Culture and traditions

Which Barcelona do you know? The beaches of Maresme, Montserrat, Montseny or Sitges are some of the jewels you should visit if you come to Barcelona this summer. Set aside a couple of days to discover a unique region with a cultural, natural and culinary heritage that will surprise you.

Did you know that you can explore a world of fascinating heritage in the towns of the metropolitan area of Barcelona with the same travel card you use to get around the city itself? Well, you can! There are plenty of tourist attractions close to the capital and they can all be easily be reached by metro, bus, tram and train. 

Per fortuna, cada cop més persones gaudeixen dels plaers de la creació artística: formar-se, investigar, practicar, produir, difondre i exposar interessa a un bon grapat de gent de totes les edats, amb independència de gèneres, orientacions sexuals, recursos econòmics o nivells educatius. I ja ni tan sols és important viure a les grans capitals per rebre la visita de les muses! Les deesses que protegeixen el cant i la poesia, la dansa i la pintura, també van als pobles més petits, als boscos de roures i alzines, a les mansions elegants i a les esglésies de pedra integrades a la natura. No t'ho creus? Et presentem cinc racons de les comarques de Barcelona on l'art i la creativitat en són protagonistes.

Getting away with your friends for a couple of days is one of those plans that brightens up your life. It is hard to agree on a weekend, a place, a budget, and it is even harder to get all your obligations taken care of: work, kids, parents and the never-ending to-do list ..., but when you finally manage to do it and suddenly have 24 or 48 hours to share, take care of yourself and celebrate your friendship, you rediscover yourself and relish the happiness of doing what you love most. This is what Gemma and her friends do, as each year one of them takes charge.

Very close to Barcelona you will find a great many examples of modernista works created between the 19th and 20th centuries. Urban palaces and holiday homes, churches and hospitals, warehouses and gardens, factories and cellars, all with the signature of the great architects of the movement in Catalonia: Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and Josep Puig i Cadafalch, among others. To commemorate this cultural trend, different towns and cities are organizing festivals and fairs to recover their aesthetic quality. Want to find out more about them?

Pyrenean nature, charming villages, some 15 textile model villages and a delta that provides an oasis for peaceful birds, just a stone’s throw from aeroplanes. What links all these elements together? The Llobregat Path! It’s a fully signposted long-distance path stretching 170 km that can be enjoyed in hot and cold weather. It’s a great way to enjoy exploring one of Catalonia’s major rivers on foot or by bike, whichever you prefer. Here are some the stretches we recommend visiting.