Culture and traditions

It’s summertime, night falls and you suddenly remember that this is the best time of the year for skywatching and stargazing. You look up and, right on time, spot the planet Venus rearing its bright head, announcing the show to come. The Perseids, also known as the Tears of Saint Lawrence, faithfully await you, like every summer, to make you reflect for a while on the immensity and beauty that surrounds us... Have you made a wish yet?

Cava is a world-famous sparkling wine that no important meal or celebration can be without. It’s part of our everyday life, a fixture of the dining table. As children we wonder whether those bubbles we aren’t allowed to taste will tickle our mouths. But have you ever wondered how and why cava began to be produced in the Penedès area? The story takes us to Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, covering dramatic events of the 19^th-century history when phylloxera wiped out 90% of Europe’s vineyards...

If you can never make your mind up when it comes to choosing between nature or culture, this article is for you. We suggest five plans that combine both things: five picnic areas located in natural surroundings where you can go on a cultural visit or simply enjoy the beauty of a nearby architectural element. Get ready to take notes!

Joan Abelló i Prat (1922-2008), el pintor de Mollet del Vallès, va ser un col·leccionista apassionat. Al llarg de la seva vida va aplegar milers de peces, obres d’art i objectes de tota mena que encabia a la casa on va néixer i que, amb els anys, va haver d’ampliar annexant-hi les cases veïnes. Aquest museu és la Casa del Pintor Abelló, una joia per descobrir.

Amb més de mil anys d’història, Manresa reuneix un important patrimoni cultural, que inclou des de restes del recinte emmurallat i una basílica gòtica fins a cases modernistes. Per conèixer el seu passat medieval, el singular carrer del Balç és un magnífic punt de partida. 

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.