Barcelona is one of the favorite spots for tourists exploring Europe to visit. It has is all: beautiful architecture, clean sea, comfortable beaches, delicious food and wine. However, more people take interest in the whole region of Catalonia lately, going outside its center to discover new beauties.
The region is home to 11 UNESCO World Heritage sites, two-times Best Restaurant in the World (El Celler de Can Roca), exclusive Cava (Spanish sparkling wine), and so much more. Here are some of the places you must visit in Catalonia.
Aigüestortes & Sant Maurici
It’s a national park, the one and only in the area, where you can go from any part of Catalonia. There you’ll dive in the world of local high mountain flora, views of meadows, lakes, and rivers. The peaks reach 3,000 meters, and anywhere you go, you won’t be disappointed.
Cap de Creus & Cadaqués
Another natural wonder of the region, with rocks of almost extraterrestrial forms. It’s such a beautiful place that it was an inspiration for the famous Salvador Dalí. He wanted to be the first Catalan to see the rise of the sun every day, and this is just the place to do so, as it’s the highest location of the Eastern Catalonia. He built a house there to be closer to what inspired him most.
Calella de Palafrugell
This small town will help you dive into the traditional Catalonian life. Old white houses you may have seen on iconic pictures of the Mediterranean are still here, as well as a lot of fishermen and their cheerful songs. The beaches here are clean and tranquil, however, more and more tourists discover the place in search of coziness and serenity.
Camprodon
The town shares its name with a charming mountain valley. It’s also a great shopping destination for those who got tired of big cities but not of being shopaholic. But there’s still more to see here: a museum dedicated to Isaac Albéniz (a composer who was born in Camprodon), a 10th-century Sant Pere Monastery, the beautiful river Ter and a new bridge over it that you must see!
Catalonia is so diverse, you can get lost there for at least a month trying to cover all the beautiful towns, peaks, and valleys. The more I research it, the more I fall in love with it and want to go there. It’s amazing that people move farther from Barcelona to find out what this unique region has to offer.
