Catalonia has been in the news for a couple of months. First the overtourism protests, then the fight for independence. Since the political tensions have not yet been resolved the region’s tourism industry has felt the impact. The international flight bookings fell 17 percent since Oct 1. Many tourists are rebooking trips to other parts of Spain. The revenue from tourism in October is estimated to decrease by 15 percent. Nevertheless, Barcelona still remains one of the most popular destinations for international tourists. Catalonia offers much more than the fabulous city though. Discover the top places to visit in Catalonia. Brought to you by Tourism-Review.com.
TOP 7 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN CATALONIA
Gary Diskin
- Nov 6, 2017
Besalú
If you cross the stone bridge that leads to the historic center of Besalú, you can rest assured that you will travel back in time to the Middle Ages. Declared a National Historic-Artistic Site and located in the Garrotxa Region, in Girona, this marvelous town stands out for its Jewish baths, the church of the monastery of Sant Pere and Sant Julià, the Romanesque house Cornellà or the Gothic room of the Palacio de la Royal Curia.
Cadaqués
The easternmost town of the peninsula, on the Costa Brava of Girona, which combines the tradition of fishermen with its beautiful and crowded beaches, is one of the most popular places to visit in Catalonia. Isolated by the mountains of Puig de Paní and Puig de Bufadors from the rest of Empordà, this place was popular among artists such as Picasso, Marcel Duchamp and Dalí (visitors can explore his House-Museum). In addition to getting lost in its streets and whitewashed houses and enjoying its gastronomy, you can visit archaeological sites and go hiking in the Cap de Creus Natural Park.
Castellfollit de la Roca
On a basaltic cliff 50 meters high and about a kilometer long sits this small town of Girona with medieval airs. Among its constructions stand out the church of Sant Salvador (13th century), the bell tower of Sant Roc and the plaza-mirador Josep Pla, which gives stunning views.
Castle of Cardona
In Cardona, province of Barcelona, stands the most important medieval fortress in the area. With more than 12 centuries of history in its walls, this fabulous castle is today a Parador of Tourism that allows you to enjoy, among its thousand-year-old walls, its towers, its Romanesque church, its cloister and even its ghost stories.
Montserrat
If apart from hiking you want to climb rocky peaks, you have to make a stop in Monserrat and visit its Natural Park of the Mountain, where you can also see a lot of exotic plants and, at its top, its famous Romanesque abbey built in the XII century. This place in the south of the province of Barcelona, and a few kilometers from Barcelona, is undoubtedly among the most beautiful places to visit in Catalonia.
Sitges
In this fishing village located at the foot of the Garraf massif - and only 38 kilometers from the capital city of Catalonia - modernity and tradition coexist. Its rich architectural and cultural heritage, including fantastic film festival, joins its marinas, its beautiful beaches and its great tourist infrastructure. A favorite place for locals, it is also a destination popular among the LGBT community.
Valley of Boí
A tour of the Boí Valley and its intense greens, in the Catalan Pyrenees, cannot be left out of the list of the most beautiful places to visit in Catalonia. Get ready for medieval villages, Romanesque churches, ski slopes and a hot springs spa 1500 meters above you.
There is also the National Park of Aigüestortes and Lake of San Mauricio, the only one in Catalonia, with magnificent high mountain landscapes that include lakes of glacial origin, rivers, waterfalls and forests where flora and fauna maintain their wild state.
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