Culture and traditions

World Book Day or Sant Jordi on 23 April is the perfect time to explore the amazing Art Nouveau heritage of the regions around Barcelona. Using roses as our inspiration, we suggest a tour of five places that are a must-see if you love Catalan Modernisme, floral motifs and legends. 

It is difficult to find a more appropriate name than Montserrat (serrated mountain) for Catalonia’s most iconic mountain range. With its unusual shapes, bold peaks and dangerous cliffs, the mountain's imposing profile cuts across the sky above the great central depression of Catalonia, while living up to its name. 

Sometimes, to rediscover the miracle of existence, all you have to do is look up at the sky: far from the light pollution of big cities, you can see the grandeur of the cosmos quite clearly. However, if you want to do it properly, you will need to visit an astronomical observatory. These stargazing centres are located in privileged locations, with stable atmospheric conditions and unpolluted skies, and have such powerful telescopes that, when opened, a superb show unfolds before our eyes. In the regions around Barcelona, there are several of these perfect places for stargazing. Do you know where they are?