So you’ve just landed at what your boarding pass called “Barcelona” airport, you’re feeling pleased with yourself for finding that cheap Ryanair fare, and then you glance at the signs. Girona-Costa Brava Airport. Girona? Hang on, where’s Barcelona? Welcome to one of budget aviation’s most persistent sources of confusion. You’re …
Girona is the sort of city that catches people off guard. Most visitors arrive on a day trip from Barcelona, planning to tick off the cathedral and those photogenic colourful houses along the river before heading back. Then they find themselves lingering far longer than intended, pulled in by medieval …
Joan Miró was one of the most innovative and influential artists of the 20th century, known for his unique fusion of surrealism, abstraction and Catalan identity. His paintings, sculptures and prints pushed the boundaries of artistic expression, blending dreamlike imagery with bold colours and a distinct sense of playfulness. This …
Situated 35km south-west of Barcelona, Sitges is a lively coastal town where Modernist architecture, golden beaches and avant-garde art converge. Renowned for its bohemian spirit, it has retained its authentic Catalan charm whilst embracing its status as Spain’s premier LGBTQ+ holiday destination. For those seeking the best things to do …
The La Mercè Festival in Barcelona is the Catalan capital’s annual city festival and its most significant celebration. Officially designated as a city holiday in 1871, La Mercè commemorates the Roman Catholic feast of Our Lady of Mercy (‘La Mare de Déu de la Mercè’). While the feast day itself …
The Festa de la Fil·loxera, or Phylloxera Festival, is an annual celebration held in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (Catalonia). This distinctive event commemorates a critical juncture in the region’s viticultural history: the phylloxera plague that devastated European vineyards in the late 19th century. Initiated in 1982, the festival serves as both …
The practice of building human towers, known as ‘castells’, represents a defining cultural tradition in Catalonia. This remarkable feat of physical endurance, cooperation and communal identity has become a symbol of Catalan heritage. Recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Castellers continue to captivate onlookers with their …
Tarragona is a charming Mediterranean port city located 100km south-west of Barcelona on the coast of Catalonia. Originally established as Tarraco by the Romans in the 3rd century BCE, Tarragona served as a key administrative and commercial hub. Today the city’s ancient Roman archaeological complex is recognised as a UNESCO …
Roman control of the Iberian Peninsula began in 218 BC during the Second Punic War when they captured territories from the Carthaginians. Over the next two centuries, the Romans gradually conquered and Romanized the region through military force and colonization. The Romans divided the peninsula into three provinces – Hispania …