Peace, sport and rock-n-roll!

Leeds, capitol of Yorkshire, is an often times overlooked holiday delight. Easily accessible by air and auto with a wide variety of recreational and sport activities, Leeds offers fun for the entire family. Golf enthusiasts, art lovers and those who study British history will all find ample diversion within miles of this financial and industrial hub.

Prestigious art galleries and historic homes are to be found in both Leeds proper and within a short driving distance of the city.

Leeds Art Gallery. Dating to 1881, this museum houses French Post Impressionists, Victorian works and a widely hailed collection of modern British artists. The Craft Centre and Design Gallery, outlet for contemporary British craftsmen, shares the space. Free admission for most exhibitions and events.

Henry Moore Institute. Adjacent to the Leeds Art Gallery. A well regarded centre for the display of all types of sculpture, the Institute also conducts distinguished research. Top grade exhibitions make frequent visits. Many collections and tours are free. Advanced booking for groups is advised.

Harewood House. Residence of the Queen's cousin, the Earl of Harewood, this home has a fine array of art as well as beautiful formal gardens. The house itself is also open for guided tours. Recent additions include boats on the lake and a children's playground. Paid admission. Family tickets available.

Temple Newsam. This Tudor-Jacobean manor anchors more than 1,500 acres of park, wood and farm land. The world renowned house and gardens are open to the public for a modest charge. The estate is also the location of one of the world's largest Rare Breed Farms which shelters nearly four hundred animals.

Royal Armouries Museum. Exhibits including a set of King Henry VIII's armour are displayed here. Many other instruments of war are on view. Costumed re-enactments and actual jousts take place April through October. Paid admission for some events. Advanced booking advised.

After a day filled with cultural pursuits, a visitor on holiday in Leeds might want to take in a little shopping or a play. Leeds is no slouch in either department.

The Corn Exchange. Originally designed by renowned Yorkshire architect Cuthbert Broderick in 1862 the Exchange was retrofitted in 1990 as a wide ranging shopping centre.

The Victoria Quarter. This upscale centre is a destination in itself as well as Yorkshire's premiere shopping experience. Prada, Hugo Boss and more than eighty other stores sit underneath a breathtaking Brian Clarke stained glass ceiling.

Headrow Shopping Centre. Headrow shopping street has managed to retain much of its original architecture while incorporating some of the best shopping in the country. The centre itself boasts the largest sporting goods store in England as well as Yorkshire's biggest music shop.

The West Yorkshire Playhouse. This young but internationally respected theatre sees more than 250,000 patrons annually. It has two theatres, a restaurant, and a bar in the real ale tradition and rehearsal facilities.

Northern Ballet Theatre. This distinguished company was founded in 1969 and has experienced a consistent growth in reputation and repertoire.

From a friendly pub to world class restaurants and trendy celebrity clubs, Leeds has it all. A traveller looking for a quiet beer, a family friendly nosh or a fine dining experience will find it in Leeds.

Tetley's Brewery Wharf. Tetley's has been brewing beer in the UK since 1822. Not actually a drinking establishment a tour of its visitor centre built at a cost of nearly 10 million American dollars will give insight into the art of brewing before heading off to a true pub.

Whitelocks. Licensed since 1715 this small pub offers ambience and prize winning brew.

The Angel Inn. For a good price and a good pint in an old fashioned setting with a true beer garden, this pub can't be beaten.

Salvo's. A Leeds favourite since it opened in 1976, this Italian restaurant boasts desserts and a robust wine list; recently named one of the UK's Ten Best Pizza Restaurants.

Simply Heathcote's. Located in the Granary Wharf section in a renovated grain house this moderately priced restaurant offers traditional British cooking with both a kiddie menu and a wine list.

Parisб Cafй Bar. Sandwiches, sides, full dishes, beer, wine, reasonable prices, casual atmosphere; what more could a weary traveller desire?

Leodis. Laid back but totally top drawer, this upscale eatery serves fine food well done with a wine list to match.

Leeds Hotels and Accommodation

Accommodation in Leeds range from friendly and funky self cater establishments to the high end. In between there are numerous mid-level chains. Best not to visit without a reservation; University, sports, financial and cultural concerns keep most lodgings near capacity year round.

