The second edition of the Barcelona Opportunity Week, from 27 January to 5 February, is seeing 20% more restaurants, hotels, markets, florists' and cultural venues joining in and offering discounts. This year's initiative includes offers on flights to visit the city.

This year's Barcelona week of discounts, from 27 January to 5 February, has 20% more establishments taking part, which means even more offers on markets, restaurants, hotels, florists' and cultural venues. What's more, part of the proceeds will go to charity.

Last year more than 15,000 people took part in this week of discounts, there were 600 overnight stays and over 20,000 euros were collected through charity contributions. The aim of the second edition is to increase these figures.

New features this year include special offers on Spanair flights to Barcelona. To be more specific, a 20% discount is being offered for all those taking advantage of the other offers from the week of discounts.

The most popular of all these offers are the discounts you will find in restaurants. Indeed, Barcelona Opportunity Week originally comes from a week of restaurant offers.

This edition sees 48 restaurants taking part, most offering a set menu for 25 euros (plus VAT and drinks), although the more expensive ones will be offering a menu for 35 euros (plus VAT and drinks). Either way, you'll be saving 50%.

As for hotels, 22 establishments are joining in too, with hotel rates varying according to categories. 8% of the proceeds will go to the charity Obra Social de Sant Joan de Déu.

Regarding markets, this year will see up to sixteen taking part, whose stalls will be promoting three products. Their proceeds will go to the Comtal Foundation.

Intent on encouraging people to get into the habit of buying flowers, 41 florists' will be offering a special bouquet at the price of 11 euros. One euro will go to the Food Bank.

Five concert halls will be offering free tickets, 2-for-1 deals and special discounts, while 33 theatres will be selling tickets at half price or with a 25% discount.

As for exhibition venues, 18 museums and art centres as well as 14 galleries are taking part, offering free admission and a whole range of promotions. Tickets at discount prices will also be available for such unique venues as the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the Palau de la Música Catalana.

You can live a unique and an unforgettable travel experience Urbany Hostels recommend Sevilla Urbany Hostel, is one of the coolest youth hostels in Seville right in the historical center of the cit. Budget Accommodation for Backpackers in the Andalusia's capital.

It’s one of the Spanish cities that have been able to maintain the charm and old traditions, with large cultural activities diversely through the year. All this makes Seville a surprisingly very hospitable city.

Seville has a large number of interesting and nice places to visit, due to its important role throughout history; Monuments and Museum were constructed as relevant as the Torre del Oro, Alcazar, Town Hall, Archive of the Indies, Palacio de San Telmo, Tobacco Factory... And other places to visit in Seville is a large number of churches, each of which is beautiful outside but save the real reassure for inside where you will find that the walls true works of art.

Backpacker's Seville can enjoy daily performances of this art in all its glory on the popular flamenco-direct heirs of the ancient cafés in the rocks of the neighborhood or the village festivals.

Also, throughout each year there are numerous festivals related to the topic, highlighting its importance to the famous Flamenco Biennale, held in the city in even years and often go the greatest figures of flamenco singing and dancing. This unique encounter has been twenty years and whose main objective is to internalize this culture in the social fabric of Seville and later throughout all of Andalusia.

And also Seville is a capital city happy and passionate by the life, with a cheerful night life, thanks to the climate and its people. You can choose between several and different possibilities.

In autumn and winter, the center is the zone most people choose. In general, the whole city centre has a lot of night life and in every corner you can find “bares” or pubs …It is the first option in order to choose where to go out, and where you can find many different environments. We have several areas to choose from: Arenal, Barrio de Santa Cruz, where you can find the typical wineries, Alfalfa, Plaza del Salvador, where there are always a lot of people, and the Alameda, with a more alternative environment. The Triana zone has streets and bars with a lot of character including many lively pubs. Over on Betis Street, yyou can find many places with “flamenquita” music and other locations with more modern music. Also in the Remedios zone, you can find good pubs. The Nervion area is another of the zones where you can go out, and there are many discos and pubs for all different ages. In the Reina Mercedes neighborhood there is a university environment, because the most of the academic buildings are located there. We can also find good pubs in the Isla de la Cartuja zone, where the Expo of ‘9 took place.

If you want to travel to Seville to good price and to lodge at the center of the city you do not search any more, every detail in the Sevilla Urbany Hostel was designed to make you feel comfortable and safe and to help you get the most out of your stay in the Andalusia's capital.

The main cultural activity of the year in the city, comes with three new floats and an uniform-clad retinue for King Balthasar, filling Barcelona's streets with excitement today, 5 January, with the arrival of Their Majesties.

The Kings of the Orient, accompanied by their retinue, arrive on board the Schooner Santa Eulàlia, guided by the Eastern star, to fill the city with excitement with their great street spectacular.

Another year and once again it is time for a show that links ancient tradition with the creativity of the best, present-day local artists and the enthusiastic participation of every Barcelona resident.

