Catalonia - Catalan Tourist Board

Grand Tour of Catalonia

As we prepare for a great journey, few moments are as exciting as connecting together the dots on a map to create our route. The Grand Tour of Catalonia takes us along the scenic roads of Catalonia, weaving together the art, history, gastronomy, landscapes, people and traditions of a unique territory nestled between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees. On our journey we will meet Gaudí and Dalí, taste pa amb tomàquet and Michelin-starred meals, visit rural villages and Barcelona, one of the most vibrant cities in the world; we’ll experience the adrenaline rush of a parachute jump and peaceful walks along isolated shorelines, and when the sun goes down we’ll serve wines featuring the terroir of a town famous for its extraordinary “human towers”. All in a land that has put sustainability at the heart of its activities.

For more information visit https://grandtour.catalunya.com/en/

Gastronomy and Wine

Savoring Catalan gastronomy is a journey through the landscapes, traditions, and knowledge of an entire people. Rice, roasts, cold meats, pastries and more: All these dishes speak to the history of the country, the customs of its people and life today and in the future. Try them!

Catalonia is a country made of recipes. Traveling around its geography also means sampling the tastes it offers which help you to understand the true essence of the land you are walking. Fish suquets and platters are a stroll along its beaches and rocky coastline; casseroles and rice dishes take you to orchards and market gardens; stews and roasts have a mountain touch and mushrooms and truffles feature woodland aromas.

Active and Nature

Catalonia has so many natural spaces you won’t manage to see them all… Extensive, green, mountainous, marine, snow-covered and sun-drenched. There you can do what most pleases you: leisure or adventure, observation or physical activity. On land, at sea, or up in the air. You choose, and you’re bound to choose well.

If you’re a mountain lover, we have all of the Pyrenean ski slopes, the network of long and short distance footpaths for hiking, the green ways for cycle touring, horse-riding, ravines… Now, if what really gets you going is the beach, the Mediterranean’s hidden coves await you along with kayaks for you to set off to sea and the best sea beds to explore. And, talking of water, we also have the peace and quiet of the Ebro Delta and the excitement of rafting and riverboarding in mountain rivers.

Culture

Come and explore the most cultural side of Catalonia. Trace the past of the Greeks and Romans who left their legacy in Empúries and in the archaeological ensemble at Tarragona including its amphitheatre and impeccably preserved city walls. If you like to rediscover the medieval past, in Vall de Boí in the Catalan Pyrenees there is a Romanesque ensemble of eight churches and a chapel. The simplicity of form of this artistic movement in Catalonia lends them an exceptional beauty nestled among the valley’s green meadows.

The Art Nouveau buildings sprinkled across Catalonia are a reflection of the Catalan industrial upper middle class’s interest in heritage. The style includes the designs of world-renowned architects such as Gaudí and Domènech i Muntaner, which you can visit in Barcelona, and the wine cathedrals, former wine cellars built by cooperatives.

Sport

Sport goes wherever you go. When you take a trip, you probably bring your running shoes, you look for the most popular cycling routes in the area or a tennis court near the hotel. Catalonia is sports-oriented by tradition.

Is because of the Catalan’s love for sports, there are many clubs in multiple sports and some of the teams or professionals that play in the clubs are considered some of the best in the world. These internationally famed clubs and athletes have Olympic facilities and some of the best equipment in Catalonia.

Family holidays