Outside Barcelona (1)
Palau Robert
- Info: English, Spanish, Catalan, etc
The Palau Robert (Passeig de Gràcia, 107) houses a centre for information for discovering the rest of Catalonia that includes a bookshop (largely guides) and an exhibition hall that is generally well worth popping into.
The website contains a lot of useful information if you want to explore Catalonia beyond Barcelona.
- We liked: The 700 (car, MTB, walking...) "tourist routes" section, great for discovering the lovely Catalan countryside
- Not so hot: Actually finding the information that is there
Romanesque architecture
- Info: Spanish
Catalonia has some superb Romanesque architecture most notably among the churches to be found dotted
about the hills and which date back to the late tenth, early eleventh
century, and the origins of Catalonia as a nation in the days of
the Reconquest.
The Arteguias site (homepage),
accompanying print versions of a guidebook series, is a vast one,
generally well-organised, lacking perhaps only maps for ease of
location. It covers a lot more than the Romanesque and a lot more
of Spain than just Catalonia, and the excellent images on the site
will have you reaching for your Michelin map and hitting the open
road…
- We liked: The models section (including online purchase)
Catalonia in Miniature
- Info: English, Spanish, Catalan etc
17 km outside Barcelona at Torrelles de Llobregat, Catalunya en Miniatura is a sizeable collection of 1/25 scale models of Catalonia’s most famous architecture, including all of Gaudí and the Nou Camp Barça stadium, but also some of its Romanesque churches, not to mention the odd biscuit factory or two.
Regrettably some of the models need some serious renovation work, but it makes for quite a fun day out with kids, especially if you've already "been there, done that". Be warned, you'll be disappointed if you've been to Legoland.
The site isn't up to much, but provides (importantly!) directions as to how to get there (car required).
- We liked: The models themselves (though knowing the real things probably makes it more interesting)
- Not so hot: At €13.50 a head (€9.50 for under 12s), it's a bit pricey
Castles in Catalonia
- Info: Spanish
Fascinated by castles? This is your site. It reckons that there are, or rather were, over 1,000 castles in Catalonia, ruins of around 600 of which can still be seen today. Many date back to the time of the Moors, Catalonia having marked the northernmost limit of their advance in eastern Spain.
Barcelona itself has the impressive fortress of Montjuich, overlooking the city. If you really are potty about castles, you may find this second castles site interesting (Catalan only).
See also
Day and weekend trips outside Barcelona
The Barcelona Tourist Board site has an excellent "near Barcelona" section, which will also be of interest.
