There's so much to enjoy!
Everybody knows Catalonia's capital Barcelona which was the 5th most visited city in Europe and 20th in the world. In 2018, around 9 million tourists stayed in the city and 19 million international visitors visited Catalonia. You will be especially rewarded with many beautiful places if you can travel outside of the high-season.
We already published two blogs covering Barcelona and Costa Brava (see links at the end of this blog) which we visited many times as Aaron's parents have lived there for over 20 years. Now we're going to show you some other highlights in Catalonia, one of the 17 regions of Spain.
Probably the most popular day-trip from Barcelona is to the mountains of Montserrat which can be reached by train from Barcelona. High up, almost on top of the mountain lies a monastery in a magnificent location. The spectacular shape of the rocks above the buildings are best observed from a viewpoint called Creu de Sant Miquel. We recommend staying overnight to enjoy the sunrise from this stunning spot and only a 15-20 minutes walk.
After Aaron's mum passed away he visited this spiritual place in August 2020. Due to travel restrictions there weren't many visitors and therefore no queues to see the famous black Madonna statue. He had the chance to watch an organ player practicing in the church and listen to a boys choir from a seat on an outdoor bench, which he said was 'truly magic'.
Another place for a pilgrimage of a very different kind is Girona. Firstly, fans of Game of Thrones will find the major setting for the city of Braavos. The Old Town, the cathedral and the view from the bridge over the river Onyar are also really worth a trip.
Secondly, Girona is famous for food. El Celler de Can Roca was voted twice as the best restaurant in the world. And before that it was El Bulli (nowadays closed) which was #1 for a record of five times. We never managed to dine there as you need to reserve as far as one year in advance! But, Aaron once managed get football tickets for a Girona vs Barcelona match with his Dad!
Close to Girona there is another little treasure: the charming Medieval town of Besalú. The Romanesque bridge to the old town is a great photo location. Certainly one of the best preserved old towns in Catalonia and we recommend taking time for lunch in one of the restaurants in the main square or along the river bed.
The further inland you drive the more you will see the yellow symbol of the Catalan independence movement. At the well-known Plaça Major in Vic you can see pictures of the independence party’s politicians plastered to the house facades. Some of these people are either in exile or in prison: in 2017 the parliament declared independence from Spain to the great displeasure of the government in Madrid.
Generally, we wouldn't put Vic on a must-see list, but not far away and close to Roda de Ter is the beautiful Mirador del Ter. Aaron went there to watch and photograph the sunrise - he was expecting to find a popular lookout platform. Instead, the dirt road ended in the middle of the forrest and he had to walk the rest of the way along a small path. Along the way, many rabbits kept jumping out of the bushes! He was able to finally get this magnificent view all to himself.
A trip south of Barcelona is also highly recommendable. The following roundtrip provides a great day trip, starting at sunrise in Siurana in the mountains of Priorat. It’s a steep drive up the hill to reach this highlight. The location on the edge of a cliff, the reservoir below and the church at first light of day is an amazing experience.
From here you continue through the green mountains of Prades. Right in the middle of nowhere at an altitude of 940m lies the little town of Prades with an intact historical centre and a dominant red church. Because of the colour of the stones on many of the buildings this town is locally known as the red village.
At the end of the mountain range the area widens and wine production seems to be dominating. In the middle of vineyards is the UNESCO-listed monastery of Poblet. This was the first of three sister monasteries known as the Cistercian triangle and the burial site of many kings and queens of Aragon. While the kings have lion sculptures at their feet, the queens have dogs.
Not far away lies Montblanc - a Medieval city with intact walls and 31 towers. It is an interesting site but not a personal highlight. Depending on how much time you have, we would recommend going straight on Tarragona. Don't miss the Roman amphitheatre next to the sea for a great picture. A very special location indeed with a beach in the background.
Tarragona or Tarraco on the Costa Dorada, is the oldest Roman settlement in Spain and at its height was the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Citerior. The 'Rome of Iberian Peninsula' offers an interesting historical centre. Around lunch time, it's best to find a restaurant around the cathedral with its narrow alleys to be a bit protected from the sun.
On the way back to Barcelona or to the airport there's another interesting stop in Sitges. Walking through the historic town with its white houses, many shops, bars and restaurants or spending time at the Platja de la Fragata with a beautiful church at the top of the cliff is another highlight in Catalonia. Sitges is a popular tourist destination with many beaches and a large promenade. This place was less impacted by the tourism boom when large apartment blocks mushroomed all over Spain.
Driving around Catalonia is always an exceptional experience. With every new trip we take the opportunity to discover more places this amazing region has to offer. See you again Catalunya!
Here are our other blogs covering Spain (with links):
Part 1: Barcelona
Part 2: Costa Brava
Part 3: La Palma
"One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name"
(The Call - Thomas Osbert Morsdaunt, 1730-1809)
Travel blog and travel guide by Aaron Matzinger & Clare Walker
© Aaron Matzinger & Clare Walker