Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
$ Alt Penedès
Catalonia's most famous
wine region is the cava -producing
area of the Penedès. The cava
brands of Cordoníu and Freixenet
have become household names
worldwide. Many of the area's
wineries and bodegas are open to
the public. One of the most spec-
tacular is the Cordoníu bodega,
housed in a Modernista building
designed by Puig i Cadafalch, with
a phenomenal 26 km (16 miles)
of cellars on five floors. d Tourist
Info: C/Cort 14, Vilafranca del Penedès
93 818 12 54 The tourist office has
details on all winery visits in the region,
including the Cordoníu winery
Riu Onyar, Girona
walls that lead past the Museu
Nacional Arqueològic and the
Torre de Pilatos, a tower where
Christians were supposedly
imprisoned before being thrown
to the lions. Also in Tarragona
is the Catedral de Santa Tecla
(see p124) . d Tourist Info: C/Fortuny 4
977 23 34 15
& Girona
% Begur & Around
The elegant hilltop town of
Begur, with its ruined 14th-century
castle, looks down on the nature
reserve of Aiguamolla and some
of the prettiest coves on the
Costa Brava. The town's
population quadruples in
summer as visitors make
this their base for ex-
ploring nearby beaches
and small, isolated coves.
Many of the area's
beaches stage jazz
concerts throughout
the summer. This is
perhaps the best
stretch of coastline
in Catalonia. d Tourist
Info: Av Onze de Setembre
5 972 62 45 20
^ Tarragona
Said to have the highest liv-
ing standards in Catalonia, Girona
is a pleasant town surrounded
by lush green hills. Hidden away
in the old town, the
atmospheric Jewish
quarter (known as El
Call) is one of the best-
preserved medieval
enclaves in Europe.
Girona's cathedral is
a must (see p124) .
d Tourist Info: Rambla de la
Llibertat 1 972 22 65 75
* Empúries
After Tarragona,
Empúries is Catalonia's
second most impor-
tant Roman site. Occupying
an impressive position by the
sea, it includes more than 40
hectares (99 acres) scattered
with Greek and Roman ruins,
the highlights of which are the
remains of a market street,
various temples and part of a
Roman amphitheatre. Coupled
with lovely nearby beaches, it's
an ideal spot for those looking
Codorníu cava
Entering the city of Tarragona,
past the oil refineries and its huge
industrial port, it's hard to envi-
sage the astounding archaeolo-
gical treasures that await. Once
the capital of Roman Catalonia,
the city's main attractions today
are from this era. Highlights
include an impressive amphi-
theatre and the well-kept Roman
120
For places to stay beyond Barcelona See p149
 
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