Catalonia is a small country of six million inhabitants but it has more than a thousand years of history and a culture and language of its own which have forged a very distinct character.
Today Catalonia is an Autonomous Community within Spain an occupies an area of 31,930 square kilometers.
The people of Catalonia have always been open to the outside world. Mediterranean beaches, there are places of artistic interest, historic buildings and landscapes which are equally well worth seeing.

As you travel around Catalonia, you will discover every kind of European vegetation and landscape. You may, for instance, be fond of high mountain scenery. Then you should take a trip to the Pyrenean valleys, surrounded by high summits with alpine meadows, fir forests and crystal-clear lakes. And if you go in the winter, you can take advantage of sports and tourist facilities available in the ski resorts. Two spectacular National Parks are situated amid these lofty peaks: that of Aigüestortes and Lake Sant Maurici, and that of Cadí-Moixeró.

Once a year every town and city in Catalonia celebrates its Grand Festival. The streets fill with merrymakers who are only too glad to let strangers join in the fun. Many places keep up traditional customs of ancient origin. In the region of Tarragona you can wonder at the agility and strength of the castellers as they build their spectacular human towers. If you feel brave enough to be chased through the streets by fire-breathing dragons, giant eagles and demons hurling fire-crackers, then you'll enjoy the Patum which is held in Berga for the feast of Corpus Christi (June). This truly unique festival, which combines pagan and Christian origins, has been handed down from generation to generation. In contrast, the Dance of Death, which is performed in the streets of Verges on Holy Thursday, has purely Christian roots and commemorates the terrible plagues of the Middle Ages.

If you can't resist the call of the sea, Catalonia offers a wide range of coastal scenery. As you travel along to the Costa Brava (the "Rugged Coast") you will be entranced by the rocks reaching out into the sea, the secluded coves and islands where the pine-tree roots struggle for a foothold right down to the water's edge.