Ascot Grange Hotel
Malmaison Hotel Leeds
Express by Holiday Inn Leeds City Centre
Quebecs, The Leeds Boutique Hotel
Golden Lion Hotel
Weetwood Hall Conference Centre & Hotel
Comfort Inn Leeds
Merrion Hotel
42 The Calls
The Met Leeds
Highbank Hotel
Harman Suites 1 & 2, Self-Catering Apartments, Nea
Ramada Leeds Parkway Hotel
Ramada Leeds North Hotel
The Butlers Hotel
Village Hotel & Leisure Club Leeds
Craiglands Hotel
Oulton Hall
Haley's Hotel and Restaurant
Radisson SAS Hotel Leeds
The Queens Leeds - A QHotel
Riva Hotel
Park Plaza Leeds
Novotel Leeds Centre
Crowne Plaza Leeds
Jurys Inn Leeds
Woodlands Hotel
Harewood Arms

Besides culture, sports, shopping and food, what else does Leeds have to offer? Just a wide variety of sporting and entertainment venues, that's what!

Rugby, Football, Cricket. Leeds is an enthusiastic nucleus of professional sports. Two rugby teams, Rhinos and Tykes, are based in Leeds. Football devotees will enjoy a rousing Leeds United Football Club match. Cricket fans should stop by the Yorkshire County Cricket Club where the game has been played since 1890.

Golf. Several excellent courses pepper the Leeds countryside with Alwoodley Golf Club being among the best. Designed by Dr. Alister Mackenzie, who would later configure Augusta National and Royal Melbourne, it is one of Leeds' best kept secrets.

Millennium Square. As the name suggests, this 12 million American dollar multi-use facility was built to mark the year 2000. During the winter season it hosts the Ice Cube skating rink and notables from entertainers to politicians throughout the year.

Roundhay Park. Situated on 700 acres, Roundhay welcomes sporting events, concerts and fireworks to Roundhay Park Arena. This natural venue has seen crowds of up to 100,000 for artists including the Rolling Stones and Madonna. In addition to the amphitheatre, Roundhay encompasses parks, lakes, woods and gardens and plays host to skaters, bikers, tennis players and golfers. Fishermen troll; it's Waterloo Lake.

Anyone making holiday plans should not dismiss spending a few days in Leeds. A true Yorkshire treasure, it has activities for all ages and interests. For an entertaining, educational and relaxing holiday, visit surprising Leeds.

What would you do if city authorities ordered you to evacuate ?

There are only two choices - comply or refuse, and neither is going to be much fun. For many it means loading up the car with their family, pets and anything else that fits, then joining heavy traffic to shuffle towards an uncertain future. While the upheaval is inconvenient at best, choosing to stay could be the biggest gamble of your life.

Some types of disasters allow for warnings and time to evacuate. Bushfires frequently reach the edges of the suburban sprawl, initiating rushed evacuations, sometimes with only minutes to spare. In the case of hurricanes, sophisticated weather analysis and satellite images can give those in danger up to 3 days warning.

In the case of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the city government of New Orleans issued a mandatory evacuation of the entire city two days before disaster struck. While there were a large number of people who did not have the means to leave, others remained in the city by choice to face the fury of nature.

One factor in this seemingly crazy decision was the regularity of hurricane warnings over the years. Most hurricanes had amounted to nothing worse than a heavy downpour, so many residents calculated the inconvenience of leaving against the amount of actual danger they would face, and figured there was no good reason to walk away, not when so many storms billed as the Big One had ended up heavy rain and hot air. People have jobs, people have commitments, organising to uproot your life at short notice would surely test the preparedness of anyone. And of course, many folk would simply have no money, no transport and no contacts out of town.

A tourist performed her own calculations shortly before the city was ruined - "They say it's mandatory evacuations except for the hospitals and hotels. So it can't be that bad."

Tourists who couldn't organise transport out of the city did what they called vertical evacuation - getting rooms high enough in buildings that were known to have survived earlier major storms.

Despite the huge inconvenience of evacuating, it should be remembered that authorities do not like to shut down their cities unless there is a compelling reason. Almost everyone who stayed to face Hurricane Katrina regretted their decision.

Together with last minute flights, last minute hotels are big business nowadays. The idea is that you take a room that would otherwise be empty (often because of cancellations), and in return you get a steep discount. However, as ever, it's a case of buyer beware.

