Catalonia

In Roman times the capital of Catalonia was Tarragona. North of the city are five major beaches plus several more smaller ones. The city itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a complex of Roman ruins, including those of a coliseum. Tarragona is also a centre for international events, with Europe's only Dixieland band festival and an international fireworks competition every July.

The main beach centres, however, are Costa Brava and Costa Daurada. Virtually every town on the Costa Daurada (the Gold Coast) has a beach of its own. Many of these, such as those at Coma-ruga, are under-utilized and enjoy thin crowds even in the height of the tourist season. The sea cliffs of Costa Daurada are also popular with rock climbers. Costa Brava, on the other hand, is tourist central and well-known for its three "S's:" Sun, Sand and Sangria. Every coastal town with a beach is packed with hotels, and behind that are bars and clubs supporting a lively, Catalan nightlife.

Costa Brava was much-loved by famed artist Salvador Dali, and fans of his work should make the pilgrimage to Figueres. The town is Dali's birthplace, and also the setting for the Theatre Museu Gala Salvador Dalí. The most interesting part about the museum is that the eccentric artist himself not only had a hand in designing it, he even lived in it during the early stages of its construction.

Catalonia also offers something for the outdoorsman. In the south are Natural Park of Delta de l'Ebre and the Natural Park of Delta de l'Ebre, a quieter and more rural setting than the bustling cities and busy beaches of the north. If you want undeveloped beaches, bird watching or long walks in the woods, these parks in southern Catalonia are where you want to go.

Catalonian food is solidly with the greater Mediterranean tradition, with olive oil, chickpeas, pork and vegetables like tomatoes and eggplant featured prominently. For a light meal, try escalivada, or a grilled mix of red peppers, tomatoes, sweet onions and eggplant. A good mid-day snack can be had with cocas, or Catalan-style mini-pizzas. As a region of coastal Spain, Catalonia also has a seafood tradition, with dishes like suquet de peix (seafood casserole) and Catalan cod served with pine nuts and raisins. Wash it all down with sangria or fine wine, both based on wine-making traditions that date back to a time before even the Romans came.

Getting to Catalonia is easy. Barcelona International Airport is well-connected to Europe through both regular and budget airlines. Girona-Costa Brava Airport and Reus Airport are serviced by Ryan Air and Thomson Airways. Lleida-Alguaire Airport has flights with Ryan Air again, as well to Paris through Vueling Airlines.