Culture and traditions

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.

Over a thousand years after Abbot Oliba’s appointment as Bishop of Vic, there are various mediaeval routes and places in the city through which to explore his legacy. While special occasions and anniversaries are celebrated every day, millennial anniversaries are few and far between. The Oliba celebration shows the importance of this renovator of the Church and great promoter of Romanesque art and architecture in Catalonia. The legacy of the visionary bishop, who laid the foundations for a Catalan spiritualism based on peace, is alive and well in the city of Vic, with its beautiful historical and mediaeval centre.

Showing full respect to local culture is one of the main principles of sustainable tourism. But since it’s difficult to show respect to what we don’t know, before travelling to place, we should try and find out about the most important aspects of its tangible and intangible heritage. So if you’re thinking of visiting the regions of Barcelona in the near future, here are five keys to enjoying a truly authentic trip and not feeling like just another tourist as you travel around.

Getting to Granollers isn’t so easy but once you’re there you won’t want to leave. You’ll be drawn in by the hustle and bustle of its market, the charm of its historical centre (ideal for a leisurely stroll), the splendour of its architectural heritage, the creativity of the Arts Factory and an endless number of other attractions. Visit the captivating capital of the Vallès Oriental region!

A distinctive region awaits you in the heart of Catalonia, full of stark contrasts, where you can see the imprint left by history. In Bages, prehistoric remains happily coexist with baroque monuments, while the high peaks appear to be watching over the extensive, fertile vineyards. If you don’t like half measures, you're sure to find this area fascinating!