Side Trips in Barcelona
About six million people live in Catalonia, and twice that many visit every year, flocking to the beaches along the Catalan costas (coasts), the area of Spain that practically invented package tourism. Though some areas -- such as Lloret de Mar -- have become overdeveloped, there are many unspoiled little seaside spots to be found.
Three of the most attractive resorts are on the Costa Brava (Rugged Coast), 100km (60 miles) north of Barcelona: The southerly town of Tossa de Mar, with its walled Ciutat Vella; the idyllic coastal village of Calella de Palafrugell; and the northerly whitewashed fishing village of Cadaqués, up near the French border.
Inland from the latter lies Figueres, low-key capital of Girona province's northerly Alt Empordà region, birthplace of the father of surrealism, Salvador Dalí, and home to his eccentric museum, which enthralls everyone from art lovers to the downright curious. The capital of the whole province, including the lower Baix Empordà region, is Girona, an ancient town steeped in history, with a magnificent Old Quarter and cathedral.
South of Barcelona, along the Costa Daurada (Golden Coast), the beaches are wide and sandy. Sitges, a fine resort town that has a huge gay following, and Tarragona, the UNESCO-classified capital of the region, are the two destinations to visit here, the latter for its concentration of Roman vestiges and architecture.
Away from the coast, amid attractive wooded hills and fertile valleys at the meeting point of Tarragona and Lleida provinces, is a fine trio of small Cistercian monasteries -- Poblet, Santes Creus, and Vallbona de les Monges -- all dating from the 12th century.
These are eclipsed, however, by the greatest monastery of them all: Montserrat. Thousands flock to this mountainside monastery each year to see and touch the medieval statue of La Moreneta (the Black Virgin). Many newly married Catalan couples come here for her blessing on their honeymoon, and many name their daughters “Montserrat” (“Montse” for short). If you want to meet Catalans, visit on Sunday, especially when the weather is nice; for smaller crowds, visit on a weekday. The winds blow cold on the mountain, even during summer, so bring a sweater or jacket. Click on the link above to read our in depth coverage for visiting Montserrat.
If you’ve enjoyed Catalunya’s famous sparkling wine cava in the xampanyerias of Barcelona, it’s an easy trip by public transport to the small town of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia where you can learn about the wine’s unique history, visit bodegas large and small, and taste some excellent wines (and chocolate too). More than 40 winemakers in the village open their cellars for tastings.
Getting to Sant Sadurnì d’Anoia
The easiest way to get to Sant Sadurní is to take a Rodalies R4 train from Plaça de Catalunya or Barcelona-Sants station in the direction of Sant Vicenç de Calders. Trains run roughly every half-hour from 5:30am until 11:15pm, taking just under an hour. The fare is 5.05€ each way.
The tourist office at Carrer del Hosital, 23 Carrer de l’Hospital, 23 (tel. 93-891-31-88), is open Tuesday to Friday, 9:15am‒2:30pm and 4‒6pm, Saturdays 10am‒2pm and 4‒6pm (until 7pm in summer), and Sundays and public holidays 10am‒2pm.
Exploring Sant Sadurní D’Anoia
Thick-walled 19th-century cellars fill this rather unlovely town, but first you should stop at the Centre d’Interpretació del Cava, Carrer de l’Hospital, 23 (tel. 93-891-31-88; admission 6€; same hours as tourist office). Set in a former distillery, it mixes old-fashioned and high-tech exhibits to introduce visitors to the history of cava, the grapes used to make it, and the entire production process. The phylloxera louse looms large. When phylloxera destroyed the vineyards of the Champagne region in the 1880s, the makers there desperately sought new territory, kickstarting Catalunya’s cava industry. The tourist office within the center can help you plan your visit, even making calls to cava operations that require reservations. Some 25 cellars which can be visited are listed on its website. Walking around the village and stopping at some of the tiny operations with open doors can be a lot of fun. Note that many close on Friday and Saturday afternoons and all-day Sunday.
The two largest producers are open daily and offer excellent overviews of the cava making process, and a chance to admire the tiled decoration of their vintage adverts. At the edge of town, the biggest producer Freixenet, Carrer Joan Sala, 2 (tel. 93-891-70-96) pioneered distribution of cava to the US as a cheaper alternative to champagne. The tour and tasting of two cavas takes about 90 minutes and costs 19.50€ adults, 14.50€ children aged 9 to 17, free for children under 9. Reserve in advance online.
If you have time for only one winery tour, make it at Codorníu, Avinguda Jaume Codorníu, s/n (tel. 93-891-33-42), the company credited with inventing the cava method in 1872. Tours include the magnificent Catedral de Cava building designed by the Modernista architect Josep Puig i Cadalfach in the late 19th century, and a train ride through its vast network of underground cellars. If you know Codorníu from its entry-level cava, the tasting will open your eyes (and palate) to some fine small-batch wines. Several options are offered, including tastings with a tapas lunch, and an architecture-themed tour. The basic 75-minute tour with two cavas starts at 25€ for adults, 20€ seniors and students; 18.75€ children aged 9 to 17; free for children under 9. Reservations are essential.
Sant Sadurní is also known for its production of fine chocolate, and you can combine cava and chocolate tasting with a visit to the Simón Coll Espai Xocolata, Carrer Sant Pere, 37 (; tel. 93-891-10-95). It is open Monday to Friday 9am–7pm, weekends 9am–3pm. Chocolate factory tours that are far more informative than Barcelona’s chocolate museum are offered in English on weekdays at noon, weekends at 2pm; reservations are required. Admission is 6.50€ adults; seniors 5.50€; children aged 9–15 5€; free for children under 9. A further bonus is that wherever you are in Sant Sadurní, you’ll have great views of the jagged peaks of nearby Montserrat.
Vilafranca del Penedés, which is the center of cava country, also has a wine center in its old town, Vinseum on Plaça Jaume I, 5 (tel. 93-890-05-82). It's open daily 10am to 7pm (Sundays until 2pm). Admission is 10€ adults, 7€ seniors, free for children; that price includes a wine tasting.
For a more personal experience, if you have a car and an extra day to explore wine country, there are other charming wineries to visit that excel in organic wines. In Sant Pau d’Ordal the lovely winery Albet i Noya (tel. 93-899-48-12)does tours of their cellars and grounds, as does the organic (“bio-dynamic”) vineyard of Parés Balta in Pacs del Penedés (tel. 93-890-13-99). The latter has both sparkling and still wines.
A larger and more established winery that is more about still wines (also they do produce cava) is the Familia Torres just outside Vilafranca, where you can book a winery tour, or enjoy delicious pairings of wine and food.