More than 1,100 people will make possible a procession featuring a completely new retinue for King Balthasar, a seven-metre giraffe, three camels, African puppets and a new choreograph.

King Melchior will be trying out a new toys float, there will be a new Barcelona Float to open the procession and a coal float will also make its debut.

Another new feature is the 12,000 kg of sweets thrown into the crowds during the procession are suitable for coeliacs. They will be thrown from three new lorries that will ensure they are evenly distributed among all the children watching and not just those in standing along the front row.

If you stay in Hostel in Barcelona you can go to the Three Kings Parade by Metro, you have the Clot / Aragó Station at a 5 minutes walking distance from our Barcelona Urbany: Take the line L1-FONDO/ HOSPITAL BELLVITGE and get off after 1 stops at Arc de Triomf.

3, 2, 1. . . Happy New Year! If the countdown to 2012 is full of the best celebrations, such as eating a grape for each chime of midnight, the adrenaline is sure to compete in 2011 by night clubs in our favorite Barcelona for New Year celebrations. We love the city as a show longer than the top of the year, abundant in Barcelona massive parties outside party. Beach lovers and backpackers can also experience the fun in the sand on 31 December in Barcelona.

Thousands of people will welcome in the New Year at the Palau Sant Jordi. On the night of Saturday the 31st of December to Sunday the 1st of January, 15,000 people will gather at the Palau Sant Jordi to bring in the New Year at the "Matineé Winter Festival".

For the first time ever the event's promoter, Matineé Group, forms an alliance with Live Nation in order top make the "Matineé Winter Festival" the greatest New Year's Eve dance party in Spain.

How to arrive Palau sant Jordi from our Hostel in Barcelona?

By Metro, you have the Clot / Aragó Station at a 5 minutes walking distance from our Barcelona Urbany: Take the line L1-FONDO/ HOSPITAL BELLVITGE and get off after 9 stops at Pça ESPANYA. It will take you 12 minutes to arrive.

Barcelona is the best holiday destination and offers a wide range of activities for all ages and tastes. From the brand new ice rink installed in Plaza Catalunya to the traditional fair Gran Via, through exhibitions, workshops and sports competitions.

Here are some of the proposals Barcelona Urbany offers you:

On Saturday, December 24, the Magic Mountain of Barcelona, Tibidabo, will host the traditional 'Peace Song', within the Amusement Park. Year after year, the traditional 'Song of Piece' is celebrated in the Fairground of the Tibidabo since 1996. It is an act of solidarity that aims to promote education in values such as tolerance and respect through music. This year's nativity scene on Plaça de Sant Jaume takes its inspiration from Catalan culture and traditional art, with a copy of a Romanesque chapel in ruins and a typically Mediterranean landscape.

One year on and the classic scenes of the annunciation, the Three Kings of the Orient and the birth of Jesus are once again the highlights of the nativity scene, though this year's settings take their inspiration from the landscapes, figures and architecture of Catalonia's deep-rooted Romanesque tradition. During their walk round this truly Catalan nativity scene, visitors will be accompanied by Mediterranean sounds such as the sea and bells ringing. If you haven't yet taken the opportunity to see it, we strongly recommend you treat yourselves to a visit any time from 10 to 8.30 pm, every day from now until 8 January!

Many of the activities on offer have a Christmas flavour, which is hardly surprising when you consider the date.

You will be able to see a Pastorets nativity play at the Fundació Miró, hear choral music at the European Museum of Modern Art and make Christmas candles at Poble Espanyol.

Urbany Hostels team wishes you happy holidays!

The streets in the centre of Barcelona on New Year’s Eve fill up with revellers, as tourists and locals alike mill around on the hunt for fun and celebrations. The most popular spots are Las Ramblas, Plaça Catalunya and the Plaça Reial.

Also, the beach offers many possibilities everything is at hand: restaurants, lounge-bars and clubs on the beach.The waterfront is a very atmospheric place to bring in the bells, and you’ve got your pick of restaurants and bars to choose from. The midnight fireworks definitely lend it an extra special touch, and make for a must-see spectacle!

The most popular places in this part of the city are in the Olympic Port, which has an infinite number of bars, restaurants, clubs and lounge-bars on the beach, including Shôko, Opium Mar, Sotavento and Carpe Diem.

If you fancy keeping the party going after midnight with dancing and music, we would recommend the most fashionable and most crowded places, which are also the largest and have the widest selection of music. Try Opium Mar (house), Boulevard (house-techno, rock, alternative) Razzmatazz (electro, rock, chillout) and Ottozutz (hip-hop, rock/indie, house). If you want to go to a huge event with music and famous DJs, don’t miss Maremagnum. Also not to be missed is the New Year’s party organized at Jamboree.

If you're planning to spend New Years Eve in Barcelona, I recommend you stay at Barcelona Urbany Hostel!