Barcelona apartment rentals

Barcelona is a fascinating city, with a buzzing rhythm reigning in this cosmopolitan heart of the Mediterranean. There are always lots of things to explore and to visit: the Roman origins, the great medieval old city, fishing quarters, the newer modernist district, the impressive urban architecture that arrived with the Olympic Games, the design shops, the parks, the beaches, the markets. And if you suffer of a culture overdose, just enjoy Barcelona's rich gastronomy, one of its many terraces or look for a live concert in one of its many bars, theatre halls or churches. The last thing you should have to worry about is your accommodation.

These days it has become popular to rent an apartment in Barcelona. Apart from being cheaper than hotels, you will have much more space, more privacy, more flexibility, and will definitely enjoy a more personalised atmosphere and a feeling of being at home.

The problem is there are hundreds of companies renting out apartments in Barcelona right now and naturally, some are better than others.

It can be a nightmare finding a good place to stay. Imagine this - all your friends think you're amazing because you have booked an amazing apartment on "La Rambla" for a bargain price, right in the middle of summer. However, once you arrive, you soon realise that this is not the famous "Las Ramblas" in the Barcelona city centre, but "La Rambla" in Sabadell - a town about 25km outside the Catalonian capital. You're not quite as popular with your friends right now and you wish you'd spent a little more time investigating the whole apartment rental world.

So how can you avoid situations such as these? Well basically, you need to find a trustworthy rental company, one that offers quality. One where you won't find any dodgy apartments located on a fifth floor without elevator - and there are many apartments like that in Barcelona. One that doesn't offer their guests mattresses on the floor, worn-out beds and a bathroom that is oh-so-authentic but hasn't been renovated since Gaudi was still alive.

Look for a company that is fully licensed, with apartments that meet the official requirements of the Generalitat (the local Catalan government). If a company meets certain standards, there's more chance that the apartments they offer will be of a higher quality.

There are plenty of things to look for when choosing a good Barcelona apartment rental company. Below is a short list of things to check for and ask about before making a decision:

Is the apartment fully furnished?

Is there a TV, DVD player & Internet?

Does the apartment have a washing machine, iron and ironing board?

Will you have to take your own sheets and towels?

How far from the city centre is the apartment? (Ask for the address so you can check it out on Google Maps).

Are there any hidden costs such as utility bills, telephone and agency fees and tax?

Is there always someone you can contact in case of emergency?

All these questions need to be answered, but at the end of the day, the decision is yours. Make sure you have done your research and are not disappointed. If in doubt, call the company before booking. If you choose well, your friends will remain good friends for years to come along with the happy memories of a wonderful holiday. And who knows, they may even take you out for dinner to say thank you in one of Barcelona's many gastronomic wonderlands!

Australian visas - tourist and family-related visits

If you want to holiday or visit family in Australia, unless you are a New Zealand citizen, you will need to obtain an Australian visa before you travel. The type of visa you will need broadly depends on what you intend to do in Australia, your nationality and the length of time you want to stay in Australia, but you will probably need either an Electronic Travel Authority (Visitor) or a Tourist visa or a Sponsored Family Visitor visa. Whichever the case, you should apply for the full period of time that you want to remain in Australia, because once there, it is possible that you will be unable to extend your visa.

The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) (Visitor) is just as it sounds - electronic and therefore you may not get a stamp or label in your passport but don't worry, the Australian immigration officers will have a record of your visa.

You can apply for an ETA (Visitor) if you wish to stay for less than three months, if you are outside Australia and hold a passport from one of the 34 eligible countries. You will find a full list of these on the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs website, but included are most countries from Western Europe and Scandinavia, the USA and a number of Far Eastern countries. There are special arrangements for citizens of countries not on the eligible list. An ETA (Visitor) Visa may be obtained via a travel agent or an airline, direct on the Internet or at an Australian visa office in your country of residence. There is no charge for this type of visa unless you apply over the Internet.

You may apply for a Tourist Visa whether you are inside or outside Australia and the duration will usually be 3 or 6 months but can sometimes extend to 12 months if you can prove your ability to support yourself during your stay. Applications for Tourist Visas may be made via the Internet if you are a passport holder of an eligible country, or via a registered travel agent, airline or service provider, a list of which can be found on the website mentioned above.

A Sponsored Family Visitor Visa is applicable for stays between 3 and 12 months and to apply you must be outside Australia and have a sponsor within Australia who is a family member, a member of an Australian parliament or other authorised person. To apply, you will need to complete a form, get a certified copy of your passport and send it all to your sponsor in Australia. Your sponsor will need to complete a different form and make the application on your behalf, sending all the paperwork to the applicable office.

Anyone who is not eligible to apply for an ETA Visitor or Tourist Visa over the Internet can complete a paper application which can be mailed to specific offices of the Australian government overseas.

Australian Visa - Business Visits

If you need to visit Australia on business, even for a very short period of time, you will need to apply for an Australian visa. This article gives some basic details of the three types of business visa available.

