WHAT’S NEW IN CATALONIA 2017 1 2 INDEX CATALONIA 5 1 BARCELONA 0 2 COSTA & PAISATGES DE BARCELONA 2 2 COSTA BRAVA 6 3 COSTA DAURADA 0 3 TERRES DE L’EBRE 3 3 LANDS OF LLEIDA 5 3 PYRENEES 8 4 VAL D’ARAN 1 4 EVENTS CALENDAR 2017 3 3 CATALONA Catalonia is a Mediterranean destination with a millenary history, its own culture and language, plus a wealthy historical and natural heritage. With a population of over 7.5 million, the region covers 32,107 km2 and enjoys a temperate and mild Mediterranean climate, characterised by dry, warm summers and moderately cool winters. Catalonia is home to many significant metropolises, from the capital, Barcelona, to the province cities of Girona, Tarragona and Lleida and smaller towns filled with remarkable heritage and majestic monuments. The region offers extensive opportunities for tourists; from culture cravers to family travellers, sports enthusiasts and wildlife wanderers or for those just looking to relax, Catalonia’s excellent facilities place it as one of Europe’s prime tourist destinations. 4 NORDIC TOURISTS Catalonia, with a total of 782.000 Nordic tourists visiting in 2015. This gave an IN CATALONIA expenditure of €755 million. Between Catalonia welcomed over 17.4 million foreign visitors in 2015, which equated to an expenditure figure of €15,625 January and July 2016 these figures million. The Nordic Countries are the increased by 13% %, compared with the sixth largest outbound market for same period last year. tourism in FLIGHTS FROM THE NORDIC COUNTRIES TO CATALONIA CATALONIA HAS NAMED 2017 THE YEAR OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM The United Nations (UN) General greater awareness of, and better Assembly has approved the adoption of appreciation to the inherent values of 2017 as the International Year of different cultures, thereby contributing Sustainable Tourism for Development. to the strengthening of peace in the One of the main aims of which is to world. The declaration by the UN of foster a better understanding of what 2017 as the International Year of sustainable tourism is, leading to a Sustainable 5 Tourism for Development is a Following this international path, unique opportunity to advance Catalonia has named 2017 the year of the contribution of the tourism sustainable tourism with the aim to sector to the three pillars of continue improving and growing CATALONIA PAVES THE WAY FOR SUSTAINABLE COASTAL TOURISM sustainability – economic, social and tourism in a sustainable way, something environmental – whilst raising that has always been a key point in the awareness of the true dimensions of a Catalan sector which is often undervalued. Tourist Board’s strategy. Catalonia gives wings to ‘Wildsea Europe’, a Sustainable Marine Tourism Route connecting coastal destinations with a unique marine biodiversity launched as a prelude to the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The Route captures the best marine landscapes and ecotourism experiences that can be enjoyed in Catalonia and other European coastal destinations. It brings together a network of local tourism operators and offers visitors a wealth of exciting marine and outdoor activities to try, allowing them to experience and learn about marine wildlife. Diving, snorkelling, kayaking, whale & bird watching and trekking; Wildsea Europe offers a wide portfolio of fun rest of the Route’s associated marine and outdoor activities which are destinations which include the Atlantic offered to the public through the Route’s waters of Causeway Coast & Glens website - www.wildsea.eu. There are (Northern Ireland), Donegal (Ireland) now over 65 different tourism and Tarifa (Spain) to Liguria (Italy) and experiences that can be enjoyed in Istria (Croatia) in the Mediterranean Sea. Catalonia and the CATALONIA LEADS THE TOURISM PROJECT ‘HIKING EUROPE’ www.wildsea.eu ‘Hiking Europe’ is a project presented and coordinated by the Catalan Tourist Board which involves a hiking network of over 1,000 km of trails across four different 6 European destinations: Catalonia,will give easy access to cultural and Ireland, Italy and Croatia. natural heritage, gastronomy, local The main objective is to diversify traditions, and will be promoted the tourism offering in each of the following a sustainable model which involved destinations and to showcase involves the local community. VISITMUSEUM - A NEW TOOL FOR TOURISTS whole regions. These rural hiking routes Visitmuseum is a new tool for tourists the museum, a route interested in culture and heritage. through the main Accessible from any mobile device, in thematic rooms and a detailed look at app or mobile web version, Visitmuseum the most significant objects. The app also enables users to enhance their visit with provides useful information including content available in different languages, the corresponding links to find out more and showcases the main pieces held at as well as how visitors can share their each museum, providing in-depth experiences on social media