There is no doubt that the most popular destination with the greatest number of tourists in Catalonia is Barcelona. There are, however, many other places worth visiting in Catalonia. Try to spend some time at beautiful, but lesser known places with a lot of history, besides staying in your tourist apartment in the city.
In today’s article, ShBarcelona would like to recommend visiting to some of the best places in Catalonia.
Related article: Visit Calella
Table of Contents
Tarragona
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Tarragona is one of the largest cities in Catalonia, and it is also one of the four provinces in which the Autonomous Community is divided. The historic city of Tarragona is known for many Roman ruins, belonging to the ancient Roman city of Tarraco.
Tarragona is also a city with many traditions, as there are, for example, regular activities with human castles being built (castells), like during the city’s popular festivals.
One of the monuments most visited in the city, is the magnificent Roman theatre, which is a magical place that you can visit, in order to better understand how people lived in Roman times. It is a beautiful place near the sea.
Tarragona surely is one of the most beautiful cities in Catalonia, and you can travel here from Barcelona Sants station, by taking RENFE line R16 going to Tortosa/Ulldecona.
The Costa Brava
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You will find some of the best beaches in Spain in Catalonia, especially on the Costa Brava. Tossa de Mar is an old fishing village and it has an impressive medieval castle near the sea.
It is a only a small and nice and quiet village, visited by a lot of tourists, and especially families like coming here during the summer months. It is one of the most beautiful places in Catalonia, and you can discover some of the most beautiful coves of the Costa Brava here. Cadaqués is another old fishing village on the Costa Brava coast.
It is a beautiful place with white painted houses with contrasts in Mediterranean Sea blue. The Begur beaches, particularly the coves of Aiguablava and Sa Riera, are some of the best known and most beautiful beaches on the Costa Brava. You should definitely visit these coves and the town of Begur, when you plan on going to this part of Catalonia.
When you drop by Aiguablava, we would recommend you visit its national parador, as you will be able to relax in an incredible landscape right next to the sea. L’Escala is also a fishing village on the Costa Brava, and it is very popular during the summer. Your options on the Costa Brava are endless, and any of the beaches has its own specific charm and character.
Related article: Caves to Visit Near Barcelona
| 🎫 If you also like to visit some famous historical sites in Barcelona. Such as the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell. We recommend you to buy a Barcelona City Pass card. Have an unforgettable experience with quick access to the most visited places. You don’t need to print your ticket. Besides, you can discover the entire city of Barcelona with the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour. |
Montserrat
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Besides ample beaches, you can also visit the mountain range of Montserrat, where the Monastery of Montserrat is located. It is not far from the centre of Barcelona, and if you are a religious person, you do not want to miss it. If you are a nature lover, you will appreciate this location as well.
Montserrat is a unique mountain range, where the rocks that give the mountain its characteristic and stunning appearance, have dramatic shapes and forms. The Monastery contains one of the most beautiful chapels in Catalonia, and many churchgoers come to pray here, as the most precious relic “La Moreneta”, the Black Virgin of Montserrat, can be worshipped here.
Montserrat is also a very mysterious place, and you should not be surprised to see people who fancy mystery or the esoteric world, searching for the unknown. Getting to Montserrat is easy. You take line R5 with the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (the city’s railway system or in short FGC) from Plaza España to Montserrat’s rack railway system, which will take you straight up to the monastery.
Sitges
Photo by Justin Balog via Visualhunt
Many Barcelona residents visit Sitges, and it is also very popular among the LGTB community. Sitges is a beautiful coastal town, where the churches of Santa Tecla and San Bartolomé, right at the edge of the sea, stand out. Photography lovers can lose track of time here, as everyone wants to capture their picture postcard in Sitges.
The beach of San Sebastian was declared the best urban beach in Europe by the New York Times in 2013. You can really feel the summer vibes here, which makes Sitges an ideal location to relax and escape the big city for a while. Travel to Sitges by train with line L2 Sud from the Rodalies Renfe de Catalunya railway system.
Have you visited any of these places? And what is your favourite place in Catalonia?
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