Salsa holiday in Barcelona

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1 Salsa holiday in Barcelona A perfect blend of dance and languages Dates and Prices 20 June to 27 June Unique Features The most magic night: Sant Joan The eve of Sant Joan's (St. John's ) day is one of the most magic nights in Barcelona...and heralds the party of all summer parties. "Verbenas" night parties, bonfires and "cocas" (typical cake) will be present everywhere for a night full of colour and great fun. Sant Joan is an old tradition in Cataluña that blends sheer summer fun with local culture and identity. Every year, the city prepares different acts, including the Night of Fire in "la Barceloneta". Several verbenas are held on terraces, including one in "Pueblo Español" (a popular recreational area in Barcelona) to enjoy one of the most special nights of the year. The underground operates during the whole night. Live it up and don t miss out on this unique Barcelona festival. 10 hour Spanish Language course: Yes, you can say a lot with your body language, but not everything! If you really want to embrace the Latin culture, you need to learn Spanish as well. This unique holiday can be combined with a ten hour Spanish language course which takes place at the leading Spanish Language School in Barcelona. There is a maximum of 10 students per class (with a class average of 5 students), ensuring you get the best balance between individual attention and lots of fun. You take a level test on the Monday morning so that the school can assure you are placed in the appropriate level, and thus get the most from the course. Whatever your current level of Spanish, you will be placed in the right group for you. And don t be put off if you don t speak a word - 40% of students are complete beginners. The teaching methodology is based on acquiring the functional aspects of the spoken language along with an understanding of the cultural elements of the Spanish way of life. You will study the basic language skills individually: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Then you will work to integrate them. In addition to these skills there will also be some grammatical structure to help you improve your communicative proficiency as much as possible in the time available. Catalan is spoken in Barcelona, particularly amongst the business community, but you will find the Spanish (castellano) you learn in class more useful in the salsa world. The Language School is located in the trendy Eixample district of Barcelona, a pleasant 30 minute walk from your Hotel (or alternatively you can take a short metro ride). You are most welcome whether you take the language course or not, but most people do take the language course on this holiday as it adds another unique element and experience to your holiday. Price of the optional language course is 190. All in all, you may not be fluent in Spanish by the end of the week, but you'll learn a lot more than you expect, have a lot of fun, make some great friends. And it will certainly help you out on the dance floor! Your Holiday Salsa all over Barcelona at night, tan yourself on the beach during the day, spoil yourself in the fabulous Mediterranean and Catalan restaurants, go tapas bar hopping with the rest of the crowd, get in some shopping before you go home, take in the funky Sagrada Familia, a sight not to be missed...oh yes and lap up the salsa lessons given by our high energy and charismatic teachers. What's Included Thorough and entertaining syllabus in Salsa (see classes and workshops) Beautifully organised programme of Salsa nights out. Charmingly hosted by our team on the ground who are experts in Salsa and in Barcelona. 7 nights accommodation and breakfast in a comfortable and well located 3 star Hotel A well thought out programme including parties, soirees, restaurants, nights out dancing as well sight seeing suggestions A full Orientation Pack containing information on where to eat, where to party, tourist spots, things to do etc so you can do your own thing A Welcome complimentary drink on arrival A choice of optional extras related to each individual holiday

2 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'. Is this holiday for me? The holiday is open to all levels of dancing ability. Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished dancer, you will be made to feel very welcome. We count on years of experience in managing classes, levels and groups so that everyone has a great time. But please do tell us what level you are when you book, so that we can make sure you get the most from your holiday. 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 you might have to be fairly enthusiastic. The beach chiringuitos (cafés/restaurants) are open from around May to October. 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. Duques de Bergara - Hotel**** (Bed & Breakfast) (Upgrade) The Catalonia Duques de Bergara Hotel is located in the heart of Barcelona, a short walk from Plaza Cataluna and Las Ramblas. The hotel is housed in an art-nouveau building dating from the end of the nineteenth century. It was fully restored and extended in 1998 to take in the similarly classical adjoining building and now has 148 well appointed rooms. It has a bar and a swimming pool located in a lovely interior patio as well as a good restaurant. Classes and Workshops Your Salsa course will be ten hours long: Two hours a day over five days. Dance Levels: There is a level decider on the first day which ensures that you are in the level which is most

3 appropriate to your ability and experience. Dance Studios: After years of experience in researching the best venues, teachers and equipment we have chosen one of Barcelona s top dance studios, endorsed by our renowned local dance school. The studio is easily accessible using the city s efficient metro system and your tour host will provide full instructions on how to get there. 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 - Check into your hotel 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. 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. Day 3 Morning Suggestion D iscover the fantasy inspired Cathedral Sagrada Familia (great views from the towers) 1.30pm - (OP) Paella lunch in the Gothic Quarter. From 10pm - Flamenco Show (OP) Day 4 Morning Suggestion V isit the Picasso museum. Free day for lunch 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 - Sunbathing on the beach 9pm (OP) Dinner at atmospheric local Barcelona restaurant Day 6 Morning - W alk 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 pm Tapas and drinks at stylish restaurant located near the salsa club. From 12pm Salsa-ing at one of Barcelona's top salsa clubs. Day 7 Morning - 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. Day 8 Late afternoon Return to airport and home 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.

