Barcelona has a distinguished pedigree of hosting great sporting events. With the football World Cup in 1982, the Olympic Games in 1992 and the Champions League Final in 1999, the city is a well established host. Now, in 2010, the Catalan capital is preparing to stage the European Athletics Championships.
The European Athletics Championships will be held from July 26 to August 1. It is the first time the four-yearly event has been held in Spain and will take place in the Olympic Stadium. The stadium was originally built for the 1992 Olympic Games and is still an excellent stage for athletics. This is the first time the event has been staged in Spain. After this year, all the major athletics championships will have visited the country.
The Olympic Stadium can be found in Montjuic. This is where the track and field events will take place. For viewing the events here - ranging from the long jump to the hurdles - you will need a ticket. Tickets are available now and prices vary depending on how many days you want to stay and where you would like to sit. The full six-day pass in the best seats costs €600, while a six-day pass in the cheapest seats is set at €60. You can now print your tickets at home and collect passes at automatic tellers located around the stadium.
If, however, you are a walking or running enthusiast, you can watch the marathon and walking events for free. These will take place throughout the city's streets, which will be lined by thousands of people come the day of the events.
Over 1,500 athletes will take part in various sporting disciplines representing over 50 different countries. The events that often draw the biggest crowds are the sprints, with the finals of the men's 100 metres being held on Wednesday July 28. The women's hundred metres will be run the day after with the relays on the final Sunday. But, no matter when you happen to be in the city, there are some great events taking place. All of Europe's top athletes will be in Barcelona to take part, meaning some amazing spectacles of human speed and endurance.
The organisers of the event hope that it can be used as a tool to get young people interested in sport. During the week of the championships there will also be many celebrations and parties. In fact, the Spanish Athletics Federation has promised a 'big fiesta' in the city. This should be good news for tourists, who are intending on coming to Barcelona at this time. Or, if you haven't yet made up your mind on visiting the city, this should be enough to persuade you.
During the week-long sporting event, the host city will also hold a City Festival. This will include all different types of entertainment, from music and dance to cultural performances. These will occur around the city and some are absolutely free of charge. So, for anyone in Barcelona at this time, there will be lots to see and do.
The European Athletics Championships will be a real festival of sport and you are well advised to check it out. To find out more about all that will be going on, log-on to http://www.bcn2010.org. Here you can learn about all of the disciplines that will be contested and everything else that is happening. You can also find out information about the city, including where to stay and guides to public transport.
Being well versed at hosting sporting events, the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona will be a massive success. With some of the biggest names in sport, this is likely to be the hottest ticket on the sporting calendar in Europe this year. If you are in Barcelona this summer, you will have the chance to take part in the celebrations and watch the amazing spectacles. For sport fans, there really is no better time to visit the Catalan capital.
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