It can be a very common experience to arrive in a hotel and find that there's actually no-one in it who didn't come on a last-minute travel deal. This is either because the prices the hotel is trying to charge normal customers are too high, or because it's a terrible hotel. To avoid these places, check whether the hotel you find a last-minute deal on is otherwise fully-booked or at least busy - if not, you should probably stay away.

Even in good hotels, though, you might find yourself stuck with the one bad room that they haven't been able to shift - the one that smells funny, or has a view of a brick wall outside the window. While this isn't generally so terrible, you should at least prepare yourself for this possibility.

It's also quite likely - though not inevitable - that the cheaper hotels will be nowhere near the city centre, leaving you to commute by public transport each day if you want to see the sights, or else hang around in the suburbs. You should consider the costs of transport before you book, as a slightly more expensive hotel that is more central can often save you more than it costs.

A final thing to be aware of is that you can often get a good discount by booking a last minute flight and hotel as a package deal through the various agency websites. If you are doing this, though, make sure that you don't let the savings pressure you into taking a bad flight or a bad hotel just because the other half of the deal seems so good.

The growth of the Internet and budget airlines has turned last-minute flights into a huge industry - you can just be surfing around, and then, right there, there's a flight cheap enough for you to buy on impulse and go away this weekend. If you're thinking about booking last minute flights, however, there are a few things you need to know.

An important point to make is that you can't trust the prices you see quoted in advertising for last minute flights. This is because of the common practice of excluding booking fees, airport taxes and all sorts of other little extras from the price - these all get added on just when you've got your card out and you're ready to pay, in the hope that by then you won't want to back out.

Also, you should realise that just because a flight says it goes to a big city like London or Paris, it doesn't mean that the airport is actually anywhere near. Budget airlines use smaller airports to avoid paying the higher airport charges at the larger ones, and these smaller airports can be as much as two hours away from the city centre by often unreliable public transport. In some cases, you can end up paying as much as you did for your plane tickets just to get a train to the place you thought was your destination.

On airlines that take bookings for seats, it is also worth noting that last minute flights will only have the seats that no-one else wanted, which usually means the ones in the middle of the row. This can be very important if you get airsick, or if you really want to sit together as a couple or family.

The biggest gotcha is that last-minute flights are always non-refundable. If you are going to buy one on impulse, make sure you can actually make it first, as there won't be any backing out of the deal afterwards.

There's no shortage of websites offering last minute travel deals. The idea behind these deals is that if a hotel is going to have a room empty or a flight is going to have an empty seat, it's better for them to offer it to you at the last minute for a steep discount than it is to just let that spare capacity go to waste.

The big contradiction of last minute travel, however, is that while the places with a lot of spare capacity get cheaper, the places with very little get much more expensive. Booking Christmas flights at the last minute, for example, will never get you a good deal, simply because so many people want those flights. Instead, you will probably end up paying much more than you would have if you had booked early.

As last minute travel deals are for the least in-demand places, you can end up with places that no-one wanted for a reason. Some of the hotels on offer can't attract any customers because they're truly dire. The flights on offer are often in the middle of the night, at times when it's very difficult to even get to the airport without a car because the public transport links are closed. There are all sorts of gotchas waiting with cheap last minute travel.

But it is cheap, and, as ever, that makes up for all sorts of sins. If you're willing to be flexible about when you fly and where you go, you can still get some very good deals - you'll probably end up with the all-round budget experience, but what do you expect? To avoid the very worst holidays, though, you should at least take the time to look up a review of the hotel you're going to stay in before you commit to booking it, no matter how good the deal seems, to make sure that you're not getting yourself into anything truly terrible.

There are many reasons that make booking a last minute flight necessary. Some common reasons include tragedy, a sudden change in plans, adventure, or taking advantage of rock bottom deals that only become available at the last minute. Because the airlines typically reward individuals who plan ahead, with lower fares, travelers who need or tend to make last minute travel arrangements, will find that last minute flights are generally much more expensive. However, if one looks hard enough, they will find that there are websites that specialize in providing good rates for last minute travelers.
Last minute traveler, specialty websites are able to secure good deals on last minute flights because airlines are often desperate to fill their planes to capacity. An empty seat means lost revenue. And with many airlines struggling to stay afloat, any lost revenue quickly becomes a problem.
If you find that you need to arrange last minute travel due to a death in the family, you may be able to receive a special discounted price from the airlines. To see if you qualify, simply call the airlines directly. You will need to be able to provide some sort of proof, so make sure to find out what documentation you will need in order to receive a death-related, price break.
You can go about checking the availability of last minute flights by calling airlines individually, right before you need to leave or you can visit an airline search engine that specializes in finding last minute deals for you. They will undoubtedly have connections and will be able to make deals that you won't be able to secure for yourself. Below is a list of sites that will have special last minute flight deals available.
Sometimes making last minute travel arrangements is necessary. Some people prefer to travel this way, deciding at the last minute that they want to visit another country or city. These people are typically more adventurous and love the freedom of travel on a whim. For these individuals, price may not be much of a factor. There are other individuals who find that they need to travel due to some sort of emergency or death. Still, there are others that will take advantage of special deals that airline or travel companies make available to last minute travelers.

