Catalonia

Catalonia is one of the Kingdom of Spain's seventeen autonomous communities, the administrative divisions that represent the country's historical nationalities and regions. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona. Its capital city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an official population of 7,504,881. It borders France and Andorra to the north, Aragon to the west, the Valencian Community to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east (580 km coastline). The official languages are Catalan, Aranese and Spanish.

Geography

With a surface area of 32,107 square metres, Catalonia has a very diverse and divided orography, with extensive mountain ranges mirroring the coastline, inland depressions, mountain peaks reaching 3,000 metres high in the Pyrenees, and just 240 metres to the south is a delta that collects the sediments from one of the most abundant rivers of the Iberian peninsula: the Ebre.

The Costa Brava begins where the Pyrenees subside to meet the Mediterranean, and this coastline stretches for 214 km, alternating between rocky areas with numerous coves and some very expansive beaches to the gulf of Roses and Estartit-Pals. The coast continues running southwards and it is 547 km long. The section from the Maresme to the Ebre Delta is mainly flat with large beaches.

Climate

The orography itself is notably responsible for the climate. While it can be said that the winters are mild and the summers are hot and dry, the temperatures themselves vary considerably between the coastline and the inland plains and the Pyrenees. During the cold months (December, January and February), the average temperature in Catalonia is 6-7 degrees.

At the beginning of spring (March and April), it is generally between 11 and 13 degrees and it can reach 17 degrees in May. In summer, it ranges from 24 degrees in June, July and August to 20 degrees in September. In autumn, it drops to 17 degrees in October and 11 degrees in November. In spite of this data, the temperatures are markedly higher in summer along the coastline and the plains, often reaching about 30 degrees. In winter, the temperatures are considerably lower in the Pyrenees and the Central Depression and they usually drop to about 0 degrees. Precipitation is also irregular, even if the peaks of the Pyrenees are generally covered in snow from December until spring.

Architecture

Catalonian modernism is reflected in its architecture in Barcelona, Spain in particular and in Catalonia in general. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, modernism extended all over Europe.

Antoni Gaudi, Lluis Domenech, Montaner and Josep Puig and Cadafalch were all very important to this trend, and the Sagrada Familia of Antoni Gaudi is the most representative work of modernism in Barcelona, Spain. Also important is the Palau de la Musica ( Music Palace ).
Another great Catalonian monument is the Cathedral of Barcelona, called the Catedral de la Santa Cruz, and is the gothic cathedral of Barcelona and one of the most important if its era. The temple was built in the 15th century.

Other important places in Barcelona for their beauty are Las Ramblas, Barrio Gotic, Barrio del Rabal, or the Parque Gaudi.

Gastronomy

Catalonia is known for its proud artisan food production, as well as its interesting and modern interpretations of traditional dishes.
Meals in the Catalan Pyrenees often include fresh vegetables, legumes, pasta, pork sausages, lamb, chicken, fish, and game.
Another tasty passion, and favourite ingredient of the entire Province of Catalonia, and especially the forests of Lleida, are the wide range of wild mushrooms.

The most popular types of mushrooms found here are: boletus, wild mushrooms, meadow mushrooms, chanterelles, elms and gomphidus.
catalonia gastronomy wild white button mushrooms. However, do be sure to go with a guide, or have someone who knows which ones are safe look at what you've got afterwards. Otherwise, it could be quite dangerous.

To wash down those delicious wild mushrooms, why not sample something from Catalonia's fantastic selection of wines.
This area of Spain is known for producing lovely, light, white wines, powerful reds and fresh rosés. However, the most highly regarded, and exported wine of the region is called Cava. It is equivalent to a Spanish version of Champagne, and is widely recognized as one of the best natural sparkling wines in the world.

Typical foods are:

Pa amb tomàquet - Bread with an olive oil, garlic and tomato sauce on top.
Calçots - Specially cultivated onions, grilled and served as a "Calçotada", often eaten with a romesco sauce.
Esqueixada, or Escalivada - Mixed grilled vegetables .
Legumes - beans, lentils (lentejas), chickpeas (garbanzos)
Carne de Caza - Game: wild boar, rabbit, partridge etc.
Embotits - A generic name for different kinds of cured pork meat, including Fuet (a characteristic type of dried sausage) and Salchichón, or Llonganissa/longaniza (salami).- xolís, xoriço (chorizo), secallona, botifarra traïdora, confitat amb llom, tupí, etc.
Allioli - A thick sauce made of garlic and olive oil, used with grilled meats or vegetables, and some dishes. Allioli means garlic (all) and (i) oil (oli) in Catalan language.

Festivals

Popular festivals and traditions are signs of identity and cultural manifestations that are parto f the living history of the Catalans.
Catalonia has a large Lumber of differents festivals, ranking from religious festivals to popular, recreacional festivals. All of these popular, cultural and folklore-based traditions faithfully reflect the personality of the Principality.
Traditional local festivals are held throughout Catalonia, with a vast range if celebratory, cultural, social and religious events, so that there is something to suita ll tastes, from local to visitors.

Numerous popular festivals are held in Catalonia throughout the year, following a cycle based mainly on the two solstices – Christmas in winter and the Eve of Saint John at midsummer – and the two equinoxes, marked by the Carnival, Holy Week and Easter in spring, and the wine harvest and the Feast of All Saints in autumn. Many festivals – known as the Festa Major – recall the feast day of the patron saint of each locality while others relate to particular arts and crafts, farming and seafaring. There are also many fairs and markets. Some keys feature of the proceedings is fire, parades with giants and dwarfs, a vast range of folk dances, foremost among which is the Catalan national dance, the sardana, spectacular human towers built by castellers (human castles); ancient liturgical performances including Passion plays or popular Christmas plays or pastorates.

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