A quick tour of Catalonia

The following article contains general information about Catalonia. For detailed information, please click on the links below. Please note we are still loading information about towns and villages.

Alt Emporda, Calonge & Sant Antoni, Empuriabrava, L'Estartit, Garrotxa, LLeida, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Platja d'Aro, Girona, Caldes De Malavella, Santa Cristina D'Aro

Catalonia is a small country of six million inhabitants but it has more than a thousand years of history, a culture and a language of its own which have forged its very own character. Today Catalonia is an autonomous community within Spain and occupies an area of 31.930 square kilometers. Catalonia is divided into four subregions: Girona, Osona, Barcelona, Lleida and Tarragona. Each subregion is divided into "comarcas". For example, the province of Girona consists of the Alt Emporda, Baix Emporda, Girones, etc. The people of Catalonia have always welcomed foreigners and love to show them there homeland. Catalonia is most known for its sundrenched coastline, but at just a short distance there are places of artistic interest, historic buildings and landscapes that are equally worth exploring.

Catalonia has four mountainous regions, the most important is the Pyrenees. In winter the pretty ski resorts attract many winter sports lovers, in summer the rolling green country side is ideal for walking, hiking and biking. The Catalonian coastline boasts 580 km's of beaches, the most northern is the Costa Brava. The Costa Brava is the most interesting coastline with rocky beaches, beautiful little coves and pretty seaside villages suchs as Calella de Palafrugell, Tamariu, Llafranc, in fact too many to mention. Further south, still just north of Barcelona, you will find the Costa Maresme with big seaside resorts such as Malgrat de Mar and Calella. South of Barcelona, the county of Tarragona presides over the Costa Daurada with the big resort Salou and the popular theme park Port Aventura. The Costa Daurada boasts long beaches with white fishermen's cottages in a typical Mediterranean setting.

The interior of Catalonia is diverse with its pretty towns such as Figueres, Girona, Lleida and Banyoles on the lake. The Garrotxa is the volcanic area just north-west of Girona with the beautiful villages of Besalu, Santa Pau, Castellfolit de la Roca and Olot. More and more foreigners are buying properties in the Garrotxa, due to its proximity to Girona airport and with its Ryanair base. The interior of the Alt Empora (Girona province) is well known for its medieval village with cobbled streets such as Cruilles, Monells and Peratallada. There are various National Parks in Catalonia, the more well known are Montseny and Montserrat parks.  

Apart from the many interesting cities in Catalonia, the unrivalled capital is Barcelona. You need to spend at least a long weekend or better a week to discover all of Barcelona's treasures, the Gaudi monuments being a must. The Gothic quarter, the Rambla, the Passeo de Gracia, the Picasso museum, the Ciutedella park with its zoo and the Olympic port offer a great variety for everyone's taste.

Sports play an important part in Catalonia. A wide selection of facilities are available, from over 40 marinas for sailing to 29 golf courses, three flying clubs, 15 ski resorts and a wide range of adventure sports. If you feel hungry after a good day of sports, try the Catalan cuisine, simple but delightful. A slice of crusted bread rubbed with tomato and garlic, garnished with fresh anchovies, the locally produced sausages and the wide variety of fish dishes.

Where to live in Catalonia is very much up to personal taste and requirements. For the country type, a "masia" in the rolling hills of the Garrotxa might fit the bill, for the sun and beach lover there are plenty of seaside resorts to choose from. For the city type who wants it all, Barcelona is the answer. In any case, contact us and we will find the property that suits your needs.