What is Catalonia famous for?
Spanning 360 miles along the Mediterranean coast, Catalonia is home to Romanesque art, medieval mountain monasteries, Art Nouveau masterpieces and Roman ruins. Its cuisine is as varied as its landscape, and traditions run deep.
How Christmas is celebrated in Catalonia?
In the run-up to Christmas, Catalan children keep the log warm and “feed” it in order to fatten it up so that on Christmas Day or Eve, the ‘tió’ will – you guessed it – defecate, while they beat it with sticks and sing a traditional ditty imploring the log to dump various goodies.
What is a tradition in Barcelona?
First tradition in Barcelona amoung many : The Sardana. The Sardana is Catalonia’s national dance. Its name comes from Catalan occupation of Sardinia. The Sardana. At many festivals, you are likely to see circles of people dancing the sardana, Catalunya’s national dance, and one which resembles no other Spanish dance.
How is Catalan culture different from Spanish?
The main difference between the two cities is in their styles and architecture: traditional Style (Barcelona) and modern style (Madrid). Catalan refers to the Romance languages, as well as Spanish, but is not a dialect of Spanish. Catalan is more like French and Italian than Spanish and Portuguese.
How do families celebrate Christmas in Barcelona Spain?
In more recent years Spanish families have started to have Christmas trees and children receive small presents from Santa Claus. However the larger presents are still provided by the Three Kings (see below). A lot of the day is devoted to eating. In general, families eat roast turkey.
How do families typically celebrate together in Barcelona for Christmas?
Both Spain and Catalonia celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family and friends. However, it’s more common to just have big feasts rather than exchanging presents. Kids might get some presents at Christmas from Caga Tió but they will mostly get them on Kings Day.
What do they drink in Catalonia?
Typically prepared in the rural parts of Catalonia, ratafia is one of the most ancient and traditional beverages to be made in the province. A mysterious blend of fruits, nuts and herbs, recipes vary from area to area and household to household.
What do they eat in Catalonia?
Here the Catalan dishes you have to try.
- Escalivada. Escalivada – which stems from the Catalan verb escalivar, meaning ‘to cook in ashes’ – is crafted out of blackened tomatoes, peppers and aubergines.
- Escudella i carn d’olla.
- Canelons.
- Cap i pota.
- Esqueixada.
- Calçots.
- Suquet de peix.
- Mongetes amb botifarra.
Are there any festivals or traditions in Catalonia?
There are quite a number of festivals and traditions in Catalonia (Spain). While most are of ancient origin, certain traditions are of relatively recent introduction. There are also some that are common to the whole Catalan society, but others are relevant only to a particular location.
What are the quirky customs of the Catalans?
The quirky customs in Catalonia are no exception. Celebrating with human towers, dancing eggs and fire runs, Catalans are proud of the traditions that have stood as symbols of their robust country for generations.
What is the most famous tradition in Barcelona?
Probably the most iconic of all the quirky Catalan traditions is the ‘castells’, or ‘human towers’. First performed in 1712, the tradition has become a staple for Catalan festivals. The teams that compete to see who can create the best human tower are called ‘colles castellers’.
What kind of dances do they do in Catalonia?
The sardana is a circular, open dance, that originated in the Empordà region (north of the country by the Mediterranean sea) and the Pyrenees (Catalan Pirineus ), and is now danced in many squares and streets all over Catalonia. Popular folk songs include “El Rossinyol”, “La Balanguera”, “La Santa Espina”, “Virolai” and “El Cant dels Ocells”.