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Barcelona is one of the coolest cities in Spain, and Europe. Not only do you get to live here, immersing yourself in a new culture for a few weeks or months, but you’ll also become fluent in one of the most important and widely used languages in the world. After Barcelona, there’ll be no stopping you from hopping on a plane to South America, Central America or the Caribbean; the world is your oyster when you master the language of love!
Barcelona is a fantastic place to live and learn Spanish for many reasons; the year-round great weather, the amazing arts and music scene, including huge festivals like Benicassim, the Primavera Sound Festival and Sonisphere Barcelona Festival, and, of course, the city’s central location in Europe allows you to easily explore some of the best spots on the continent.
Did we mention that Barcelona is a beach city? So, if you’re feeling too hot from the gorgeous weather, or you want to relax after an intensive Spanish lesson, you can simply stroll to the beach to dip your toes in the warm Mediteranean Sea.
What should you do when you’re not studying Spanish? There are lots of things to do on your time off, from exploring the history and culture of Barcelona through the beautiful architecture, the amazing museums and the mesmerizing art, to traveling around the country and continent, visiting the best beaches, cities and festivals that Europe has to offer. Trust us, there’s nowhere more exciting to spend a gap year than Europe in the summertime!
We pack a load into this short itinerary that you still have plenty of time to check out the must see places and obligatory sites like the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell Cathedral and much more.
Come party with us on a super sleek catamaran with as much booze and sangria to drown a small navy.
You stay in one of the top hostels in Barcelona, a great meeting point with central and easy access.
Oh we almost forgot! With our Learn Spanish in Barcelona Spain programme you also study spanish.
Our team will make sure you have the best time possible. They live and breathe Barcelona Can show you the best places to go and will make sure you have an incredible time. Our tour leaders are of lots of different nationalities: Mainly Australian and all English speaking
Be warned, there’s going to be fair amount of drinking laughing and good times so if you can’t handle that look elsewhere!
Learning Spanish in Barcelona is easy, fun and flexible. All of our courses in Barcelona can be completely tailored to suit your lifestyle, whether you want to accommodate a job and can only commit to a few hours of learning each week, or if you want to fully immerse yourself in the language-learning process and come out speaking Spanish like a native.
From just 5 hours a week in the mornings or evenings, to over 30 hours a week of intensive full-time learning, our Spanish courses are both professional and extremely effective, leaving you with plenty of time and independence to decide how you spend the rest of your time in Spain.
In fact, the courses have a nice little twist to them in the form of ‘gamification’. In the ‘Casa’ where you will go to complete your lessons, beginners start on the bottom floor of the building (Level A1) and literally ‘level up’ as their Spanish improves and they move on to more difficult courses. By improving your skills, you will gradually move up to higher floors in the building until you reach the very top level; floor 6 (Level C2)!
It’s these small details that make learning Spanish with us so fun and intriguing. No more boring classes, yawn-inducing teachers or pointless books. We provide you with the best, most appropriate material, the coolest and most qualified teachers, and the most amazing way to learn Spanish fast; through living and immersing yourself in one of the coolest cultures and cities in Europe!
All of the Spanish courses have been certified by the Cervantes Institute, so you can be confident that the qualifications you receive in Barcelona will be widely recognized as standard-level Spanish qualifications across the world.
Apart from the weather, food, amazing city and awesome culture, one of the main reason why so many students choose to study in our Barcelona Spanish school is because of the flexibility they are awarded here.
From choosing how many hours you want to study per week, to choosing how many weeks you will stay in Barcelona, there is a lot of room for flexibility and changes of plans. You can even extend your course on a week-by-week basis, in case you are not sure how long you can stay. That means you’ll have plenty of time to yourself for traveling, eating, partying, dating hot Spaniards, or whatever other way you choose to spend your time!
Choose from the Standard Spanish Courses (max. 10 students per class) with hours ranging from 6 to 30 hours per week, the Combined Spanish Courses (private and group lessons) with hours ranging from 5 to 24 hours per week, or a range of other courses like the Exam Preparation Courses, Private Spanish Courses, Express Spanish Courses and Long Courses (up to 48 weeks!!).
With your accommodation sorted jump on the airport bus (A2) or get a train (departing every half an hour direct from the airport) and this will get you into the city centre in 20 min. Head to the hostel check in, before heading over to our central Barcelona base to meet the team.
Enjoy a welcome beer on us overlooking spectacular views of Barcelona from our rooftop terrace. You can meet the team pop into our office and enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi if you need to sort anything out. Were always here and happy to have a chat if you need anything at all. You will meet your guides for the walking tour. You can discuss the activities ahead of you plus where to check out things on your free time to maximise your time in this awesome city.
With its grand avenues and famously quirky architecture Barcelona is treat to mosey around. Gaudi buildings, parks and catherals. The Gothic quater all add to the experience. Sip a cappuccino whilst people watching on anyone of the numerous grand vias enjoying the eternal sunshine of Barcelona. We will take you to all the best places and some that you would have never found even spending a year there and make sure you have the best time exploring this epic city.
We include a 3 BCN pass with your booking which allows you to get discounted club entry, sweet deals at restaurants and plenty of other gigs all over town. It’s extremely useful to have this prearranged so you can hit the city with a vengeance on arrival. There are so many attractions and must see places that this really saves you a ton of money and give you some great ideas as to how to spend your free time.
There are several additional offers and discounts at shops, restaurants and attractions!
Included with your 3 BCN pass is Unlimited travel public transport. This is extremely handy as Barcelona is a huge city and getting around between different attractions needs transport. You have access all areas to Metro & bus services.
This means you will want to check out the following.
Join us on a 2 hour party cruise with an open bar (unlimited Beer & Sangria!) and on board BBQ. Afterwards we will hit the bars and clubs. Departs from the uber cool port olympic.
