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If there is anything to rival the museums and cuisine of cities like Barcelona, London or Berlin, it would have to be those beach strolls down the Barceloneta, those slow picnics at Hyde Park, or the sharp contrasts of Berlin’s neighborhoods. There is no question about it: a leisurely walk through the streets and alleyways of a city is the best way to discover its roots. Besides, there are about one thousand things to do for a perfect and easy day out, be it with your family, love interest, or friends. But what better plan than spending time outdoors? These are some of the activities you can’t miss out on…
Film Festivals
Suitable for all audiences and mostly free of charge- film festivals are a most welcome night out when the evenings start to get warmer.
Barcelona
Barcelona’s Sala Montjuïc will be screening shorts and hosting picnics and concerts from July 4th to August 7th, in addition to full length feature films such as The Great Budapest Hotel, Boyhood or Her (all in their subtitled original version). Tickets are sold in packs that include a movie night, a short screening, and a concert (and in a nod to all couch potatoes out there, there are lounge chairs for rent). There’s also the option to add a guided tour of Montjuïc Castle to the pack for a small surcharge.
London
Similar festivals are also held in London all summer long. One of the most remarkable ones is perhaps Luna Cinema, held from July 1st to September 20th, at amazing locations all over the city: from royal palaces, to large green areas like Regent’s Park, or even in emblematic buildings such as Hampton Court Palace. They will mostly be showing Academy Award winning movies such as Birdman or The Theory of Everything; and classics like Casablanca or Some Like It Hot.
Berlin
Berlin is also not lacking in outdoor movie screenings. The open-air cinema Hasenheide will be showing movies nightly until September 5th; some in German, and some in their original language with German subtitles. The sheer number of screenings allows for a broader selection of genres, visiting everything and anything from animation, to comedy, action, and classics.
Jazz Beats
Though born in the late 19th century, jazz is making a comeback in most European capitals to the surprise of few- its danceable beat that leaves ample room for improvisation makes it easy for everyone to enjoy this genre.
Barcelona
Barcelona’s Sundays are purely musical in May and June with the series of free outdoor concerts Martini Vermut Jazz, right outside the Auditorium. The stage will be furnished with tables where concert-goers can enjoy a good glass of vermouth with their jazz. Show up early to book a table.
London
The English capital is a wealth of Jazz shows both in clubs or outdoors, depending on the organizers and climate conditions (British summer spoiler alert). Some of London’s best-established summer-season music festivals are, in chronological order: The Mill Hill Music Festival, The Ealing Jazz Festival, The London Latin Jazz Fest and the London Jazz Festival, ending at the close of November.
Berlin
If you missed Berlin’s Xjazz Festival in May 2015, you can’t let Jazzfest pass you by, from the 5th to the 8th of November. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious Jazz festivals in Europe, with guests of the likes of Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington.
But What if It Rains?
There are plan-B options to most of the events above, which in the past have been known to include anything from rescheduling, to handing out umbrellas to members of the audience. But if you’d rather not set foot outside in the rain, our best advice is that you stay in and enjoy your Barcelona, London, or Berlin apartment. Because even summer nights can sometimes call for a night in on the couch with a good movie and a light blanket!