4 Your Teachers We will be working with a variety of local first-rate teachers, 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 weekends 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. 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. Ten hour Spanish Language course: Please purchase this optional extra at the time of booking. Enjoy a theoretical and practical course in Spanish. The classes take place at a Spanish Language School running courses for those wanting to learn Spanish. ( tbc). 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) 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. ( 12 per person per night). Single Room Supplements, Upgrades and Budget Options Option 1 - Included Rialto - Hotel*** Bed & Breakfast - (20/06/2010 to 27/06/ nights) Twin Room (Single Occp.) (1 Person) GBP Twin Room (Based on 2 sharing) Included Extra Nights Triple Room (Per Room) Twin Room (Single Occp.) (Based on 1 sharing) Twin Room (Based on 2 sharing) 159 GBP per night 89 GBP per night 99 GBP per night Option 2 - Upgrade Duques de Bergara - Hotel**** Bed & Breakfast - (20/06/2010 to 27/06/ nights) Twin Room (Per Room) Twin room (single occupancy) (Per Room) GBP GBP Extra Nights Single room (Per Room) Suite (Per Room) 0 GBP per night 0 GBP per night

5 Twin Room (Per Room) 145 GBP per night Twin room (single occupancy) (Per Room) 125 GBP per night Flights and Transfers Airport Hotel, Lounge & Parking: We can arrange a hotel for you the night before your flight this will include parking, arrange access to the airport lounge or just arrange your airport parking for you. Please contact us for a quote: theteam@clubdanceholidays.com Flights : This holiday, and the majority of our short haul programme in 2008, is quoted flight exclusive. This allows you to fly from the airport of your choice, at a time that suits you. You have a choice of airports in Barcelona that you can fly to: Barcelona or Girona, theairlines that generally have the best fares are: and We can book your flights for you, there will be an admin charge of per person on top of the flight price. If you are flying from Canada or USA, please contact our US and Canada office direct on for flight options. Transfers : Please make your own way to your chosen hotel, please see various transport options below. NB Please make sure we have confirmed your holiday before you book your flight. Car Hire: We can arrange your car hire for you from Barcelona or Girona Airport. Please theteam@clubdanceholidays.com for a quote. Making you own way to the hotel for ground only package Making Your Own Way to Your Hotel from Barcelona Airport in Barcelona: 1) Taxi from Barcelona Airport: You can easily reach any of the hotels from Barcelona Airport by taking a taxi from the airport for approximately 22. 2)Public Transport: There is an Air Bus (Autobus del Aeropuerto) thatstops at all airport terminals, or an Air Train (Tren del Aeropuerto) thatstops only at Terminal A going from the airport to Plaza de Catalunya. The hotels Duques de Bergara and Rialto are within walking distance from Plaza decatalunya. Making Your Own Way to Your Hotel from Girona Airport: 1)The Barcelona bus is probably the most convenient method of transfer between Girona Airport and Barcelona city centre. The bus service is run by an independent company and has no direct business association with Ryan Air. However Barcelona Bus arranges its times of departure and arrival to co-incide with the arrival and departure of RyanAir flights. The bus stops right outside the airport and will take you to Estacio d' Autobusos Barcelona Nord (Barcelona's main bus terminal) in Barcelona city centre. From there you can catch the metro underground system to take you to your final destination. The nearest Metro stop to the bus station is Arc De Triomf (Red Line, L1) Make sure to leave at the exit called Sortida Nàpols. The metro stop is only 5-10 minutes walk from the bus station. The Journey time from Girona to Barcelona city centre is approximately 1 hour 10 mins. Tickets cannot be reserved in advance and cost 12 Euros for a single and 21 Euros for a return.

6 Taxi from Girona Airport: This is an expensive option and will cost you around 120 for a one way trip. What to Expect in terms of Organisation On Arrival: You will receive a detailed itinerary,annotated map and details of any optional extras. We also include information on the local sights, recommended restaurants and other helpful tips. Independence: We believe our guests do not like to be over-organised. So we give you details of organised social and dancing activities. You can then decide if and when you want to turn up. You are fully independent on these holidays. Club Dance Holidays Host: We pride ourselves on a lightness of touch which allows you to be independent within the social and cultural activities we organise. Club Dance Holidays Tour Hosts are personable and efficient and have an intimate knowledge of the destination and local language. They are on hand at all times from the 'Meet and Greet' all the way through the parties and nights out. 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. On arrival you will be provided with the addresses of all the venues. Taxis are cheap and plentiful and 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: It's 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: 8 euros Rum and coke in a nightclub: 8 euros Beer in a bar/cafe: 3 euros Coffee in a bar/cafe: 2 euros Entrance to a monument or museum: 7 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 10 days prior to departure. 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! 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 if travelling between May and October. Warm jacket for day and evenings if travelling between November and April. Swimming costume, suntan lotion and beach gear if travelling between May and October. At Your Destination Banks and Money: The easiest way to buy obtain euros is by using a credit or debit card at a cash point. You will need to know your P.I.N. 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 not that common in Spain. 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.

7 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. People Joining in that are not on the Holiday: Unfortunately we cannot allow people not booked on our Dance Holiday from joining in any of the organised activities and we ask for your discretion is this respect. However we can offer a flight exclusive package for people already in Spain, thus enabling them to stay with the group and join in all activities and lessons. Please see or contact our UK Reservations Team ( ) for details.