Holding on to a Las Vegas Coupon and do not understand what you are holding? Well, coupons are basically tickets or documents that can be exchanged for either a financial rebate or a discount while buying something. Usually, they are given to promote the products. If there is a place that is absolutely famous for its amazing money savings, then it is certainly Begas. From, breakfast buffets price offs to ones for slot machines, Coupons for Vegas are available for anything!
You can find Las Vegas Discounts on the Internet, in magazines, newspapers and even by post! Coupons for Vegas through Internet are especially popular as there is no postal charge and the printing cost is borne only by the use. This way museums have less expense and do not have extra expenditure. Wondering if it is possible to get Las Vegas Discounts? Quite possible every attraction and every casino in Las Vegas issues Las Vegas Discounts!
Some amazing deals that you can get for free on the Internet for shows are the Barbara And Frank show, Comedy Pet Theatre, Madame Tussaud Interactive Attraction, Riviera Comedy Club and Sopranos Last Supper.
Searching for Las Vegas Discounts on food? One place that accepts Las Vegas Discounts is Rosies Pizzeria.
Freemont Street of Las Vegas, Liberace Museum, Not Just Antiques Mart and Treasure Island all have coupons that everyone can use! Some very good Los Vegas attractions also have coupons. The Hoover Dam Tour, Vegas Mob Tour, Las Vegas Power Pass, Sagebrush Horseback Riding, and Desert Adventures Kayak and Canoe Tours are some of these places.
Seeking casino coupons? Slots a Fun and Riviera Casino are a couple that give out free blackjack comps that allow you to have a fabulous time at slot machines while spending less too! Rehab and The exotic are just two of the hot spots that give you discounts and free entrance Las Vegas Discounts.
Most important, you must know that sometimes Coupons for Vegas might expire or that it is quite likely that the Las Vegas Discounts are not legitimate. Subscription printable coupons do have legal access Las Vegas coupons and often redeem them in case the customer has difficulties. Usually, every coupon is verified, reviewed, approved and authorized by the authorities. So the next time, you avail the amazing benefits of Las Vegas Coupon, make sure that they are valid, and have not are still being accepted.

A great way to see Pulau Langkawi's many attractions is to rent a car and drive from place to place at one's own leisure. Car hire is reasonably priced and the island is linked by a network of pleasant roads with ample signages.

A great place to start your sightseeing tour is to begin at Kuah town itself, where the tourist information centre is based (next to the town's mosque). Grab all the brochures and maps which you may need and you're ready to go.

Within the vicinity of the jetty and the tourist information center is the harbourside's parklands which houses the Dataran Lang and Lagenda Park - the former a landscaped square with a concrete statue of the Langkawi eagle and the latter a 20-hectare park commemorating the island's legends in sculptural form.

Heading west from Kuah town will take you to the rural countryside surrounded by paddy fields. Let the road signs lead you to Makam Mahsuri, the grave of the island's legendary heroine. Being the island's most popular legend, this tomb/shrine is to Langkawi what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris.

Going back to the main road will lead you to Pantai Cenang, the island's longest stretch of beach with the most happening nightlife. This beach houses the highest concentration of accommodation providers, ranging from budget chalets to five-star resorts, and is therefore the liveliest spot.

Laman Padi, a "rice museum" is also located at Pantai Cenang for those interested in all aspects of rice farming. The Underwater World, a colossal aquarium with a fascinating collection of freshwater and marine life is further down the same road.