Soak up the booze with an tasty tapas and Paella as you learn how to cook mediteranean style. Cooking is done in our city center base and you can enjoy your meal with spectacular views of th city from your roof terrace.
If cooking is no go then you can head to our favourite bar in the Gothic quater where we ill teach you how to make cocktails
Waterpark party including private dance area, BBQ, return transport from Barcelona and full day entrance (available until 13th Sept)
Bicycle Tour of Barcelona
What we like to call Adult Playtime: Note were not talking about visiting questionable individuals on the Ramblas at two in the morning. Our Kind of adult playtime involves some cheeky fun with your new mates: giant games like twister, Jenga, beer pong and flip cup and this time you’re all grown up so we can involve heaps of booze and naughty challenges!
If that wasn’t enough there is a selection of add-ons you can bolt onto this trip. Want to check out the infamous FC Barcelona we can add a football match to your trip, go-karting bike Tours or extra nights no problem.
What else can you expect from this city? Amazing architecture, epic nightlife, mouth-watering food and a huge community of like-minded people from around the world who also want to learn Spanish in Barcelona, make friends and have an amazing gap year in the City of Gaudi!
Your accommodation in Barcelona is, of course, flexible too! Please let us know your prefered option.
Three different accommodation options for your stay:
University Residence where you’ll get to make international friends and feel the buzz of living on a University campus.
Family Home Stay where you will feel more relaxed and safe while learning more about life in Spain with a local family
Shared Private Apartment if you’d prefer to have more privacy and complete independence to live the life of a true expat in Barcelona.
The Family Home Stay includes breakfast and dinner, while the University Residence has an option for including meals at an extra cost. The Shared Private Apartment does not include meals but has all the facilities you need for cooking yourself. All accommodation options are within 10-20 minutes from the Spanish School by Metro.
No matter which accommodation option you choose, we can guarantee a comfortable, safe, clean and pleasant stay. And if you need anything, just ask us!
Here is how to get the hostel:
Start any Friday
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We’ll fix you up so do not have to worry about your trip and can just get on enjoying your European experience.
Not only that you will have a great time and share the fun being part of the group so it’s an ideal way to make new friends from the moment you arrive.
Whether you’re taking a gap year in Europe, studying abroad, Or taking that once-in-a-lifetime backpacking trip, Xtreme Gap makes it very simple to travel in Europe. We have a team based in Barcelona, which is where this trip is base with a network of offices throughout Spain and the Netherlands. We prepare your accommodation on arrival, airport transfer, And show you the best time possible in Barcelona with a friendly face and warm welcome ready to greet you at our offices in Barcelona once you have checked in. And because it’s a group thing, we help you make friends really quickly. You don’t need to let anything stop you travelling.
Your first week in Europe will be unforgettable. You’ll go on a boat cruise from Barcelona harbour, learn to surf, Check out Barcelona one of the most beautiful and historic cities in Europe and go on a road trip to an amazing surf camp on the beaches in Santander. Fully guided, great times and lots more!
And by being part of a group, it’s a super way to meet people and make friends to share your European backpacking adventure.
We’ve included all the essentials to help get your trip off to an amazing start, With all the essential stuff you will need in Barcelona plus loads of activities to make sure you have a blast in your first week.
The Arriving can be the most intimidating part. But don’t worry we are here and waiting for you. After checking in heading to our offices and meet the team, we will have a cold beer waiting for you from our rooftop bar. You can meet your guides, chill out on the deck and get to know everyone prior to hitting the city with your new mates.
Our awesome crew based in Barcelona will give you a walking tour of the city, show you the best places and entertain you as you check out one of Europe’s most visited backpacking destinations.
Check out the city skyline from the Mediterranean. We will take you out a two-hour boat trip which turns into an awesome party, with as much sangria and beer as you can drink! Afterwards we will go out and hit the bars and clubs of Barcelona.
Your accommodation is sorted in a central Barcelona hostel with a couple of nights at an awesome beachside surf camp in Santander ( June to September only).
Enjoy complimentary transport all throughout Barcelona for three days on the train, bus and local transport services. We will issue you with a BCN Pass.
Because you’re part of the group you don’t have to worry about making friends. Groups are small and fairly intimate, you will be up to share your adventures with other young fun people.
Prior to travelling you will have all the advice and help you need, detailed predeparture packs to get you sorted. When you arrive our team on the ground waiting to take care of you and show you around the city with nothing left out!
Get great discounts and advice on onward European travel, to some of the best events and festivals. With exciting bolt ons like our Xtreme passport you can use this trip as a base to start with an epic adventure. You can even combine it with learning Spanish, travelling to ibiza or jumping on a hop on hop off passes throughout all of Europe.
Mondays always arrival day, people will be getting in all times so there is nothing planned for today. You just need to get to the hotel (20 min transfer on the train or airport bus) check-in and chill. The transfers really easy, and you will be given a very detailed predeparture pack telling you exactly how to get there. If you would like a personal airport pick up this can be arranged for an additional fee, that your best option is to get the train or bus as this will only cost about five euros.
If you get in early (during office hours)you can always pop into our office to pick up some suggestions of places to go, we would certainly recommend seeing the Gaudi sites Like sagrada Familia, and Parc Guell. It depends how long your flight has been you may just want to chill out at the hostel and get ready for a full week starting tomorrow.
Tuesday make your way down to the office just a couple minutes walk from the hostel. Our awesome Xtreme Gap Year team will be waiting for you ready to talk to you about Barcelona and backpacking in Europe in general. We will offer you a free drink to enjoy on our rooftop terrace with stunning views overlooking the city. This is way will meet everyone else in the group and then we will head out on a walking tour to get to know the city and each other and little bit better. Bring comfortable shoes and a sense of adventure!
