The region of Catalonia (also called Catalunya or Cataluña) is a place unlike any in the world. Flanked by the Pyrenees Mountains on the north and bathed by the Mediterranean Sea on the east, Catalonia stubbornly maintains a strong and independent identity with a unique culture and language all its own.


With six million inhabitants, it is the second most populated region in Spain, after Andalucia. At various times a possession of the Romans, Goths, Moors, Spanish and French, the Catalan province was granted limited autonomy by the Spanish government after the death of Francisco Franco.


Catalonian citizens are now permitted to elect the members of the Generalitat, Catalonia's historical legislative and executive governing body. Perhaps because of the schizophrenic influences and the long fight for autonomy, Catalonians are known for their independent spirit and cultural pride.


Despite Catalonia's small size (only 32,000 km), visitors will find amazing diversity, from miles of sea coast to the Pyrenean summits, from the historical castles dotting the ancient medieval border to the modern pleasures of the big cities.


The most exciting Catalonian city is no doubt Barcelona, the capital city and one of the most vibrant and colorful European cities. Tourists flock to the city to stroll Las Ramblas or the Gothic Quarter, or to see the work of incomparable modernist architect Antonio Gaudi, whose buildings have been designated as sites in the World Heritage List.

Other than Barcelona, the Montserrat monastery is Catalonia's main draw, perched on one of the most unusual rock formations in Spain. Legend has it that this is the spot where Parsifal discovered the Holy Grail, and that a carving of the Virgin by St. Luke turned up here and could not be moved.