Catalonia: Pyrenees (50 images)

Catalonia region profile

---

Built on the foundations of a former mosque, it was completed over the course of two centuries and exhibits a range of architectural influences. On its west side is a monumental entrance built in the Gothic style, and its south wall features a series of five late Romanesque doors. Openwork windows offer sweeping views of the surrounding area. Whether walking around the amphitheater where gladiators used to the fight or visiting the old city wall and aqueducts, it's easy to step back into time in this Unesco World Heritage city.

Poblet Monastery has the distinction, recognized by Unesco, of being Europe's largest inhabited Cistercian complex. Of the three monasteries established by the Cistercian order in Catalonia during the 12th century, it is the only one where monks still reside. Join a guided tour to walk through the monastery's Gothic-style cloisters and visit the place where kings and queens from the medieval Kingdom of Aragon were laid to rest.

The Landscape of Geniuses Route traces the lives of four famous artists through Tarragona. It concludes in Horta de Sant Joan, a hilltop village that appears in several of Pablo Picasso's cubist works.

One of Europe's largest wetlands and a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, Ebre Delta Nature Park features blue lagoons and rice fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. Home to some 50,, birds spanning species, it's a birder's paradise. Biking is a popular way to travel around the park and see wildlife up close. Opened in on the site of the former Figueres Theater, it houses one of the broadest collections of the painter's work in addition to that of artists he admired such as El Greco and Marcel Duchamp.

Set atop a peak in the Rodes mountain range, Sant Pere de Rodes is an impressive example of Romanesque architecture. Built in the 10th century, it was the spiritual capital of northern Catalonia from the 11th through 14th centuries. Notable features include its towers, featuring sweeping views of the Cap de Creus peninsula, and its portalada, a large entranceway depicting the life of Christ in white marble.

Here, the remains of the Greek city Emporion, the only Greek ruins remaining on the Iberian Peninsula, coincide with those of the Roman city Emporiae, offering a unique window into Catalonia's ancient urban history. Attractions range from a Greek banqueting hall to Roman public baths.

Catalunya Spain in Photos a Magical Region

The portal's size, triumphal arch shape and rich iconography are unique and have made it a Unesco World Heritage contender. A popular day trip from Barcelona city, the Montserrat mountain range is a sight to behold. Visitors can take a cable car or railway up to the Benedictine monastery nestled above the clouds, admire architecture ranging from medieval to Art Nouveau, walk over a Gothic bridge or explore the area's breathtaking scenery on paths running through Montserrat Mountain Nature Park.

An ancient fishing village, Sitges enjoys days of sun a year and miles of pristine beaches. Natural beauty aside, it is a center of Art Nouveau and hosts one of the world's foremost film festivals each October. A visit to Vic isn't complete without a stroll through one of its markets.

Taking place every day of the week, they pulse with a lively energy. Vic is also home to the world's largest collection of murals by Josep Maria Sert, an impressive number of which are on display in the Vic Cathedral. Step inside the Great Hall of the Palau Reial Major, where Catalan counts lived from the 13th to 15th centuries, head underground to discover the remains of the Roman city Barcino, or wander through the quarter's historic, narrow alleyways. Commissioned as a summer house, it features white and green tiles on the outside and nature motifs throughout. Today, it is a museum and features a permanent exhibition on 19th-century Barcelona.

Built in for the World Exhibition, the National Art Museum of Catalonia is Barcelona's largest and most iconic museum, housing thousands of years of Catalan art. Ranging from the 10th to 20th centuries, its collection is divided into four sections: A highlight of the museum is a series of 21 mural sections rescued from Romanesque churches throughout Catalonia. Open seven days a week, the 19th-century steel-skeleton Sant Antoni Market is one of Barcelona's most recognized landmarks. Selling everything from vintage books, coins and stamps to delicious snacks, it spans an entire city block and is frequented by locals and visitors alike.

It only takes three hours to drive through Catalonia. Yet in the space of these three hours, the scenery changes rapidly from beaches to mountains and from ancient villages to cosmopolitan cities. The tower of Vallferosa on the GR is particularly worth seeking out. Heading north into the Pyrenees brings an array of marvellous places.

Catalan stock photos

I sat in darkness, and in awe, as its original frescoes were digitally projected , brushstroke by brushstroke, on to the walls. Another good thing about Lleida is the road out of town. Day-tripper Barcelonians squeeze into a few beachside spots at weekends and eat bad paella made out of good local ingredients.

Pack a sandwich from Hostal El Faro see below. Many wine estates offer visits: For that, a 20km a detour north to Valls is essential.

Hundreds of thousands are wolfed down during its annual festival festadelacalsotada. The owners can arrange winery visits and its bar stocks the superstar local wines. The northern city of Girona has history, a fascinating old quarter, interesting food, and no marauding gangs of stags and hens. The tiny streets and vaulted passageways of the Barri Vell , opening into little squares with bars, are ideal for an aimless stroll and there are plenty of museums for a cultural fix.

Girona province has by far the finest coastline in Catalonia, the Costa Brava , stretching for more than miles to the French border. There are fabulous walks along the coast from here to the tiny village of Portlligat.

Catalonia, a land of volcanoes, who would have guessed?

• Echos Crusade
• Qui gardera les enfants ? : Mémoires dune féministe iconoclaste (Biographies, Autobiographies) (French Edition)
• Jade Goody - Catch a Falling Star
• The War Within:Poems & Essays:Poems & Essays
• Broken Ground: John F Kennedy and the Politics of Education (Routledge Library Editions: Education)
• Vampire Knight, Band 4 (German Edition)
• Integrating Functional Skills in the Learning Environment