Barcelona is one of the biggest cities in Spain, and the sites are fairly spread out so great way to do it is to do it by pushbike. Our professional tour guides will take you to some amazing places and you’ll get to experience some of the best the Barcelona has to offer. The tour tends to be different every time, we listen to what you want to see and where you want to go but we’re sure to throw in a few cheeky little undiscovered places along the way.
Thursday is all about setting sail on our own private catamaran. Be warned though we set off with enough booze to drown a small navy! Ahoy me hearties! 5 drinks per person and 1€ per drink after that on BBQ boat and open bar of soft drink, beer and sangria on Booze boat, food option available, great music, even better people, stunning coastal views of Barcelona, and we even sort you out with free club entry too!
After four days it’s time to travel to San Sebastian!
It up relatively early after breakfast we head to Plaza Catalunya to catch our private bus destination San Sebastian.
Driving through the Pyrenees mountain range, we are heading to the North Coast, one of Spain’s most spectacular. We will actually be leaving Catalunya and heading into the Basque region. You will notice a lot of cultural differences with our final stop being an incredible surf camp set on the hills above a beautiful beach. Here you will stay for three days learning to surf and hanging out with people from all over the world.
It’s a full on day-to-day. After a hearty breakfast we had down to the beach for a two-hour surf lesson. Don’t worry if you’ve never surfed before our expert Spanish surfers will have you up and Surfing in no time. We take lunch on the beach (you will need it) and then you have free time in the afternoons. There is plenty of things for you to do though, from snorkelling to sunbathing even Cliff jumping for those who dare. In the evening we can hit the bright lights of San Sebastian it’s an awesome night out! If you are very tired from surfing no, don’t worry you will sleep like a baby in our pre-erected twin share tents.
Its final day of surfing and saying goodbye to this amazing region. We will then jump on the bus at 5 PM to head back to Barcelona (getting to Barcelona between 9pm & 10pm).
The tour ends here, but you can book extra accommodation for the Sunday night with our team when you are in Barcelona or choose to stay on at the surf camp if you prefer.
In Barcelona.
You will stay at St Christopher’s hostel, one of the top-rated hostels in Barcelona centrally located you 15 min from the beach and right in the heart of the action.
In San Sebastian
We stay in a private campsite overlooking the beach with incredible sunsets. You will stay in twin share tent’s with sleeping bags and roll mat included.
2014
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There is a real buzz to Barcelona. It is the kind of place you always go back to. In many ways it’s the perfect place to be. But this trip is not just about what you do and where you are doing it, it’s about who you’re doing it with. Our Barcelona-based crew are legends in making you have a good time and getting you settled into the atmosphere of this amazing city.
Barcelona is amazing. Stunningly beautiful not only the rich architecture crossing many different styles, but the people as well. It’s that happy contentment only provided when living next to the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean.
The epic nightlife in world-class clubs. Great food from historic bars in the Gothic Quarter to world cuisine. Perhaps it is the draw of good times that bring people here, or the low-cost flights on easyJet and Ryanair either way it’s a great place to be.
We run the Barcelona ConneXion every week with set start dates or you can build a custom one depending on when you are getting in.
The Barcelona ConneXion is a great start to combining some of our Balearic Island adventures whether that is the Ibiza Weekender or Mallorca Party Experience and you can also combine it with a road trip to stay at our surf camp in San Sebastian (Basque Country).
Certain dates you want to look out for are the Sonar Festival, Sitges Carnival the date of these 10 to change every year so check out when these are happening.
We pack a load into this short itinerary that you still have plenty of time to check out the must see places and obligatory sites like the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell Cathedral and much more.
Come party with us on a super sleek catamaran with as much booze and sangria to drown a small navy.
You stay in one of the top hostels in Barcelona, a great meeting point with central and easy access.
There will be plenty to see and do on this trip. We have some great options included for you and plenty of discounts and free entry to the more cultured stuff. You have to have something to show you folks back home. Check out the details section for more.
Our team will make sure you have the best time possible. They live and breathe Barcelona Can show you the best places to go and will make sure you have an incredible time. Our tour leaders are of lots of different nationalities: Mainly Australian and all English speaking
Be warned, there’s going to be fair amount of drinking laughing and good times so if you can’t handle that look elsewhere!
With your hostel accommodation sorted jump on the airport bus (A2) or get a train (departing every half an hour direct from the airport) and this will get you into the city centre in 20 min. Head to the hostel check in, before heading over to our central Barcelona base to meet your guides and the rest of the group.
Enjoy a welcome beer on us overlooking spectacular views of Barcelona from our rooftop terrace. You can meet the team pop into our office and enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi if you need to sort anything out. Were always here and happy to have a chat if you need anything at all. You will meet your guides for the walking tour. You can discuss the activities ahead of you plus where to check out things on your free time to maximise your time in this awesome city.
With its grand avenues and famously quirky architecture Barcelona is treat to mosey around. Gaudi buildings, parks and cathedrals. The Gothic quater all add to the experience. Sip a cappuccino whilst people watching on anyone of the numerous grand vias enjoying the eternal sunshine of Barcelona. We will take you to all the best places and some that you would have never found even spending a year there and make sure you have the best time exploring this epic city.
We include a 3 BCN pass with your booking which allows you to get discounted club entry, sweet deals at restaurants and plenty of other gigs all over town. It’s extremely useful to have this prearranged so you can hit the city with a vengeance on arrival. There are so many attractions and must see places that this really saves you a ton of money and give you some great ideas as to how to spend your free time.
There are several additional offers and discounts at shops, restaurants and attractions!
