Cataluna

Urban charms and coastal bliss in Spain’s
most independent region

Barcelona is the political, economic, and cultural center of Spain’s Cataluna region. About six million people live in Cataluna, and twice that many travel here every year. In addition to the riches of the region’s capital, it’s also one of Europe's playgrounds, with beaches along the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada, centered on Sitges.

The province of Cataluna forms a triangle bordered by the French frontier to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, and the province of Aragón to the west. The northern coastline is rugged, whereas the Costa Dorada is flatter, with sandy beaches and a mild, sunny climate. Pilgrims may go to Montserrat for its scenery and religious associations, and history buffs to Tarragona for its Roman ruins, but just plain folks head to the Costa Dorada for fun. Named for its strips of golden sand, this seashore extends along the coastlines of Barcelona and Tarragona provinces. Costa Brava, the so-called "Wild Coast," is the northernmost Mediterranean seafront in Spain—beginning north of Barcelona at Blanes and stretching toward the French border.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.