From Pantai Cenang, take the route to the airport. A go-cart racing centre is situated along the way for those who are game to participate. Past the airport is the small town of Padang Matsirat where the very disappointing Beras Terbakar or "Field of Burnt Rice" is located. Legend has it burnt rice still appear, the remnants of an 18th-century crop which was put to torch by local villagers to prevent invading Siamese troops from taking it. At the most, you will see a pitiful bowl of burnt rice in a plastic casing flanked by a signage.

From the Padang Matsirat junction, follow the signage to Pantai Kok, a picturesque stretch of beach which some say is the finest in Langkawi. You will come across a red Thai-style structure along this road which was actually a Hollywood prop for the film Anna and the King starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yuen Fatt. Built as the Summer Palace for the Siamese monarch in the story, the structure has since been "recycled" as a tourist attraction. The admission charge is a bit steep but the place itself is well maintained and worth a visit. Cultural performances also are carried out at regular intervals here.

Beyond Pantai Kok is Burau Bay, the other contender for accolade of the island's most beautiful beach. Burau Bay is actually a delightful cove flanked by the mysterious peaks of Gunung Mat Cincang. Two resorts sit on both ends of this cove: the Burau Bay Resort and the Berjaya Langkawi Beach Resort, both built to blend with the surrounding environment.

Further up from Burau Bay is the waterfalls of Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells), a playground of fairies according to local folklore. Only the fit and enthusiastic outdoor-type should attempt the thirty-minute hike up the falls. Back track from Telaga Tujuh and turn towards Datai Bay, where "250 million-year-old rainforest meet the sea", or so the brochure claims.

Two of the island's most luxurious resorts, The Datai and The Andaman are nestled among trees in seclusion here. A breathtaking golf course and a spectacular waterfall are also in the vicinity. The coastal road along Datai will also lead you past the Ibrahim Hussein Museum and Cultural Foundation, a showcase for Malaysia's most famous artist, and a Crocodile Farm where the main attraction is a deformed croc.

Moving up the north coast, you will find Pasir Hitam (The Beach of Black Sand) where the sand is streaked in black, and Kompleks Budaya Kraf, a crafts' complex of traditional craft products such as batik, silverware and pottery.

At Padang Lalang turn right for Tanjung Rhu (Rhu Cape), a beautiful beach with shallow lagoons and vast sand flats during low tide. Visitors can also hire boat rides here to mangrove forests and the legendary caves nearby.

Head west on the main road back to Kuah and you will past Air Hangat Village, a cultural centre around a natural hot spring, and the Galeria Perdana, a museum devoted to Prime Minister Dato' Seri Dr. Mahatir's collection of gifts.

Besides attractions on Pulau Langkawi, one can go island hopping to the neighbouring isles, each with their own coves of crystal-clear waters, snorkeling spots, eerie caves and fascinating folklore.

Top on the list of must-see islands are Pulau Dayang Bunting, the archipelago's second largest island with a freshwater lake in the center, Pulau Singa Besar which houses a wildlife sanctuary, and the superb Pulau Payar, a designated marine park teeming with corals, fishes and baby sharks.

