Catalonia - Art and Culture 2018

SOURCES OF WISDOM

On foot, on wheels, or on horseback, the trails and paths of Catalonia travel through breathtakingly beautiful scenery and allow visitors to learn more about the country’s cultural heritage.

© Gemma miralda

© Servicios editoriales georama

There is a large network of marked paths, either on Gran Recorrido (GR) routes, Pequeño Recorrido (PR) routes, or local paths (SL). A good example is the Patrol Route, or Camí de Ronda , which follows the coastline of the Costa Brava from Blanes to Portbou. Along the section of trail from Torroella de Montgrí to Palamós, which passes through Begur and Calella de Palafrugell, two Iberian treasures remain: el Cas- tellot, on a beach in Palamós, and the castle of Sant Sebastià de Guarda in Palafrugell. For more information www.camideronda.com

Another of the many possible options is to fol- low the so-called Route of the Cathars (Ruta dels Càtars) or the Path of Good Men (Camí dels Bons Homes) which refer to the members of this 13th century Catholic sect who were severely re- pressed by the church. The GR 107 retraces the route that the Cathar exiles followed from the castle of Montségur, in France, to the sanctuary of Queralt, overlooking the town of Berga (Pirineus). For more information www.camidelsbonshomes.com Some cycling routes are difficult, but others are totally accessible. One of these is the Via Verda del Baix Ebre (Costa Daurada). If you are looking for an easy descent, a good starting point is Horta de Sant Joan, a fantastic village near the mountain of Santa Bárbara and the convent of Sant Salvador. Picasso chose to spend a season living in this village. Horta de Sant Joan has a museum on the artist. Next, you will arrive in Pinell de Brai, which is known for having one of the ‘wine cathedrals’. In the northern part of Catalonia, visitors can travel along the Ruta del Carrilet , which goes from

Olot to Girona and from Girona to Sant Feliu de Guíxols. For more information www.viasverdes.com In the Alt Camp, Conca de Barbarà, and Urgell local regions, the Cistercian Route leads hikers to three monumental cistercian monasteries: Santes Creus Monastery, Poblet Monastery, and Vallbona de les Monges Monastery. For more infor- mation www.larutadelcister.info The Way of Saint James , known in Catalan as the Camí de Sant Jaume, crosses part of Catalonia and shares its path with the Ignatian Way , which goes in the opposite direction. In 1522, the recent- ly converted Ignatius of Loyola started a pilgrim- age. His goal was to reach Barcelona to embark for Jerusalem. The path goes through Lleida, Verdú, Igualada and Montserrat, before reaching Manresa and the cave where he lived for eight months. For more information www.camidesantjaume.cat and caminoignaciano.org

VIEW OF TOSSA FROM THE CAMI DE RONDA AND GREENWAY IN LES TERRES DE L’EBRE.

the ignatian way shares ITS PATH with the way of saint JAMES. THIS TRAIL passES through montserrat.

the most accessible way of saint james The Way of Saint James in Catalonia starts at Sant Pere de Rodes, and follows a route that passes through Montserrat and reaches Alcarrás, where it goes into Aragon. The purpose of the ‘Way of Saint James for everyone’ project is to make the route accessible to all, regardless of their age, background, or level of fitness. Not all of the barriers could be eliminated in one fell swoop, but visitors can get a compass to avoid them and words can be used as a brush to paint scenes for those who cannot see them. Visitors can ensure that these words don’t interrupt the peace and quiet of the walkers, who follow in the footsteps of those who came

before them as they travel to Santiago de Compostela.

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For more information camidesantjaume- peratothom.cat/

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Experience Catalonia

© Mariano cebolla