Catalonia has a population of more than seven million habitants, more than a thousand years of history and a culture and language that have give it its own personality.

The Catalans have always opened their arms to the whole world. They like to welcome outsiders and show them the land they are proud of. For this reason Barcelona has become a popular tourist destination.

Every year, millions of tourists flock to the Catalan coast, without realising that inland, still close to the Mediterranean Sea lies a diverse range of attractions, monumental landscapes and places of interest also worth visiting.

To the west is Lleida (Lerida) the fruit district of Catalunya, famous for its olive oil and Romanesque churches. To the north is Girona (Gerona), with its important Jewish neighbourhood, the Call, which was revived a few years ago, and Figueres, where you can find the Museu Dali, the second most visited place within the region.

60 kilometres from Barcelona is Montserrat, which consists of individual rocky mountains and the monastery where Mare de Déu de Montserrat is worshipped, popularly known as la "Moreneta" virgin patron saint of Catalonia. Not far from here is the wine region of Penedès, which produces the well known cava that is drank by half the world´s population.

To the south is Tarragona, the capital of southern Catalonia, which was the main stronghold of the Roman Empire on the Iberian Peninsula. Among other attractions there is an archaeological tour which should not be missed. The so called route of the monasteries is also worth visiting as you get to see the works of Poblet, Santes Creus and Vallbona de les Monges, clear examples of the architectural transition from Romanesque to Gothic.

On the northern coast of Catalan is the Costa Brava, with its stretches of beaches, coves and cliffs and where pine trees grow at sea level, painting an exceptional picture. Nearby, you can visit Empúries (Ampurias), with its impressive ruins, witness to the passage of the Greeks and Romans before Christ. In the south, 35 kilometres from Barcelona is Sitges, a white village, renowned for its lively carnival celebrations and its bohemian atmosphere. It is a great prelude to the fine sandy beaches that characterise the Costa Dorada.

The Pyrenees deserve a separate chapter. The stunning mountains that provide a natural border to France and Andorra boast some of the best ski resorts. In the Pyrenees is the valley of Núria, which can only be accessed by train and has a range of services and infrastructure especially designed for snow sports. The natural landscape is also ideal for those who wish to practise climbing or adventure sports.

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