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.

For a long time we believed that heritage was only a thing of the past, which is why we visited museums to explore it. But all you have to do is head out for a stroll to see that the streets house the biggest collection of them all. We suggest a route that goes beyond the historical façades of the streets of Barcelona, immortalised every day in thousands of selfies. The cities and towns close to the capital are also home to architectural jewels that make them well worth a visit.

La Cadira (The Chair), La Bardera (named after a nearby ancient farmhouse), El Circell (The Tendril), Sant Pau (Saint Paul) and Balcó del Penedès (Balcony of the Penedès) are the names of the five lookout points that form part of the Miravinya route. This route, designed to be travelled by car, is a fantastic way to discover a good part of the geography of the Alt Penedès region, along with its culture and history. In addition to vineyards, you can also explore mediaeval castles, paper mills, chapels, monasteries, towns and villages, and natural areas of great interest.

Calella is the tourism capital of the Maresme region, long renowned for the beauty of its beaches. But the city has plenty of other attractions that make it a must-see place to visit in the regions of Barcelona. This essential guide, listing just seven of them, is just a little taster to whet your appetite for exploring the rest!

Have you have arrived in a place and not wanted to leave because of how great you felt there, how nice the people were and how wonderful everything was? Well, that's how you'll feel if you visit Mataró. The capital of the Maresme region will hook you with its beaches, its Roman legacy and a modernista route that abounds with treasures.

Industrial buildings, crypts, wineries, gardens... The imagination of the architect Antoni Gaudí knew no bounds and he applied it to any challenge he was given, always in his unmistakable signature style. A century later, we have the good fortune to enjoy several sites in the Barcelona area beyond the capital city. Let’s go on a tour of the works by this genius. Are you ready?