Included with your 3 BCN pass is Unlimited travel public transport. This is extremely handy as Barcelona is a huge city and getting around between different attractions needs transport. You have access all areas to Metro & bus services.
This means you will want to check out the following.
Join us on a 2 hour party cruise with an open bar (unlimited Beer & Sangria!) and on board BBQ. Afterwards we will hit the bars and clubs. Departs from the uber cool port Olympic.
Soak up the booze with an tasty tapas and Paella as you learn how to cook Mediterranean style. Cooking is done in our city center base and you can enjoy your meal with spectacular views of th city from your roof terrace.
If cooking is no go then you can head to our favourite bar in the Gothic quater where we ill teach you how to make cocktails
Waterpark party including private dance area, BBQ, return transport from Barcelona and full day entrance (available until 13th Sept)
Bicycle Tour of Barcelona
What we like to call Adult Playtime: Note were not talking about visiting questionable individuals on the Ramblas at two in the morning. Our Kind of adult playtime involves some cheeky fun with your new mates: giant games like twister, Jenga, beer pong and flip cup and this time you’re all grown up so we can involve heaps of booze and naughty challenges!
If that wasn’t enough there is a selection of add-ons you can bolt onto this trip. Want to check out the infamous FC Barcelona we can add a football match to your trip, go-karting bike Tours or extra nights no problem.
You will stay in a hostel down town called St Christophers. This is one of the top place to meet travellers and one of our favourite flashback hostels in Barcelona.
Here is how to get the hostel:
Runs any Friday to Sunday for group start dates. Custom start dates also available
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Time to party your pants off with the best of them at some of Europe’s top festivals and have an epic summer that you will probably forget. The Xtreme passport is your ticket to an incredible European summer choose from up to 21 festivals (more will be added soon) and let us know one week prior to arrival that you wish to attend and your space will be reserved.
This is the perfect option to make the most of your summer and is super flexible meaning you can fit it in between working and hopping over to somewhere new every couple of weeks.
At some of the events there can be up to 8000 people so you can be pretty sure you’re going to meet lots of people from all over the world and have an incredible time.
You can choose from the following festivals:
Travelling is amazing, but getting from destination to party to festival to tour can be a big pain in the Schengen*. Welcome to the Xtreme Passport that doesn´t shuffle you around like a herd of cattle, but allows you to experience travel your way.
The Xtreme Passport is an unforgettable pass to international times. You choose from any of 21 destinations or festivals and receive an all-inclusive 3 nights at any of your chosen festivals, camps or event trips. The passport gives you a hefty discount on normal prices plus free unlimited beer and sangria at all of the festivals!
All that you have to do after purchase is tell us one week in advance of your desired arrival date to any of the festivals. We’re the type of people who hate rules. We get bored with itineraries. We’re more about the infinities. We’re all about the bare footed, unzipped options, endless times and boundless boundaries. The Xtreme passport shamelessly encourages unrestricted fun. With unlimited booze thrown in (and at) any new passport holder, what are you going to do?
*(If you’re not from Australia or South Africa you can have no idea what that means but if you book this pass I’m sure you will find someone who is who will willingly explain it to you over a few beers.)
San Vino, as we call it, La Batalla del Vino de Haro, as the locals call it, is a full on war path in the middle of the vineyard and we own it. All’s fair in love and wine battles. We take a bus from Barcelona or San Sebastián to the small town of Haro, we party in our campsite and have dinner together to plan strategies for the battle.
We then pay last regards and walk into a town with your classic Spanish street festival. If you’ve never been to a Spanish street festival, holy vineyard… this is the one. Bands everywhere, open drinking in the streets and in the morning we all go throw wine on each other. In the vineyard, as the sun rises.
Farmers versus public servants, women versus serfs, tourists versus that tree that was lookin’ at you funny. It’s a no-holds-barred rootin’ tootin’ red wine drinkin’ beautyfest.
At the filthy end you can choose to swim down the creek back home, drop in on a farmers truck to come back, swim in the pool at our campsite, all the while discarding wine at your feet like some hoboriffic wino Hansel and Gretel. We spend another night in the idyllic, mountainous town partying up a storm and running riot, and then we all dust off, drink a bit more and head back to Barcelona or San Sebastian. Because that’s just how it’s going to happen.
“San Vino is a vicious and outrageous war and you would naïve if you thought you could avoid ruining every item of clothing you’re wearing, dying your entire body purple for a few days or if you thought it was possible to find some sort of escape from the madness amongst the vines.”
“My childhood was filled with Xtreme moments. From the minute I busted forth from fruitful and dampened loins, to the minute I leapt from the top of the swing, landed on the playground and made that uppercut movement and was like, “yeah”, I have always been in search of a new place I can shower myself in new juices. So when I visited San Vino last year it was like I’d come full circle, and was also the fourth time I’ve been able to do that. The second and third time being when I spilt Fanta on myself and bent over to lick it up.”
San Sebastian, the Basque Country and we bask really hard here! For those of who know it (and I mean really know it that way we know it) you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who don’t, let us show you and we promise you’ll probably never want to leave.
Your itinerary for the day looks like this: wake up, eat, surf, drink beer, nap, drink beer, tan, have a beer, socialize, swim, eat, drink sangria, party at a club and then wake up by the beach surrounded by the clearest waters, the most beautiful and chilled out people you’ll ever meet and the Pyrenees mountains. And then probably grab another beer.
At our surf-camp you’re fully accommodated for: tents are erected, beers are chilled, food is served and parties are organized. Even if you don’t surf or swim, you’re guaranteed a great time tanning, drinking and mingling with our fully diverse and international staff. Learn a few new international phrases, a few more drinking games and make some memories that you’ll probably never remember with friends that you won’t forget.