There are three types of visa available for business visits to Australia. It should be noted that a business visit is NOT the same as "working" in the context of applying for an Australian visa.

The first is a Short Stay Business Visa which is suitable for a visit of less than three months. This will cover a business person for normal business meetings, negotiations and conferences and may be applied for through their chosen airline or via the internet. This is a Business Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). Alternatively, applications may be made in writing.

The second type of business visa is a Sponsored Business Visitor (short stay) Visa. In order to quality for this type of visa, a business person will need to be sponsored by a member of an Australian parliament, an authorised government agency, local mayor or other authorised organisation and the sponsor will need to guarantee that their visitor will abide by all the visa conditions including that which specifies the date by which they must leave the country.

The third business visa is a Temporary Business (Long Stay) visa. To apply for one of these, an applicant must have an approved employer as a sponsor who has an eligible position available. The employer can be an Australian or overseas company and the employee must be a foreign national with the applicable skills to fill the position. The eligible position must have been approved as a skilled occupation suitable for this program, must be full time and of a minimum salary as well as meeting various Australian laws and award requirements. However, before the employee can apply for a visa, the employer will need to apply to be a sponsor of overseas employees and nominate the job vacancies to be filled. The nomination period will be 12 months or until all the vacancies are filled, whichever is the shorter. The sponsorship will be for a period of 2 years and the visa period may be anything from 3 months to 4 years. However, if the employee wishes to change employment, he will need to find a new approved sponsor with an eligible position and re-apply for a visa.

Full details of all the above can be found on the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs website.

In our next article, we will look at working in Australia as opposed to being a business visitor.

Ten things to do in london

If you’re planning a vacation to London, be sure to take advantage of this wonderful city with so much to offer. London is brimming with an array of exciting things to do and things to see for all ages and tastes. As one of the culture capitals of the world, London holds sight seeing and tourist adventures that you can’t experience anywhere else. Get the most out of your London vacation and let it loose by visiting these ten must see things to do in London!

1. The British Museum. Sir Hans Sloane had contributed his mass collection of over 71,000 interesting items when the British Museum was founded in 1753. In the nineteenth century, the museum began to flourish, increasing its inventory of interesting items to over seven million; many of these items are over 10,000 years old. The British Museum’s charter had insisted that the museum remain open free of charge to all those curious and studious persons who wish to enter. Spend and astounding afternoon wandering the eternal corridors and discover some of mankind’s greatest cultural achievements and explore the great relics of the Greek and Egyptian empires.

2. British Airways London Eye. Welcoming nearly four millions guests each year, the London Eye has become one of the most popular attractions in London. This observation wheel stands 135 meters over the city of London and is currently the tallest observation wheel in the world. This exploitation of modern engineering allows visitors to view London with a new perspective, revealing sections of the city that are nor visible from the ground. Described as an inspiring and enchanting experience, the London Eye has become an essential to visitors to complete the London experience.

3. Saint Paul’s Cathedral. A fascinating depot of British history and an inspirational centerpiece of reconstruction after the great London fire of 1666, Sir Christopher Wren’s cathedral still remains a spiritual focus of Great Britain. Famous for hosting royal weddings, birthdays, celebrations and even funerals of Great Britain leaders under the great dome of Saint Paul’s Cathedral and a beautiful piece of history.

4. The National Gallery. Located in the heart of Trafalgar Square it houses some of the world’s finest art dating back to the 13th century. Construction of the National Gallery began in 1832 and since then had collected the fine arts of da Vinci, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and many more. A visitor can spend days inside the National Gallery trying to view all its contents.

5. London Zoo. Regents Park contains one of the world’s most famous zoo’s that is home to over 12,000 animals. Animal shows are held daily to allow zoo visitors to learn more about a species through the animals’ handler. The London Zoo is considered a must see among visitors and residents and is suggested to be visited at least twice in order to complete the London Zoo experience.

6. Tate Modern. Viewed as London’s most innovative gallery, it includes an array of exhibitions and grand collections of modern art. Appealing to children and adults, amateurs and experts, with the collections of artists like Andy Warhol, Matisse and Bacon. Tate Modern is considered one of the top must see galleries of London.

7. Tower of London. Built with imported white stone from France, the Tower of London has been known to protect, imprison, and execute the people of London. The Tower of London was dubbed the “bloody tower” where Richard III had allegedly murdered his nephews.

8. The Natural History Museum. An attractive gothic building that houses one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaurs with exhibitions dominating the great halls and towering above awe stricken visitors.

9. The Madame Tussaud’s Experience. A museum of abhorrent waxworks and animatronics displays demonstrating the darkest parts of British history with beheading, torture, murder and plague completed with grisly sound effects. Staff would often dress up in costume and jump out at unsuspecting visitors to add excitement to the mix.

10. Westminster Abbey. A medieval masterpiece and the burial ground for kings, scientists, statesmen, poets and musicians since 1066. Visitors can enjoy the intriguing literary history, the artistic talent that went into the paintings, tombs and murals and be taken aback by the gothic architecture. The Westminster Abbey has become one of London’s most stunning churches.