networks. commentary. The main aim of this new tool is to make Visitmuseum includes a museums more accessible for brief presentation of international visitors. the features of www.visitmuseum.gencat.cat ‘The Catalan Tourist Board has recently can be purchased on-site in order to ease launched the Market Place “Experience the booking process. NEW MARKET PLACE - EXPERIENCE CATALUNYA Catalunya” with a renewed and user In the following months, the platform friendly layout. The platform is will also include seasonal promotions, a NEW SPACE TO PROMOTE CATALAN CULTURAL HERITAGE IN PALAU MOJA organised in different categories and newsletter and a blog with monthly includes videos and panoramic images to inspiration on Catalonia’s hidden gems. encourage users to find the best holiday experience.catalunya.com experiences. A new space to promote the tangible and Whether the users are looking for a intangible cultural heritage of Catalonia, gastronomy experience, a nature activity has opened to the public and can be or a family fun adventure, the found in Palau Moja, in the heart of the “Experience Catalunya” platform emblematic La Rambla in Barcelona. The will inspire users with new ideas, aim of the centre is to promote and customer reviews and a ranking of the commercialise Catalonia’s cultural top experiences. All these experiences heritage resources. 7 The centre provides heritage information, both for tourists spending a few days in Catalonia, or for Catalan visitors who want toincrease their knowledge about the region. The centre is divided in 3 spaces; a tourist office specialising in cultural heritage where visitors can buy tickets for different cultural sites; a museum that illustrates the Catalan history; and a gastronomic space where visitors can taste Catalonia’s culinary heritage with cuisine based on healthy, local products and accompanied by a wine list with nine appellations of origin. www.palaumoja.com 8 BARCEL ONA Barcelona is one of the world’s key city tourism destinations. With 6.5 million tourists and 60,000 hotel beds, in recent years the city has become one of the top 5 European cities in the sector. The Catalan capital combines the appeal of culture and architecture (Gaudí) with the vitality of a dynamic city, which is expressed by its retail offering, gastronomy and sporting calendar, as well as its special lifestyle. Located in the Mediterranean, the city’s 5 kilometres of beaches and its position as the Continent’s leading cruise destination and a hub for meetings tourism complete its appeal. 9 NEW CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS TO RE-OPEN IN 2017 Gaudi’s Casa Vicens Torre Andreu – “La Rotonda” Carrer de les Carolines, 18-24, 08012 Av. del Tibidabo, 1, 08022 www.casavicens.org Antonio Gaudí’s first major construction Torre Andreu, also known as “La Rotonda dating back to 1883-1888, Casa Vicens, ” is a neoclassical modernist building that is to become a museum. Refurbishment was completed in 1918 by the architect on Casa Vicens, set to last one year, has Adolf Ruiz i Casamitjana. begun and will see this UNESCO heritage Situated in the Sant Gervasi building, located in the city’s Gràcia neighborhood of Barcelona, Torre district, transformed into a house Andreu stands on the corner of Avenida museum featuring some of Gaudí’s best del Tibidabo and Passeig de Sant Gervasi, work. The building, never before opened and it is artistically known as the “Door to the public, is undergoing extensive to the Tibidabo”. refurbishment and restoration so it can The building has had a variety of uses open to visitors. The museum has a over the years; it began by housing the visitor route, an auditorium, exhibition luxury Grand Hotel Metropolitan which area, shop and cafeteria. The bright had an elegant restaurant with a capacity colours and references to nature used for 500 people, often used to celebrate on Casa Vicens set the tone for Gaudí’s weddings and events of the local future artistic direction and that is why bourgeois, before being renamed Hotel this building is so important in terms of La Rotonda after the Civil War. In the the architect’s history. 1970’s it became a hospital and the 2016 refurbishment is being completed by the architects of Alfredo Arribas, together 10 with Núñez i Navarro who medieval-style spiked towers, will be home to a museum space which NEW CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS TO RE-OPEN IN 2017 bought the building in 1999. explores the work of the architect Puig i La casa de les punxes Cadafalch, the history of the Casa Terradas and modernism. Avinguda Diagonal, 420, 08037 www.casadelespunxes.com “The House of Silk” Carrer de Sant Pere Més Alt, 1, 08003 Barcelona has a new tourism attraction! www.casadelaseda.com After over a hundred years of being closed to the general public, the Casa 18th century home of the Guild of Silk Terradas, better known as the Casa de Sail Makers, called Casa de la Seda, has les Punxes because of its six spiky recently opened its doors to the public.