The basic package includes camping accommodation in a twin share and hearty breakfast in the morning. Add-ons: meals, surfboard hire and surf lessons.
For 5€ a day get unlimited beer, wine and sangria all day long!
Check out our full package: All-inclusive for only 60€ a day. Have it all with three meals a day, surf hire and surf lessons.
Your life will never be the same again. This is what heaven is like. Our little slice of paradise, and we’re sharing our cake with you.
Includes
Benicassim is one of those festivals we love just because it really doesn’t matter who plays. The Bingy bongys? The sha la lalaylas? The wingy dingy who-nows? Whatever. The town becomes a beautiful festival in itself.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s an awesome lineup every year, and it’s organised so well that you can’t go to the loo without someone helping you out to where you need to go and how you need to do it. It’s in the middle of a desert, for 4 days, next to a beach, in a sleepy town with fountains and public libraries and municipal facilities that let you do whatever you want for those four precious, special little days. It started as the little festival that could, and became the big festival that did.
It’s everything you want, and not much more. But why would you need more? It’s everything you want. So stop asking.
When we go, we rock the shit out of it.
Everyone moves to our set and learns to our grooves, and once again we get reminded why our friends and us get proclaimed the monarchy of dance, every single night.
Self-proclaimed. But still. Jealousy it seems, takes many forms.
One of the best festivals is always the one where you needn’t worry for showering, taking naps, snaps and chicken wraps because you can do all that at the beach tomorrow, and then head on back to the festival that night.
Year after year this tiny Spanish town takes us in with our blowup Lilo mattresses in the town fountains, in the beaches, on the hills, on top of crowds, the limit is with your imagination, my new friends.
The festival has a stellar lineup every time and an excellent Spanish reputation for making you sweat out your sleep from about 5 am til 9am, and then it’s straight down the beach til the music starts again at 4pm. I’m telling you, Benicassim is raw and it’s great and for €350 all included? You’d be stupid not to.
Las Fallas is a five-day party in Valencia. It is quite a spectacle with people creating huge statues which all eventually get burnt. Expect crazy costumes, thousands of people and well fire everywhere.
Spring beer fest, much like Octoberfest but in spring. That means better weather & who does not want to get smashed in the sunshine?
The Running of the Bulls is part of a festival in Northern Spain in a place called Pamplona, a town famous for allowing Napoleon to invade them armed only with snowballs, and since that embarrassment not taking any shit from any of you Frenchies, tourists, or bulls.
It is an eight day festival of which the Bulls are only a part. At night there are world famous fireworks competitions, hedonistic street parades with multiple live bands, reveling and drinking, dancing, all with the knowledge that tomorrow you may be running with a beast who could kill you with but a flick of the head. And if you’re scared/slow/anti/not bothered, you do not need to run with the bulls – to watch them at 8am is a once in a lifetime event in itself.
When we facilitate a festival where you run on the horns of massive beasts and we say we make it more Xtreme, you know we mean it.
We have our own festival outside the festival at our legendary campsite in Zarautz with buses running back and forth all day. You can stay with us as long as you like. If you choose to go into the bulls in the morning, good luck to you and Godspeed, if you choose to stay in our site and chill on the beach, or go for a surf, we can help you out with that too. Every night is a party, and every night we have some new stuff going on, whether it’s a DJ, carnival, live band, sacrificial burning at the stake, political drunken debate, who knows? We decide on the day. One thing we can be sure of though, is you will most certainly be a part of it and it will be the experience of a lifetime.
The Sonar Festival is an amazing experience to be enjoyed in Barcelona, Spain. There’s nothing like it and its authenticity and creative spark drive the increasing popularity from year to year. It was founded in 1994 as a festival for advanced music and multimedia art and was modestly attended with media coverage from the first event. The hype after the shows closed continued across the next two years as it expanded and sent some notable performers into the global music scene. In fact, the Sonar Festival is part of the reason that electronic music has continued to evolve and gain traction over the last 20 years.
The festival takes place in the city center of Barcelona every June when it is flooded with approximately 80,000 visitors. The electronic music rumbles through the streets from gigantic venues and the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement across crowds of hip, exciting music fans. Famous performers rub elbows with festival attendees and Barcelona happily opens their doors to everyone.
However, the festival is more than just an opportunity to bring great, new music to adoring fans. The Sonar Festival, since its emergence two decades ago, is dedicated to living up to its name as a festival for advanced music and multimedia art. Offering conferences, film screenings, demos, online content, and exhibitions are just some of the ways that they meet these goals of supporting the artistic communities. One of the extra special features of the festival is its intentional design as an open laboratory, rather than a traditional fair format. Technology enthusiasts can experience hands-on workshops and demos with professionals in the industry. It really is more than just a cut-and-dry music festival, it’s an experience that lives up to the hype as one of the biggest events on the European calendar.
You may be wondering why Oktoberfest is held in such high regard by your previously well travelled friends. “What’s the big deal?” You say, “it’s just old fat drunk men singing unintelligible songs on tables and hugging each other.” Sounds like your best nightmare, or your worst high school sleepover, right? To you I contend that it is both, and much more, and also not quite that.
No camaraderie is as strong and breaks as many barriers as that of beer, that destroys whatever divides a drunken German man from singing with a proud androgynous teenaged adult. Welcome to the rainbow of the human condition, amplified by ridiculous rides, slurring, good mateship and, I really just can’t emphasise this enough, singing on tables with beers while thousands watch you in good spirits. Lo, this be the good times.