Say you consider important for your trip some factors as fun, safety, adventure and budget, Well, bearing in mind all this, and considering you are based in Europe, maybe our suggestion to go to visit Cracow (Poland) would probably sound not too obvious and a good hint in the end.
Cracow is not just an alternative destination as it's not too much touristy yet, but it's also a buzzling city of the Old fascinatine Eastern Europe.. with a lot to offer to young people! There is a quite interesting list of things to do, see and live while you're there.
Start considering the last but not the least of your (everybody's) concerns (money). You will be happy to know that accommodation won't suck all your pocket up in a night! The cutest and cheapest youth hostels of the Eastern Europe are there, in Krakow and will offer you the warmest hospitality! Check for example the Lemon hostel, the Old Walls youth hostel, the Bling Bling Hostel, the AQQ hostel, the Free hostel, the Secret Garden, the Moon hostel. They all offer clean, colourful and comfy rooms at very budget prices starting from 7 euros per person per night with breakfast! For ladies won't be better.. so that you can spend all the rest in shopping and clubbing, right?
Well the good news is that if you are around in February 2008, you won't spend a penny either for clubbing!
There are a few so called Ladies' nights on Monday the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th at the Music Bar 9 in Szewska Street, n.9. You are invited to leave any man you might have around at home, grab your purse and head out to Music Bar Underground. The party starts at 9 pm, but there's a pre-party already at 6. Entrance is free! Once there, have your Cosmopolitan and enjoy the music played by three DJ's Oklay, Krzyvy and Luki Pi. From soul,hip hop, r&b, dancehall..everybody's taste is served! Special drink promotions as well. For your ladies trip, don't miss the photo exhibition of Karolina Bregula, a talented photographer who developed her skills working and studying photography in Sweden. The title "Lovebook" is a story about misunderstandings, emptiness, loneliness, longing and despair. The aim is to allow all women to identify with the feeling of sadness. The technique used is also interesting: photographs taken with a small phone camera have been stretched to a larger size which gives the effect of intensive washing out. In this way the photos have an unreal and magic feel to as some sort of pictures from a dream. Exhibition opens on 9th February and closes on 1st of March at Pauza Gallery, in Florianska Street, 18/5.
On 19th February famous British rock band The Cure will perform two concerts in Poland, including one in Spodek in Katowice. Al. W. Korfantego 35Always in February don't forget the Valentine's Night Out at Music Bar 9 (9 Szewska Street) for a 21st century style Valentine's Day.
Always on a pink note, another interesting exhibition aiming to explore aspects of femininity in today's world is Transformations hosted at the Bunkier Sztuki, Plac Szczepanski 3a from 7th until 25th March. Acclaimed artist Malgorzata Markiewicz makes her debut at Cracow's leading gallery of contemporary art. Closed on Mondays.
Secondly, don't forget that March 8th is the Ladies Day Party and the place to be is the Art Club Bledne Kolo, ul. Bracka 4 (first floor). DJs Ex-Or and Lucjan spin for the ladies at hip Old Town hangout. The following month, April, the Tolerance Festival - Festival of Gay and Lesbian Culture - is a review of various creative activity which has been brought to life by, for, or about lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people. It features several days of film screenings, discussions, and meetings, all cumulating in a march through the city in support of tolerance for all.

Towards the end of September Barcelona begins to limber up for the largest event on its festival calendar, La Mercй, a celebration of the city's patron saint "Mare de Deu de la Mercй". The festival heralds the end of summer and the onset of the autumn months. The festival is a real big deal for the people of Barcelona and the still temperate weather means that, in true Mediterranean fashion, must of the fun takes place outside. There's a massive amount to do whilst the festival is on with events popping up all over the city and over 3000 artists and performers on display with over 500 activities to watch or take part in. The festival has a long and proud and first took place in 1902; today it's a fantastic blend of tradition and innovation.

You'd really need to write a novel to keep on top of everything that goes on at La Mercй each year so, we'll just have to settle for some highlights. We start with one of the oldest traditions; the human towers or "Castells" are a real must-see, sometimes as much as ten stories high they're a fantastic display of teamwork, agility and balance.

A recurring theme throughout the festival is the celebration of fire and one of the most exhilarating experiences of La Mercй is the "Correfoc" (the "Fire Run") where costumed fire-breathing devils rampage around the streets in a colourful pyrotechnic display. Kids absolutely love this sort of thing and audience participation is a big part as the devils chase after those foolish enough to get in their way. Another favourite of the children is the "Dragons and Giants" procession which starts in the Plaza Real next to Las Ramblas.

Foodies and wine lovers shouldn't feel left out either as there is no shortage of indulgence in those areas. Food and wine shows run throughout the festival showcasing local produce and allow you to try and buy the best that Catalonia has to offer.

Festivities aren't just kept on the ground either, La Mercй also celebrates the sky with static hot air balloon flights, kite displays and other aerial exhibitions taking place throughout the festival on the city's beaches. Other areas around the city to look out for are the Centro de Cultura Contemperanea de Barcelona where you can view street theatre, Moll de la Fusta which will be giving centre stage to numerous circus acts and Plaza St Rei where various dance troupes and performing artists will be vying for your attention. There's also a museum open day where many of the city's museums and galleries can be entered free of charge including the Picasso museum, the Museum of History of Catalonia, the Maritime Museum and many more.

The culmination of the festivities is called "Piromusica"l - the finale involves music and a huge fireworks display choreographed together for an amazing audio-visual experience. A big named music star is usually brought in to play the finale and 2005 saw local singer and composer Pep Sala having the honour of closing out La Mercй.

For tourists La Mercй offers a perfect opportunity to see Barcelona at its best - it's a colourful, vibrant spectacle which offers something for all age groups and all tastes. It also offers visitors the perfect opportunity to see more of this wonderful city.