PARLIAMENT OF CATALONIA IN BARCELONA, SPAIN
Discovering what the region Catalonia has to offer.
The autonomous region of Catalonia in north eastern Spain is in and out of the news each week lately, and this beautiful region certainly divides people, more so than many other newsworthy topics.
Is it Spain? Is it a separate country? Well, it certainly has its own language, customs and cuisine, so we took a quick look around to come up with some suggestions about what to do and where to go in Catalonia.
Catalonia is located in one corner of Spain, bordering France, in fact the Catalan region itself does spill into France, and the language has many similarities with French, as does the attitude of the people, some would say.
The weather in Catalonia
The region is generally dry and does not see much rain apart from inland and mountainous regions, of which, closer to the Pyrenees mountain range and the border with France, Catalonia has plenty.
The weather is fairly predictable for the region and during winter, we see average temperatures of around 10 degrees and sunny during the day, but colder at night during December and January, however once March arrives, we see the mercury rising upwards of about 20 degrees, peaking in July and August with average daily temperatures hitting the 30 to 35 degrees mark on the thermometer.
This is of course perfect weather for the beach, of which the region has plenty, so a visit to Catalonia during the summer is perfect for a beach holiday!
The beaches of Catalonia.
The first British tourists who came to Spain, holidayed in this region, and the area known as the Costa Brava has remained a firm favorite with holidaymakers from across northern Europe, and of course over the border in France as it has a good connection via the motorway, although due to the altitude, snow and fog can sometimes affect the road during the winter.
People have for many years visited the beaches and resorts along this coast and favorite destinations include:
Sitges: The town is famous for its international film festival held every October and it attracts the biggest starts from the silver screen, earning its unofficial title as Spain’s version of Cannes.
Sitges’ other claim to fame is it’s gay scene which attracts people from all walks of life and from all corners of Europe each year, but don’t be put off by that as it’s a very family friendly place. It boasts an impressive sixteen different beaches along its coastline, ranging from small, tranquil coves with crystal clear warm waters, to larger and more family friendly beaches too.
If the temperatures during July and August are too hot for you to visit, consider coming in either late Easter or early October time, when the places here are not crowded with tourists and the average temperature lies at around 20 to 25 degrees.
Another favorite destination in the area is of course the world famous metropolis of Barcelona, a large and important city, and one of the most desirable places to live in Spain, according to many previous reviews and public opinion. Many cruise ships from all over the worlds stop here in its vast and impressive harbour. The city was also the location for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games which propelled the city onto the word’s stage, as has happened recently for London and Beijing before that.
Finally, another suggested destination is the resort of Roses, the delightfully named town in the Girona region of Catalonia which is easily accessible to visitors from most European places, via Barcelona or Girona airports.
The area has many beautiful natural parks and hundreds of miles of rugged coastline just waiting to be explored. The town of Sitges itself was, hundreds of years ago, actually a colony claimed by Greece, and many ancient remains of the Greek occupation are on display around the town and surrounding areas.
So for a rewarding, interesting, fun and relaxing holiday in Spain, the region of Catalonia has it all!
Barcelona, Catalonia Weather Forecast