In the beginning there was a wedding. And lo, this wedding, it was between Prince Ludwig and Princess Theresa. And they made a festival to celebrate and the festival happened in Theresa’s Field. And lo, did they bang in the field. Probably. And then, so it was. And on the next day there was an agricultural fair and they added some fair rides and beer stands… And lo, did Ludwig say, let there be beer and there was beer. And they said “lo damn. There be a lot of beer.” And they looked upon their work and they saw that it was good, and it was good. And lo, Ludwig sayeth, “Let this henceforth be the Oktoberfest”, though it’s day not be in Oktober and they were in September but they had drunk more than a few good German beers. “And let it be the party where the fat old drunk men are lo, the coolest guys in the party.” And then they brought in some more beer tents… And lo, there be much more beer now. And on the seventh day they rested because they were pretty hungover. And now it’s the biggest festival in the world and more than 6 million people go. Lo, goddamn.
Be afraid, Bavaria-fraid of our favourite Xtreme festival and the most favourite public festival in the world. In Munich you arrive at the exact time beers will be served! When we arrive you can soak in the glory of our beautiful campsite for a few moments but then it’s time to get to business. Here’s the details:
But I digress.
Our rolling circus does away with these ethical issues and makes it a circus just about you! You and our other mates and our Europe! We roll, we glide, we hip hop dippity slide to our favourite cities in Europe, making the party as we go, and bringing more people on our trip as we can fit. We hit all the best festivals, we take live bands, there are no rules, and our driver is my best friend, you’ll meet him soon and you’ll love him like I do.
The world’s biggest food fight with tomatoes in Spain? Yeah we do that. Oktoberfest? We end there! Paris, Belgium, Prague, Budapest, a whole shitload of Spain. That’s a tick. It’s the best way to see the coolest cities, and we make our own parties in every city we go! We just invite everyone we meet along the way!
Accommodation differs from Festival to Festival but in general it is based in tents or hostel accommodation. Please check each individual Festival for details.
We would recommend either booking a European hop on hop off pass or checking sky scanner for low-cost airlines on easyJet and Ryanair. A detailed predeparture pack is issued once you book which will tell you where you need to get to and when and you can always ask our reservations team for assistance.
Please note if you are including any of the trips in the Balearic’s like Ibiza you will need to make your own way there. Ryanair and Vueling have great low-cost flight options or you can get a ferry from Barcelona or Denia (80Km south of Valencia).
The Xtreme passport is open dated and valid from one year from the start date of your passport. The key dates for the festivals and events are as follows. You do not have to do it all in one go, which means you can combine it with working and travelling to different locations or perhaps using a hop on hop off pass to get you between events.
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Have you always wanted to do Ibiza? While this is your chance to come party with us and meet people from all over the world. The Xtreme ibiza Weekender can be booked as a stand-alone, or you can include it in your Xtreme passport or ultimate Europe trip. You can even combine it as part of a wider Baleric islands hopping tour combining Majorca & Barcelona Weekender as well.
Ibiza is not cheap, a spirit and a mixer in one of the clubs will cost you about £12. Eating out in a restaurant may cost £30. Having said that this is a budget backpacking trip,
We would recommend you bring about £100 per night to cover club expenses and Taxis. Remember though all of your accommodation, food and drinks at the resort are included and your club entry at a super clubs are discounted, so this makes this a great value Ibiza holiday.
*Additional local payments for marked items
Trips Run all summer Start in Barcelona with the boat option every Thursday or in Ibiza on Friday
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Time to party your pants off with the best of them at some of Europe’s top festivals and have an epic summer that you will probably forget. Starting in June you can pick three out of the following five events with transport (fully guided) included.
You can choose from the following festivals & Trips:
Trip starts the 12th June 2014 in Barcelona
Trip starts the 12th June 2014 in Barcelona
San Vino, as we call it, La Batalla del Vino de Haro, as the locals call it, is a full on war path in the middle of the vineyard and we own it. All’s fair in love and wine battles. We take a bus from Barcelona or San Sebastián to the small town of Haro, we party in our campsite and have dinner together to plan strategies for the battle.
We then pay last regards and walk into a town with your classic Spanish street festival. If you’ve never been to a Spanish street festival, holy vineyard… this is the one. Bands everywhere, open drinking in the streets and in the morning we all go throw wine on each other. In the vineyard, as the sun rises.
Farmers versus public servants, women versus serfs, tourists versus that tree that was lookin’ at you funny. It’s a no-holds-barred rootin’ tootin’ red wine drinkin’ beautyfest.
At the filthy end you can choose to swim down the creek back home, drop in on a farmers truck to come back, swim in the pool at our campsite, all the while discarding wine at your feet like some hoboriffic wino Hansel and Gretel. We spend another night in the idyllic, mountainous town partying up a storm and running riot, and then we all dust off, drink a bit more and head back to Barcelona or San Sebastian. Because that’s just how it’s going to happen.
“San Vino is a vicious and outrageous war and you would naïve if you thought you could avoid ruining every item of clothing you’re wearing, dying your entire body purple for a few days or if you thought it was possible to find some sort of escape from the madness amongst the vines.”
“My childhood was filled with Xtreme moments. From the minute I busted forth from fruitful and dampened loins, to the minute I leapt from the top of the swing, landed on the playground and made that uppercut movement and was like, “yeah”, I have always been in search of a new place I can shower myself in new juices. So when I visited San Vino last year it was like I’d come full circle, and was also the fourth time I’ve been able to do that. The second and third time being when I spilt Fanta on myself and bent over to lick it up.”
San Sebastian, the Basque Country and we bask really hard here! For those of who know it (and I mean really know it that way we know it) you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who don’t, let us show you and we promise you’ll probably never want to leave.
Your itinerary for the day looks like this: wake up, eat, surf, drink beer, nap, drink beer, tan, have a beer, socialize, swim, eat, drink sangria, party at a club and then wake up by the beach surrounded by the clearest waters, the most beautiful and chilled out people you’ll ever meet and the Pyrenees mountains. And then probably grab another beer.
