Introduction to Catalunya, Spain

Catalunya is an autonomous state situated in Spain. Guaranteed the designation of “Autonomous Community” by the 1978 constitution of Spain, Catalunya has the right to self-government. The area is commonly known by several names:

Bordered by France, the Balearic Sea/Mediterranean Sea, Valencia and Aragon, Catalunya’s capital is Barcelona on the coastline. When looking at Catalunya in the atlas, one does not really grasp its full size. In fact, the territory, with close to three hundred and fifty miles of coastline, is home to over six million inhabitants.

Further, Catalunya is divided into four provinces called Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Lleida is the only province which is not found on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea but rather inland above the other provinces.

Although the region has three official languages, Catalan, Spanish, and Aranese, the Catalan language is the predominant language. Children speak, read, write and learn in Catalan at school, all business information and promotional materials such as signs, flyers and menus must be in Catalan as stated by law and enforced with fines, and Catalan is the language of the government.

Tourism ranks very high as an industry in Catalunya since it is the highest visited place in Spain. Areas that are the most popular are Barcelona, the second biggest population in Spain, Costa Brava, Girona in the north with its spectacular beaches and Costa Daurada, Tarragona. The Pyrenees mountain range offers fabulous skiing in one of its ten resorts.

A rather temperate climate, anytime of the year would make a nice vacation to Catalunya. The mountains and hinterland, however, do experience both winters and summers. Specialties of food are the “pan a la Catalana” (Catalan bread) and the “calçotada” (spring onions). Truffles, the very expensive type of mushrooms, are found in Catalunya between the months of December and March. Seafood and rice dishes are also popular. And of course, its famous wines are listed on the menu.

The people are generally friendly and welcoming to visitors, but like many tourist spots around the world, pickpockets and robbers make their living by preying on unsuspecting tourists in very busy and crowded areas. Shopping is quite active in Catalunya and like all typical Spanish areas, the shops close between two and four in the afternoon.

Museums, exhibits, famous architecture, sculptures, gardens, ancient cathedrals, Roman remains, mountains, beaches, sailing, cruise ships, snow skiing, skateboarding, ancient and modern, are all important attributes of the Catalunya landscape.