Explore Catalonia

Small towns, coastal cities and the region's rich culture
Word to the wise: Take a cable car or hike up Montserrat to the Benedictine monastery; aside from the stunning views, you'll find a fabulous museum and one of the world's oldest functioning printing presses.

Wonderful as Barcelona is, it's not the be-all-and-end-all of Catalonia. The culturally rich region borders France and the Pyrenees mountains, with the wild Costa Brava stretching from the French border almost all the way to Barcelona. During the winter, the area offers some of the finest skiing in Spain.
If you want to get out and about you could visit Figueres, a small town less than 50km from the French border which is famous for being Salvador Dalí's birthplace and home to an excellent museum exhibiting the artist's work. Also lovely is Cadaqués: 40km east of Figueres, this a coastal village popular with amateur photographers because of the beautiful white houses, untouched beaches and colourful fishing boats.

If you'd rather stay closer to the capital city, then travel 60km northwest to one of Catalonia’s most famous sights, Montserrat, a mountain with extraordinary stone formations.