National Day of Catalonia in Barcelona

11 September 2009 Barcelona celebrates the National Day of Catalonia. Catalonia - is an autonomous community in Spain, the capital of which is Barcelona. This day hotels in Barcelona are crowded with the Spaniards themselves, as well as numerous tourists coming to Barcelona in order to participate in the holiday festivities.

In Barcelona the National Day of Catalonia is called La Diada Catalunya. The celebration is timed to the heroic defense of Barcelona, when residents of the capital of Catalonia tried to defend the city in a battle with the forces of the future King of Spain of Bourbon dynasty. Since the capture of Barcelona, Catalonia has begun and never stopped its fight for independence.

Catalonia - is one of Spain's autonomous entities, which has still preserved its own language. In 1871 Catalonia tried to achieve independence from Spain, but it failed. Only in 1979, Catalonia receives from the Spanish government the right for autonomy and official recognition of the Catalan language.

On the 11th of September whole Barcelona is decorated with senyera and estelada - the national red-yellow flags of Catalonia. Citizens of Barcelona this day are laying flowers at the monuments of national heroes - Rafael Casanova and General Moragues in Ciutadella park.

One of the major places for the celebration of the National Day of Catalonia in Barcelona is Fossar de les Moreres square, where people come to honor the memory of the fallen in the struggle for independence. Fossar de les Moreres was built near the cemetery, the burial place of Barcelona’s defenders, who died in 1714 during the siege of the city.

In addition to official events, the National Day of Catalonia is notable for revelry on the streets of Barcelona. Concerts of street musicians, national Catalan dances, competitions to cook paella, dancing and wine tasting – will be the main «attractions» of Barcelona, which you will be able to find in the capital of Catalonia on the 11th of September.

One of the most catching performances of the holiday is «castells» - multistory «human» pyramids, which are constructed by the teams from all over Catalonia with the help of their bodies. One of the most famous cities in Catalonia, where you can see this unique performance is Vilafranca del Penedes.

Besides Barcelon itself many other cities of the community take part in the celebration: Tarragona, Girona, Lleida, as well as dozens of large and small villages. In addition, the 11th of September is also celebrated in France, in the regions, which border with Catalonia, where a large part of the Catalan people lives.

This year's celebration of Catalonia will occur on Friday. Many hotels in Barcelona offer their rooms for tourists on the weekend. Among the hotels in Barcelona, who provide services for accommodation in the capital of Catalonia, some represent their offers on city-of-hotels.com:

Montecarlo 4 * Hotel – the best hotel in Barcelona according to tripadvisor.com

Gran Hotel La Florida 5 *- perhaps the most luxurious hotel in Barcelona, which is located outside the city limits

Claris 5 * Hotel - elegant hotel in Barcelona, located in the 19th century mansion. It was opened for the Olympics in 1992 and since then, it seems, never lowered its level.