Holiday in Catalonia

What makes Catalonia special as a destination?

Catalonia in northeastern Spain captivates with the cosmopolitan metropolis of Barcelona, the wild Costa Brava, and the Pyrenees in the hinterland. The region has a distinct identity with its own language (Catalan), its own cuisine, and a culture that consciously distinguishes itself from the rest of Spain. Gaudí's Sagrada Família, Dalí's dream world in Figueres, and the Romanesque churches in the Vall de Boí (all UNESCO World Heritage sites) showcase the cultural diversity. The Costa Brava in the northeast is the rugged counterpart to the Costa Blanca: Jagged rocky coves with crystal-clear water, medieval coastal villages like Tossa de Mar and Cadaqués (where Dalí lived), and diving hotspots around the Medes Islands. The hinterland surprises with the volcanic landscape of La Garrotxa, the medieval jewel of Besalú with its Romanesque bridge, and the gourmet capital of Girona. The Catalan Pyrenees offer top-notch skiing in Baqueira-Beret, the Romanesque church treasures in the Vall de Boí, and the Aigüestortes National Park with its over 200 mountain lakes. Tarragona on the southern coast shines with Roman ruins (UNESCO) and the spectacular Castell Festival, where human towers of up to ten stories are built — also a UNESCO cultural heritage. Catalan cuisine combines sea and mountains: Mar i Muntanya (Surf and Turf), Escudella, Crema Catalana, and Cava from the Penedès form a unique gastronomic tradition.