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OUT OF THE CITY
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If you enjoy Barcelona’s varied church architecture, there’s more to come,
starting with Gaudí’s inspired work at the
Colònia Güell
, a late nineteenth-
century idealistic community established by the architect’s patron Eusebi
Güell. This is a half-day’s outing, while a second half-day can be spent
visiting the Benedictine monastery at
Sant Cugat del Vallès
and the
complex of early medieval churches at
Terrassa
, all of them largely unsung
and utterly fascinating.Another route out of the city, due west, leads through
the wine-producing towns of
Sant Sadurní d’Anoia
and
Vilafranca del
Penedès
, both of which can be seen in a day’s excursion with enough time
for a wine-tasting tour.
It’s also straightforward to see something of Barcelona’s neighbouring cities,
all very different from the Catalan capital. To the south of Barcelona, beyond
Sitges, lies
Tarragona
, with a compact old town and an amazing series of
Roman remains. Nearby
Reus
was the birthplace of Gaudí and features an
interpretative museum that’s the last word on the man and his work. To the
north, inland from the coast, sits medieval
Girona
, perhaps the most beautiful
Regional festivals
February–March
Carnival
Sitges has Catalunya’s best Carnival celebrations.
March–April
International jazz festival in Reus sees acts playing in clubs and old-town squares.
May
11 Cremada del Dimoni at Badalona: demon-burning, dancing and fireworks.
Third week
Fires i Festes de la Santa Creu in Figueres – processions and music. Also
Trapezi, the international circus fair in Reus, with street performances and
spectacle.
Corpus Christi
(moveable feast, sometimes falls in early June): Festa de Corpus
Christi in Sitges – big processions and streets decorated with flowers.
June
24
Dia de Sant Joan celebrated everywhere; watch out for things shutting down for
a day on either side.
Last week
Annual festival at Canet de Mar and Sant Cugat del Vallès. Also Festa
Major de Sant Pere in Reus, the town’s biggest annual bash.
July
Second week
Annual festival at Arenys de Mar.
August
15
Annual festival at Castelldefels.
19
Festa de Sant Magi in Tarragona.
Last week
Festa Major in Sitges, to honour the town’s patron saint, Sant
Bartolomeu.
29 & 30
Festa Major in Vilafranca del Penedès, dedicated to Sant Felix, with human
towers, dancing and processions – continues into the first two days of September.
September
Second Sunday
Fira Gran in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, the town’s big annual festival.
23 Festa de Sant Tecla in Tarragona, with processions of
gegants
and human
castles.
October
Second week
The Setmana del Cava – a sort of
cava
festival – is held in Sant
Sadurní d’Anoia.