At our surf-camp you’re fully accommodated for: tents are erected, beers are chilled, food is served and parties are organized. Even if you don’t surf or swim, you’re guaranteed a great time tanning, drinking and mingling with our fully diverse and international staff. Learn a few new international phrases, a few more drinking games and make some memories that you’ll probably never remember with friends that you won’t forget.
The basic package includes camping accommodation in a twin share and hearty breakfast in the morning. Add-ons: meals, surfboard hire and surf lessons.
For 5€ a day get unlimited beer, wine and sangria all day long!
Check out our full package: All-inclusive for only 60€ a day. Have it all with three meals a day, surf hire and surf lessons.
Your life will never be the same again. This is what heaven is like. Our little slice of paradise, and we’re sharing our cake with you.
Includes
Benicassim is one of those festivals we love just because it really doesn’t matter who plays. The Bingy bongys? The sha la lalaylas? The wingy dingy who-nows? Whatever. The town becomes a beautiful festival in itself.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s an awesome lineup every year, and it’s organised so well that you can’t go to the loo without someone helping you out to where you need to go and how you need to do it. It’s in the middle of a desert, for 4 days, next to a beach, in a sleepy town with fountains and public libraries and municipal facilities that let you do whatever you want for those four precious, special little days. It started as the little festival that could, and became the big festival that did.
It’s everything you want, and not much more. But why would you need more? It’s everything you want. So stop asking.
When we go, we rock the shit out of it.
Everyone moves to our set and learns to our grooves, and once again we get reminded why our friends and us get proclaimed the monarchy of dance, every single night.
Self-proclaimed. But still. Jealousy it seems, takes many forms.
One of the best festivals is always the one where you needn’t worry for showering, taking naps, snaps and chicken wraps because you can do all that at the beach tomorrow, and then head on back to the festival that night.
Year after year this tiny Spanish town takes us in with our blowup Lilo mattresses in the town fountains, in the beaches, on the hills, on top of crowds, the limit is with your imagination, my new friends.
The festival has a stellar lineup every time and an excellent Spanish reputation for making you sweat out your sleep from about 5 am til 9am, and then it’s straight down the beach til the music starts again at 4pm. I’m telling you, Benicassim is raw and it’s great and for €350 all included? You’d be stupid not to.
More on the Sonar Festival:
The Sonar Festival is an amazing experience to be enjoyed in Barcelona, Spain. There’s nothing like it and its authenticity and creative spark drive the increasing popularity from year to year. It was founded in 1994 as a festival for advanced music and multimedia art and was modestly attended with media coverage from the first event. The hype after the shows closed continued across the next two years as it expanded and sent some notable performers into the global music scene. In fact, the Sonar Festival is part of the reason that electronic music has continued to evolve and gain traction over the last 20 years.
The festival takes place in the city center of Barcelona every June when it is flooded with approximately 80,000 visitors. The electronic music rumbles through the streets from gigantic venues and the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement across crowds of hip, exciting music fans. Famous performers rub elbows with festival attendees and Barcelona happily opens their doors to everyone.
However, the festival is more than just an opportunity to bring great, new music to adoring fans. The Sonar Festival, since its emergence two decades ago, is dedicated to living up to its name as a festival for advanced music and multimedia art. Offering conferences, film screenings, demos, online content, and exhibitions are just some of the ways that they meet these goals of supporting the artistic communities. One of the extra special features of the festival is its intentional design as an open laboratory, rather than a traditional fair format. Technology enthusiasts can experience hands-on workshops and demos with professionals in the industry. It really is more than just a cut-and-dry music festival, it’s an experience that lives up to the hype as one of the biggest events on the European calendar.
Accommodation differs from Festival to Festival but in general it is based in tents or hostel accommodation. Please check each individual Festival for details.
The starts in Barcelona on 12 June if you want to book a couple of extra days in Barcelona prior to starting let us know and we can arrange that for you.
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San Vino, as we call it, La Batalla del Vino de Haro, as the locals call it, is a full on war path in the middle of the vineyard and we own it. All’s fair in love and wine battles. We take a bus from Barcelona or San Sebastián to the small town of Haro, we party in our campsite and have dinner together to plan strategies for the battle.
We then pay last regards and walk into a town with your classic Spanish street festival. If you’ve never been to a Spanish street festival, holy vineyard… this is the one. Bands everywhere, open drinking in the streets and in the morning we all go throw wine on each other. In the vineyard, as the sun rises.
Farmers versus public servants, women versus serfs, tourists versus that tree that was lookin’ at you funny. It’s a no-holds-barred rootin’ tootin’ red wine drinkin’ beautyfest.
At the filthy end you can choose to swim down the creek back home, drop in on a farmers truck to come back, swim in the pool at our campsite, all the while discarding wine at your feet like some hoboriffic wino Hansel and Gretel. We spend another night in the idyllic, mountainous town partying up a storm and running riot, and then we all dust off, drink a bit more and head back to Barcelona or San Sebastian. Because that’s just how it’s going to happen.
Sleep: 2 nights’ Camping accommodation (twin share tent, mattress & sleeping bag provided and set-up for you).
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We love a good road trip in the company of good new mates led by our lunatic guides. We will show you the best of Spain and Portugal with included festivals and events, this is going to be an awesome summer trip. The difficulty for you will be deciding which awesome date to pick as each one is unique!
Fast Facts:
It’s a sacred and hallowed institution for many criminals, deadbeats, and backpackers and Xtreme Gappers. As many of our best days have been those shared on the road. Sleeping on the car, in the ground, over a shoulder, on your pants, yessir, even the pants you were just wearing. Pants as a pillow, travelling just like Don Quixote de la Mancha.
