Catalonia

Catalonia (Catalunya or Cataluna) is one of the Regions of the Kingdom of Spain with it's capital city being Barcelona. The Region borders France and Andorra to the north, Aragon to the west, the Valencia Region to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. It has 580 km of coastline and the official languages of the region are Catalan, Spanish and Aranese.

The climate of Catalonia is diverse, ranging from Mediterranean climate at the coast, cooler inland and an Alpine climate nearer the Pyrenees. In the coastal area, summers are dry and hot with sea breezes, and maximum temperatures around 25-30°. Winter can be much cooler depending on the location. It snows frequently in the Pyrenees, and it occasionally snows at lower altitudes, even by the coastline. Spring and autumn are typically the rainiest seasons, except for the Pyrenean valleys, where summer can be stormy.

The Catalonia region is has four Provinces - Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, being called after cities in each Province. Barcelona is also the capital of the Catalonia region as well as being the largest city in Spain. The main tourist destinations in the Catalonia region are the city of Barcelona, the beaches along the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada, and in the Pyrenees there are a number of ski resorts.

The Catalonia region has a very marked culture of its own, and stands out from most other Spanish regions in a number of ways, especially with it's language - Catalonian - however, everybody speaks and understands Castilian Spanish as well. Catalonia is one of the most cosmopolitan places in Spain.

The coastal resorts are ideal holiday destinations and there are many facilities for all sorts of water sports. However there are many other places of interest, and here are just a few - Barcelona, Besalu, Blanes, Cadaques, Calalla de Palafrugel, Cardona, Empuries, Estartit, Figueres, Girona, Llafranc, Lleida, Palamos, Pubol, Montblanc, Sitges, Solsona, Tarragona, Tossa del Mar.