Sitges
Barcelona beyond Barcelona , or what is the same, a summer away from noise and asphalt. How? Thanks to the coastal regions of Barcelona and the incomparable attractiveness that accompanies them. Yes, yes, incomparable. And here we have not one proof, but ten.
SITGES
The most popular town in the Garraf Coast meets 365 days a year locals, artists, bohemians and an engaged international gay community that have made this town what it is today, a cosmopolitan destination at the height of any circumstance.
Sitges not only highlights its Film Festival , or its delicious restaurants on the beach, or its cultural heritage forged based on a past full of rich merchants who were later followed by modernists like Santiago Rusiñol and other culturetas of the time, also for culinary encounters between those of us who stay with the vintage . In the city of malmsey , the most characteristic type of grape of the vineyards of the region, this oenological event is experienced thanks to which a sweet wine made from the variety of the same name , the malvasía, and which is perfect to enjoy with desserts such as a sugar coke.
Palau Maricel, in Sitges
GARRAF
El Garraf is a destination with vintage airs and a free spirit . This is not a statement to use, is a reality . This town of just over 400 has been for years, if not a lifetime, a laid-back family destination with pedal boats and gentle waves.
A seaside town located 30 kilometers from Barcelona capital, that has one of the most beautiful postcard prints, and also one of the most unique: its characteristic row of small green and white sheds located on the beach, or literally on it. Art Deco style and uncertain origin , have been declared an Asset of Tourist Interest and therefore untouchable (thank goodness!); Some say that these particular constructions were simple warehouses where the fishermen kept their fishing gear, but according to others, they were conceived as small shelters built by the inhabitants of Garraf to shelter from inclement weather. Be that as it may, today they represent one of the most recognizable images of the Garraf Coast.
The iconic huts of Garraf
ALT PENEDÈS: SEA, VINEYARDS AND MOUNTAINS
A region blessed with a land of contrasts that is most attractive. And whom the most extensive appellation of origin in Catalonia , there is no plan that resists or winery that does not open its doors to visitors. The offer in Alt Penedès not only drink, but also eat, and in some cases even under the stars.
And it is that in addition to the characteristic tastings or guided tours of the wineries, in the Alt Penedès they go a little further, and the plan runs between a photogenic set up of tables in the middle of their crops , where they organize exceptional gastronomic pairings under the stars . It's the perfect Instagram photo. Behind closed doors, and in the old headquarters of the Royal Palace of Vilafranca del Penedès , the VINSEUM (Museum of Wine Cultures of Catalonia) encourages visitors to travel through the history of wine to the present day. We toast to it.
Wine tourism in the Penedès
BAIX LLOBREGAT
Sublime horizontality in a place where words like heritage and nature . And as a sample, a button, or better a jewel, the one he gave to the Baix Llobregat the most important modernist architect . The architect is, of course, Antonio Gaudi , and the jewel in question is the crypt of the Colony Guell , an amazing building that has been declared Heritage of humanity by unesco . The particularity of this place, in addition to its author's signature, are the pineapple-shaped stained glass windows, which gently filter the sun's rays, dyeing the space with all the colors of the rainbow. Pure magic in a destination whose attractions range from the Romans to the water crossing of the Llobregat delta. It's a unique show.
Gaudí's crypt in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, in Baix Llobregat
LLOBREGAT DELTA
And of course there is also a delta here, the Llobregat , a place to breathe the silence and admire natural life. A privileged space that occupies 926 hectares that resist the siege of civilization thanks to a unique ecosystem . Here there are also different routes and activities to discover this space, although you can also do it on your own. If so, any of them should make a stop at the facilities of the Marine Animal Recovery Center , a stop that will serve the traveler to discover the species that inhabit the area, as well as all the actions that are carried out for its preservation. And perhaps most importantly, the objective of raising awareness of the risks faced by the animals that live in this ecosystem.
Llobregat Delta Natural Area
THE MARESME
Sea! is one of the most famous songs of the Catalan group Manuel and, although we do not know if he was referring exactly to this Barcelona region, it could be a good inspiration. The reason is that The Maresme always faces the sea, thanks, among other things, to its particular orography.
And what can be done in the sea? Well, many things, but above all enjoy it. The region has five marinas with a wide nautical offer that ranges from diving, sailing or sailing, to boat rental or scheduled outings. More attractions of the Mediterranean? its fruits . Thanks to the scrupulous preservation of traditions, in the Maresme you can go to the auctions that are organized daily in the fish markets , and that they are, in addition, quite a spectacle. Some, like the one in the Montgat beach , they are made directly on the sand, and you have to hurry, in half an hour there will be none of those baskets of delicious fresh fish.
Parasailing in the Maresme
NATURAL PARKS OF THE WESTERN VALLÈS
If you are one of those who in summer need escape the heat and take refuge in nature , here is also an option for you. Well, many. Sometimes it is necessary to lose oneself in order to find oneself again, and the idyllic places of this plan they are one of the best temptations to do it, even if, oh, only for a few days.
We are now located in the Western Valleys , in the municipality of Sant Llorenc Savall , where he ripoll river he draws landscapes of great beauty on his journey south. And very close, in a place where the temperatures give the traveler a break, is the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park and the Serra de Collserola Natural Park , two green spaces of great ecological and environmental value with numerous routes for all levels and fully marked trails for the most novice walkers.
Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park
SERRA DE COLLSEROLA NATURAL PARK
There is no place that has not visited this central park of the Barcelona metropolis. Or maybe yes, but they are few. With Tibidabo as the most emblematic hill , the Collserola massif Today it has become an essential natural space for the union of different localities. An urban natural park? Very nearly. The one from the Serra de Collserola has 8,295 hectares and it is a true green lung and a recreational space for the cities that surround it, which always strive to combine the maintenance of its natural and cultural values with sustainable use by citizens.
Serra de Collserola Natural Park
MODERNISM
One of the most important cultural movements in history also has a large presence in the regions of Barcelona. There is life beyond the Sagrada Familia . And not little. Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch signed numerous examples of modernist works created straddling the 19th and 20th centuries , among which stood out urban palaces and summer houses, churches and hospitals, warehouses and gardens, factories or warehouses.
To commemorate this cultural current, several towns and cities organize festivals and fairs that recover their aesthetics and today we travel to one of the most popular, the Terrassa Modernist Fair , also declared a local festival of tourist interest. There are guided tours of the architectural heritage, exhibitions, craft demonstrations, craft stalls, dramatizations, music and even parades for all lovers of beauty in general and architecture in particular.
Terrassa Modernist Fair
GASTRONOMY
Traditional, but also imaginative, in the Coast of Barcelona you can find an excellent technique and execution, but above all a good product. In the Valles Oriental , a region where the modernist bourgeoisie left its mark on traditional peasant cuisine, an imaginative, delicate and very tasty gastronomy has been developed that today is more alive than ever thanks to Kitchen OV , a collective of chefs passionate about own craft products . Together, they have decided to develop a gastronomic proposal based on a cuisine of territory, proximity and quality using the best that the land gives, and of which both traditional farmhouses and innovative restaurants are part. So yes. Bon profit!
signature cuisine