Barcelona is well placed
for access to the sea
and mountains, which is
one of the reasons it
was picked for the 1992
Olympics. A spin-off
from the games was an
increased provision of
top-quality sports and
leisure facilities
throughout Catalunya.
However, central
Barcelona itself doesn't
have too many sporting
sites from which
tourists will get much
use. If you really want
to swim or work out,
you're better off using
the region's natural
resources: get out onto
the beaches, north and
south of the city or
into the hills of the
Catalan Pyrenees.
If you want to check forthcoming
sports events , buy
one of the local daily
sports papers, El
Mundo Deportivo or Sport
; or phone Audiotex on
934 181 021, for
recorded information in
Spanish and Catalan on
all current sporting
events in Barcelona. For
details about any sport
not included here, call
the Ajuntament
information service on
934 023 000, or drop in
to the office that deals
with sport, at Avda de
l'Estadi 30-40 (next to
the Bernat Picornell
swimming pool); Metro
Espanya, or bus #61 or
#20.
American football
American football is an
increasingly popular
spectator sport in
Barcelona, and the city
even boasts its own
team, the Barcelona
Dragons , who play
regularly in the Estadi
Olímpic against other
teams in the World
League of American...
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Bowling
For some reason bowling
has plenty of adherents
in the city. Try AMF
Bowling Barcelona, c/Sabino
de Arana 6 (tel 933 305
048; Metro María
Cristina; 11am-1.30am)
or Planet Bowling, Parc
Comercial Barnasud, Gavà
(tel 936 383 650;
11am-1.30am;...
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more >>
Bullfighting
Although bullfights are
an integral part of many
southern Spanish
festivals, there has
never been great
interest in Catalunya.
In fact some provincial
towns, such as Olot,
have imposed outright
bans on the activity.
Barcelona has two rings,
one at either...
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Cycling
Cycling runs football a
close second as a
national sport and
pastime. If you've got
your own machine, there
are a couple of events
for which you can enter;
otherwise, pull up a café
chair and watch the
puffing and groaning.
May ...
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more >>
Football
In Barcelona, football
is a genuine obsession,
with support for the
local giants FC
Barcelona (known here as
El Barça ) raised to an
art form. The team plays
at the splendid Camp Nou
Stadium in the north of
the city, and even if
you...
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Horse riding
Courses on Saturday and
Sunday mornings for
adults, children and
disabled people, or
hourly sessions at ?15
for adults, ?12 for
children, at Escola
Municipal d'Hípica La
Foixarda, Avda
Montanyans 1, Montjuïc
tel 934 261 066
read
more >>
Ice-skating
There are a couple of
ice rinks in the city:
Skating , c/Roger de
Flor 168, Eixample tel
932 452 800; Metro
Tetuan; Mon 5-10pm,
Tues-Thurs
10.30am-1.30pm &
5-10pm, Fri
10.30am-1.30pm &
5pm-midnight, Sat
10.30am-2pm &...
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more >>
Roller skating
You can rent roller
skates and blades from
Edelweiss, Gran Via 527
(tel 934 548 300; Metro
Urgell; ?9 half-day, ?12
full day) and Scenic,
c/Marina 22, Vila Olímpica
(tel 932 211 666; Metro
Ciutadella; ?4.50 an
hour). Popular places
for...
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more >>
Sailing
There are short weekend
courses in sailing and
windsurfing , with
special courses for
children, senior
citizens and people with
disabilities, at the
Centre Municipal de
Vela, Port Olímpic 100
(tel 932 211 499; Metro
Ciutadella;...
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more >>
Sports centres
C.F. Caralleu , c/Esports
8, Sarriá tel 932 037
874; FGC Reina Elisenda;
open 8am-8pm. Indoor and
outdoor pools, indoor
football and tennis
courts. Complex Esportiu
Barceloneta , Pg Marítim
s/n tel 932 210 010;
Metro Barceloneta;...
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more >>
Swimming
The city beaches are
fine for a stroll across
the sand and an ice
cream, but the water's
none too clean and you'd
do best to save your
swimming for the coastal
beaches or one of
Barcelona's pools . You
may need to show your
passport...
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more >>
Tennis
The following places
have tennis courts which
you can rent by the hour
without being a member
of the club: Centro
Municipal de Tennis , Pg
Vall d'Hebron 196 tel
934 276 500; Metro
Montbau. Mon-Fri
8am-11pm, weekends
8am-9pm;...
read
more >>
Walks, hiking and
running
Barcelona and its
surroundings provide
some fine walks. For
city-based walking , you
can supplement the
information in this
guide with a free
pamphlet from the
tourist office called
Paseos por Barcelona
(Walks around
Barcelona). Or...
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more >>