Don’t worry about driving, don’t worry about rules, and don’t worry about pants, because it’s hot in the middle of Spain.
For those who bemoan the current trend of crappy budget flights, rigid train authorities or for those who just miss old school travel or moving within any country with misquoted timetables, inconvenient rail tracks and long routes with which to transport goods and materials.
Or just for those who’ve just never got on the road and seen the best of the Iberian Peninsula, wipe those teary eyes and prepare to get them bloodshot through dust, wind, sangria and asphalt. Sounds great? It is.
With that in mind we have 5 new Spanish and Portuguese road trips this year, slapping together our best Summer festivals and our favourite cities.
5 options, all starting in Barcelona and hitting San Sebastian, Granada, Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia. 4 options include the awesome country of Portugal, which Spain always wished they had, because holy inquisition is it pretty. Options for Malaga, Porto, Ibiza, Lagos and all sorts are available (see below).
With types of tours around every city, both partying and cultural, this is your greatest option to spend three weeks hot, sweaty, dazed, damaged and confused. It’s a liberating thought that will excite you (and us) from now until then, it’s a bit of adventure through heat, festivals, beaches and new cities. It’ll be amazing.
Come on one of our road trips, if only to check the maps, change the music, and clean the windshield.
Please note this trip has different itineraries depending on your startdate. This takes into account the best festivals and parties happening throughout the summer season choose from the following departure dates and itineraries.
Lanjaron Granada; Sumol Reggae Lisbon and Running of the Bulls Opening Weekend.
You can easily bolt on an extra night in Barcelona, Or the Ibiza Weekender
BBK Festival and Running of the Bulls Closing Ceremony
We stay in a range of guest houses, Dorms and tents along the way.
Not included but optional upgrades:
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Why Spanish and surf? It’s a great way to spend time in Conil, mixing up the learning with some outdoor activities! We work with the most popular language school in Conil – Academia Andaluza, which has an award with Cervantes for quality language learning. Our students have always been very happy with the teaching and the extra cultural activities.
Even if you have never surfed before, or even spoken a single word of Spanish this is a fantastic program to join. It will give you a great sense of achievement both in the water and in the classroom.
Consistent waves all year round, make this a great surf destination.
Conil de la Frontera is a traditional fishing town located on the Costa del la Luz (Coast of Light). White houses go all the way down to a vast beach: the sand merges with the sea and disappears into the horizon. Those in the know, this town to take advantage of its amazing surf conditions, great beaches and laid-back atmosphere. It is kite surf and surf heaven, located a short distance from the major surf spots of Tarifa – one of the coolest places in the country – and the lesser know but equally awesome Canos de Meca.
Conil’s beautiful beaches are the most attractive spot in town, as well as the cliffs and the pine forest of Roche. The friendly people, the delicious and varied gastronomy, the streets and squares all make this typical Andalusian town worth visiting.
It is one of the liveliest towns on the Andalusian coast, with bars, discotheques and restaurants where you can find the best night life in the whole region, without losing its charm as a place to relax.
In Conil you will find facilities and services for you to keep fit, too. You can choose swimming, football, horse riding, golf, tennis, surfing… And if you feel really adventurous you can also try learning flamenco dancing!
Accommodation would be with other students on the language course, in shared apartments centrally located in Conil. There are different prices for an individual room or for a double room. For two people to share the same room they must come together in the same booking.
Or fly in to Sevilla. there is a bus to Conil. It will take about 2 hrs. The bus runs every 30 min. The price is about 12 GBP
Individual room
Double room – prices per person
Dates are flexible. Please contact us with your preferred travel dates. You should however arrive on a Sunday. so you are all set to start on the Monday.
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Hop on hop off is all about being flexible. It enables you to join an extensive travel network giving you limitless options to build your own European trip. Our roots have been created for travellers by travellers and if you have a first to discover Europe, party with like-minded people and have the best time of your life then this is for you. We cover 34 destinations, you can travel at your own pace and if you get itchy feet every second day there are departures from all of our locations.
So you want to see Europe, but you want to do it your way. You have a couple of options. Buy a car and watch your entire travel budget gets sucked down the petrol pump before you’ve hit Paris. Get a Euro rail ticket and what your entire travel budget go on expensive sandwiches (Eurorail trains don’t stop in France these days either). Or join a bunch of like-minded travellers using a flexible hop on hop off coach network pass. Build your own trip and do your own thing. Perfect to link up festivals, Xtreme Gap weekenders and the best parties all over Europe.
There are two different types of passes available.
You can take anywhere between three weeks to 6 months to complete this trip. If you are really going for it 15 days but hey why rush it.
You can take anywhere between three weeks to 6 months to complete this trip. If you are really going for it 17 days but hey why rush it.
You can take anywhere between 4 weeks to 6 months to complete this trip. If you are really going for it 15 days but hey why rush it.
Accommodation is not included with our hop on hop off passes. We have expert guides on all buses who are able to pick you up and drop you off at our recommended hostels, but you are not tied to staying in any particular one. This is great because you’d never know who you will meet and what adventures you will have, so it’s nice to have that flexibility in there.
But why worry about it all,You can book an Xtreme passport with this gaining new entrance to some of the top festivals and events all over Europe and as its prepaid you know you will not run out of money. That just leaves you with a hostel bed and Food & Drink to deal with.
You can always jump back on board where you left off by using low-cost airlines to connect with The UK to work (handy with a working holiday Visa for non-UK nationals). Make sure your budget is carefully planned before starting. Accommodation is anywhere between €15-€30 per night. Then you will want to add another €20-€30 per day for everything else.
You can join this at any time we run all year. You will have a booking system where you can login and book your sectors as you go.
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