Catalonia - Art and Culture 2018

ROUTE 4 EASTWARD FROMTHE COAST

ROUTE 3 inland secrets

Catalonia is home to many must-see sites that all tourists should mention in their travel journals.

Following the sun, we will delve into Catalonia’s secrets.

© pctar. gz

© servicios editoriales georama

There are places that are special, unforgettable, of great beauty and cultural value, places recog- nised worldwide. The church of Sant Climent de Taüll is one such place. It shines with the splen- dour it had in the 12th century and inside, every hour, a spectacular mapping is projected to re- create the original Pantocrator that decorated the place. The next stop on this route is Pont de

Suert, where you can visit the Museu d’Art Sacre de la Ribagorça . In la Pobla de Segur, there is an activity that will force you to get out of the car and into another vehicle. The Tren dels Llacs is a train with a restored locomotive engine that travels along a panoramic route, giving visi- tors beautiful views of Montsec. The next stop on this route is Lleida, where visitors can explore the Seu Vella, a religious building that was built in the twelfth century on the grounds of an ancient mosque. The route gives travellers the opportunity to relax of the DOQ Priorat , DO Montsant , and DO Conca de Barberà . This last location is the site of the me- diaeval town of Montblanc with its fourteenth century walled complex. From here the route leads to Reus , a sanctuary for modernista archi- tecture of the Costa Daurada , for a taste along its traditional vermouth. The journey ends in Tar- ragona with its Roman ruins.

This route starts in the Gavarres hills. A point where it is possible to enjoy prehistoric remains with various dolmens and megalithic funeral constructions. The roads now lead to Sant Hi- lari Sacalm , a town renowned for its waters with medicinal mineral properties and its spas . The trip goes on to Espinelves , a village which each year holds a monumental fir tree fair. Now on the way to the Vall d’en Bas , the scenery is broken by country houses and churches, like those of a Christmas scene, until we reach Rupit i Pruït , a very charming mediaeval village with a Roman- esque artistic complex. Much more populated and with a weekly market known all around, the city of Vic holds jewels of architecture and gastronomy: its dried sausage has been awarded the Protected Geo- graphic Indication . The journey continues to Cardona, where a former salt mine operation can be visited. A different Romanesque church,

for another stop on the route, is that of Sant Martí de Mura , which stands in impressive nat- ural surroundings overlooked by the Sant Llorenç de Munt i Obac Natural Park . The route takes us to the foot of the geologically unique mountain of Montserrat , and from there to the river Corb, which will lead us to the mediaeval village of Guimerà .

mapping in sant climent de taüll and the seu vella in lleida.

vic square and façades in rupit.

© Kim CAstells

© ramon gabriel