We love Barcelona! Barcelona remains a beautiful city, one of the most attractive in Europe, huddled between the mountains and the sea, with a wonderful climate and rich architecture and history. But Barcelona is so overcrowded, that this special feeling is disappearing quickly. But there is an amazing tourism brand that has grouped six regions close to Barcelona and they are strongly committed to ensure the sustainability of the destination and the tourism companies operating here!
Costa Barcelona is a group that consists namely of the inland regions of Alt Penedès, Vallès Occidental and Vallès Oriental and the coastal regions of Maresme, Baix Llobregat and Garraf. It’s a lively area with tourist attractions to suit everyone and more than 100 km of coastline, combining coastal and beach destinations with Catalan modernism, industrial landscapes and a network of natural parks, including the Natural Park of Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac and the Montseny Natural Park. The Costa Barcelona offers a lot of leisure services and activities. With an accommodation capacity of over 100,000 guests, it welcomes more than 3,5 million visitors every year, generating 10 million overnight stays.
Hotspots
One of the highlights of the Costa Barcelona is the Llobregat Delta. The Llobregat Delta is one of Catalonia’s most important wetland zones. It is home to 20 natural habitats which have been designated special areas of conservation by the EU, and has an extraordinary diversity of plant species. Here you’ll find a great example that top-quality intensive farming can coexist within a large city like Barcelona. Another staggering highlight is the church with twister columns, the Colonia Güell Crypt.
The story goes that a businessman commissioned Gaudi to build a church for his textile factory workers in the village of Santa Coloma de Cervelló. The building could not be finished because of financial problems, but the entranceway, crypt, staircase to the church, and the base of one of the bell towers were all completed; you’ll still be blown away by the architectural beauty of it!
Foodspots
The UNESCO acclaimed Mediterranean diet is in full force in Costa Barcelona, fuelled by the abundance of fruits, vegetables, legumes and seafood from the surrounding area. Many regions have their specialties, such as strawberries from Mareseme, Gava Asparagus, Ordal peaches, Villanova prawns, Valles Oriental tomatoes, El Prat artichokes and Olesa de Montserrat olive oil.
You absolutely have to make reservations at El Jardí del Vellard, in Maresme. Chef Ruben Calvo, who used to work at three-Michelin-starred Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar, brings back some of San Pau’s flair and imagination – while being careful not to challenge his customers’ palette’s and budgets too much. Sounds tasteful!
Book your sustainable travel to the Costa Barcelona at bookdifferent.com.