes and provided they pay their way there should not be a problem. We are here after all to interact with the locals. Generally, however, we discourage British people who are not on the holiday from coming out with us or joining the activities and we ask for your discretion is this respect.