There are two forms of volleyball played here: indoor volleyball (volei de pista) and beach volleyball (volei de platge). While it is a popular hobby in Barcelona, it tends to be played in informally, among friends or colleagues. Vila Olímpica beach volleyball club (www.geocities.com/voleyplayabcn) is a friendly international group of enthusiasts. The group don’t take themselves too seriously, which is a refreshing change from the sometimes cliquey, Catalan-dominated, official volleyball clubs. In summer, you will see members playing at Vila Olímpica from 17:00 every day. In Spring, the group play on weekends from 15:00 and in winter play is shifted to 13:00. If you want to brush up your technique, there are beginners’, intermediate and advanced master classes, taught by experienced beach volleyball professionals. Also, there is a large Brazilian contingent in the multi-national group, making the samba social nights just as lively as the volleyball games. If you’d like to get involved, send an email (icariavoleyplaya@yahoo.es) or go down to Vila Olímpica beach and chat to the players directly.