On continuation we suggest some possible tourist destinations, both in Catalonia and the rest of Spain, to visit before and after the Assembly.
Please note that there is a travel agency inside Hotel Barcelona Plaza, the main hotel serving the Assembly.
Viatges Kyoto
Tel.: (+34) 934 26 26 00 / (+34) 934 23 39 49
A/e: viajeskyoto@viajeskyoto.com
http://www.gencat.cat/turistex_nou/home_cast.htm
Catalonia is an autonomous community in Spain with a land area of 31,930 sq km and a population of 7.5 million people. Its character is fruit of over one thousand years of history and a separate language and culture.
There are many places of interest in the province of Barcelona, but particular mention should be made of the town of Sitges.
Sitges is situated 36 km south of Barcelona. It now has a population of over 20,000 inhabitants. It is a seaside town with long beaches and an excellent tourist infrastructure.
The basis of the economy of Sitges is tourism and some other industries, and the town has become a commercial centre with a large influx of tourists all year round, thanks to the fact that it enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year.
Sitges Tourist Office
Sínia Morera, 1
08870 Sitges
Tel.: (+34) 938 94 42 51
Fax: (+34) 938 94 43 05
In the province of Girona special mention should be made of the city of Girona and the Costa Brava.
The city of Girona has approximately 94,000 inhabitants. It was founded by the Romans and slowly expanded down through the centuries. It is an administrative centre, home to a university, the venue for fairs and markets, and a business and cultural hub, but it still conserves the quality of life that has been lost in the big cities.
In its exceptional old district, where time seems to have stood still, visitors can explore one of the best conserved Jewish quarters in Europe.
We invite you to lose yourself in the narrow streets of the old district and the Jewish quarter and discover the houses, the squares, the nooks and crannies and the restaurants.
Places of interest near Girona
Around Girona there are destinations of great interest reached in less than an hour by car.
Cultural routes:
Country routes:
Girona City Council Tourist Office
Rambla de la Llibertat, 1
17004 Girona
Tel.: (+34) 972 22 65 75
Fax: (+34) 972 22 66 12
turisme@ajgirona.org
In the province of Lleida special mention should be made of the Vall d’Aran.
The official name of this Catalan region is, in Aranese, the Val d’Aran. Also referred to more simply as Aran, it is situated in the Central Pyrenees (province of Lleida) and bears the name of the valley it occupies.
The Vall d’Aran has 10,194 inhabitants and its capital is the town of Viella.
There are three co-official languages in this region: Aranese, Catalan and Spanish.
The Aranese economy was based traditionally on livestock farming and forestry, but it is now driven by tourism (both in winter, with skiing, and in summer).
Two elements have favoured the growth of tourism: the opening of the tunnel of Viella and the Baqueira-Beret ski station. The combined effect of these two developments has converted a region of shepherds and lumberjacks into an important focus of tourism and one of the areas with the highest income per capita in Catalonia.
Viella Tourist Office
Ctra. de Gausac, 1
25530 Vielha
Tel.: (+34) 973 64 06 88
torisme@aran.org
In the province of Tarragona particular mention should be made of the capital.
Tarragona is situated in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Mediterranean coast. The city covers an area of nearly 63 sq km and the average height above sea level is about 70 metres. The average annual temperature is very mild, around 17 ºC.
Tarragona can lay claim to Roman ruins of enormous historic and artistic interest, which were declared a world heritage site in 2000. The history revival festival Tarraco Viva brings the Roman times back to life every spring.
Now, well into the 21st century, Tarragona looks to the future with optimism and important goals to achieve.
Tarragona Tourist Office
Fortuny, 4
43001 Tarragona
Tel.: (+34) 977 23 34 15
www.spain.info
Spain is known for its history, its art, its bullfights, its flamenco music and its beaches, and for the many hours of sun through the year. But Spain is not just this: it is much more.
The country has been one of the cultural centres of Europe for thousands of years, and it still is. Its cities, including the remotest enclaves, are home to monuments of extraordinary importance, both because of their antiquity and their artistic value, not to mention the wonderful scenery that you can find in this marvellous land.
Spain is in south-east Europe, occupying 80% of the Iberian Peninsula, which it shares with Portugal. Apart from the Peninsula, it includes the Balearic Islands (Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera), in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Canaries (consisting of seven larger islands and several little ones), in the Atlantic Ocean.
It boasts an extraordinary variety of landscapes, from areas of desert to the greenest of pastures, with mountains, valleys, rivers and the sea generating a very varied climate.
We will make special mention of certain destinations, although the whole of Spain is worth exploring:
Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a cosmopolitan city with an ever-increasing number of tourists all year round. It continues to be the same open city as ever, and its famous nightlife has not lost any of its vitality. This air of modernity contrasts harmoniously with the remarkable old quarter and the city’s cultural traditions.
It has an extensive transport network that makes it easy to go anywhere, and the best and most exclusive hotel network. Tradition and the avant-garde co-exist in harmony, allowing for a dynamic, modern society. The Community of Madrid is an obligatory destination for those who wish to get to know Spanish culture.
Madrid Tourist Board
Tourist Office
Casa de la Panadería
Plaza Mayor, 27
28012 Madrid
Tel.: (+34) 915 88 29 00
A/e: turismoptm@munimadrid.es
La Rioja is well-known for its top-quality (D.O.C. qualified designation of origin) wines, named after the region. They constitute the basis of the region’s wealth and are a local cultural reference.
La Rioja consists of a patchwork of different arts and cultures: from the Celtiberian to Christian civilisations, not to mention Visigoths, Romans and Arabs. La Rioja has the smell and taste of this mix, richly seasoned with very different traditions.
La Rioja is divided up into the Rioja Alta, the Rioja Alabesa and the Rioja Baja.
The capital of the Rioja Alta is Haro, known as “the cathedral of wine”. The landscape in this region is quite rugged and the climate is extremely rainy, with long, hard winters and short, hot summers.
The capital of the Rioja Alabesa is Laguardia. Owing to the climate (very sunny), the wines are dense, high in alcohol, low in acid, and with a strong aroma and full, intense colour.
The capital of Rioja Baja is Calahorra. It is also a very sunny region, and the vineyards produce strong wines, between 14 and 17 per cent alcohol, with low acidity and an exquisite bouquet.
Tourist Office
Haro Tourist Office
Plaza Monseñor Florentino Rodríguez, s/n
26200 Haro
Tel.: (+34) 941 30 33 66
Fax: (+34) 941 30 33 66
A/e: haro@lariojaturismo.com
Andalusia is the link between Europe and Africa and the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Andalusia comprises 17.3% of the land area of Spain, covering some 87,268 sq km.
The variety of landscapes and geographical features generates a wide range of scenery ranging from the warm valley of the River Guadalquivir to wooded mountainsides to volcanic landscapes to the snow-capped summits of the Sierra Nevada.
Andalusia’s biggest river, the Guadalquivir, is a source of life tracing a horizontal path across Andalusia.
In the space of just forty kilometres an alpine landscape is transformed into a tropical one on the shores of the Mediterranean. With its many towns and beaches, the Andalusian coastline, nearly 900 km long, is a delight to everyone who visits it.
All this constitutes a combined tourist offer which ranges from the monuments of the big cities to the local life of the little villages and which continues to be a source of inspiration for all kinds of artists.
Today, Andalusia is a modern community served by extensive infrastructures, which gives a warm welcome to all its visitors and takes special care to preserve its roots and maintain its important cultural and monumental heritage, the legacy of its past civilisations.
Andalusian Tourist Office
Andalusian Tourism
Compañía, 40
29008 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 951 29 93 00
