Spain · 17 destinations
What to see in Catalonia
Barcelona and Gaudí, medieval Girona, Roman Tarragona, the Dalí museum in Figueres and the Costa Brava of Cadaqués, Tossa and Calella de Palafrugell, with the Pyrenees and villages like Besalú inland.
Updated 20 October 2026 · How we make our guides
Cities, villages and nature
Open each one to see all its sights, where to stay, day trips and when to go.
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CataloniaBarcelona
Gaudí on every corner, the Gothic Quarter, a beach in the city and La Boqueria: Barcelona is best explored on foot and by metro.
- Sagrada Família
- Park Güell
- Gothic Quarter
- La Boqueria Market
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CataloniaGirona
Colourful houses above the Onyar, the cathedral, the Jewish quarter and the city walls: a stone’s throw from the Costa Brava.
- Barri Vell
- Girona Cathedral
- Call (Jewish quarter)
- City walls
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CataloniaTarragona
Roman Tarraco by the sea: the amphitheatre, the walls, the circus and the Balcony of the Mediterranean.
- Roman amphitheatre
- Circus and Praetorium
- Tarragona Cathedral
- Ebro Delta
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CataloniaSitges
A white town of beaches, with its church above the sea, “indiano” mansions and festivals.
- Old town
- Museu Maricel
- San Sebastián Beach
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CataloniaFigueres
Dalí’s home town, with his Theatre-Museum, and the gateway to the Empordà and the Costa Brava.
- Dalí Theatre-Museum
- Sant Ferran Castle
- Cadaqués
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CataloniaCadaqués
A white fishing village on Cap de Creus, with Dalí’s house in Portlligat.
- Cadaqués harbour
- Dalí House-Museum (Portlligat)
- Dalí’s house in Portlligat
- Church of Santa Maria
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CataloniaTossa de Mar
A walled medieval town above a Costa Brava beach, with coves nearby.
- Vila Vella
- Playa Grande
- Platja Gran
- Tossa lighthouse
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CataloniaCalella de Palafrugell
A fishing village of white houses and arches above coves, with habanera singing in summer.
- Coves and arches
- Coastal path
- Cap Roig Botanical Garden
- Sant Sebastià lighthouse
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CataloniaBesalú
A medieval town with a fortified Romanesque bridge, a Jewish quarter and a Jewish ritual bath.
- Romanesque bridge
- Mikveh
- Monastery of Sant Pere
- Plaça de la Llibertat
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CataloniaLleida
La Seu Vella on its hilltop, the Segre river and the gateway to the Lleida Pyrenees.
- La Seu Vella
- Castell de Gardeny
- Carrer Major
- Museu de Lleida
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CataloniaAran Valley
A Pyrenean valley that faces the Atlantic, with its own language, Aranese, villages of stone and slate and the Baqueira Beret ski resort.
- Vielha
- Baqueira Beret
- Arties
- Bossòst
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CataloniaTortosa
A city of three cultures on the Ebro, with its Gothic cathedral, the Suda castle and the Ebro Delta close by.
- Cathedral
- Castle of La Suda
- Reales Colegios
- Jardines del Príncipe
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CataloniaMontserrat
A Benedictine monastery set into a mountain of impossible shapes, with the Black Madonna and its boys’ choir, an hour from Barcelona.
- Monastery and basilica
- Escolania
- Rack railway and cable car
- Santa Cova
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CataloniaCambrils
A Costa Dorada fishing port famous for its food, with calm beaches and a seafront promenade.
- Harbour
- Beaches
- Parc Samà
- Torre del Port
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CataloniaSalou
One of the most popular beaches on the Costa Dorada, with a seafront promenade, coves and a coastal path by the sea.
- Llevant beach
- Passeig Jaume I
- Coastal path
- Torre Vella
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CataloniaLloret de Mar
Costa Brava beaches and coves, gardens above the sea and a coastal path between cliffs.
- Santa Clotilde Gardens
- Castell d’en Plaja
- Fenals beach
- Cala Boadella
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CataloniaPals
A medieval stone village on a hilltop, among rice fields and a few minutes from the beaches of the Costa Brava.
- Torre de les Hores
- Mirador Josep Pla
- Medieval streets
- Church of Sant Pere
When to go
May to October for the coast; spring and autumn for the cities, without the heat and crowds of August. In winter, snow in the Pyrenees.
What to eat
- Pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato)
- Escalivada
- Crema catalana
- Calçots with romesco sauce
- Suquet de peix (fish stew)
- Botifarra
Recipes to make at home
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Catalonia?
The must-sees: Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Sitges, Figueres, Cadaqués, Tossa de Mar, Calella de Palafrugell, Besalú, Lleida, Aran Valley, Tortosa, Montserrat, Cambrils, Salou, Lloret de Mar and Pals. Each guide has its sights, where to stay, day trips and when to go.
When is the best time to visit Catalonia?
May to October for the coast; spring and autumn for the cities, without the heat and crowds of August. In winter, snow in the Pyrenees.
What to eat in Catalonia?
Pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato), Escalivada, Crema catalana, Calçots with romesco sauce, Suquet de peix (fish stew) and Botifarra. You’ll find the recipe for crema catalana, xuixo de girona, romesco sauce, xató, cremat and caracoles a la llauna (tray-roasted snails) in their guides.
Which villages to see in Catalonia?
Besalú, Cadaqués, Tossa de Mar, Calella de Palafrugell, Peratallada, Rupit and Pals are among the prettiest.
Bagintravel · We travel together
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The app is currently available in Spanish.
Other regions of Spain
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- Spain travel guide
Reviewed 20 October 2026. Places and areas: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.
Cover photo: M McBey (CC BY 2.0), Wikimedia Commons.