The Catalan lands
Blessed by sea and mountain, and facing the warm south, these are lands where spring follows summer in an eternal progression, and where artists have long gathered to celebrate the living colours of sea, coast and hillside. Sweet moscatel wines capture the sunlight, along with orchards of almond, apricot, peach, cherry and olive groves. This is gentle living taken to an art form, with the soft murmur of the Mediterranean always in the background. No wonder that, from Roman times onwards, kings and conquerors have settled here to enjoy the fruits of the sea and the land.
The interior takes you rapidly into the foothills of the Pyrenees, gentle valleys where towns guard their history in the many medieval churches and abbeys. In the far distance, vestiges of snow brighten the occasional peak and remind you of the natural land barrier facing towards Spain. Across the frontier, too, much awaits, from the Romanesque splendours of Gerona to the vital and exciting modern city of Barcelona, established on a European level as a major city of culture. Meanwhile, the Salvador Dali museum in Figueras draws crowds all year round to see the imaginative and strange style of this twentieth century artist, who immortalised Perpignan railway station in his art.
To share in the spirit and lifestyle of the Catalans, you must relax and let the sun and the gentle wind of the south take you where they will. Taste the best of cheese with a glass of sweet Rivesaltes wine, let your senses enjoy the scents and comforts of a warm evening, and dance the hours away under the plane trees until the sun rises again over the sea.
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