Barcelona Combines Urban and Mountain Tourism With Environmental Awareness

11 December 2018
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Barcelona is a destination with countless possibilities, committed to managing and promoting tourism in an inclusive, integrated way. The city is the gateway to the Catalan Pyrenees and its tourism offer extends way beyond its boundaries.

Barcelona: A Benchmark for Sustainable Tourism

Barcelona was recently ranked top of the list of destinations committed to responsible tourism management at the 2018 World Travel Market in London. Barcelona won the “Best for Managing Success” award for its management and promotion of the city as a tourist destination, particularly in the area of sustainability and responsible tourism in cities. Barcelona was also the first urban destination to be awarded Biosphere certification, and, together with the valley Val d’Aran in the Pyrenees, is part of the community of leading sustainable destinations. Barcelona continues to make strides in its commitment to sustainable tourism and is a must for environmentally aware visitors everywhere.

Barcelona Beach © Turisme de Barcelona

Barcelona: Just a Step Away From the Pyrenees

From the sea to the mountains in just two hours — this is Barcelona! The city’s geographical location makes it the perfect destination for your clients who want to combine city sightseeing with activities in the snow and mountains.

Just a stone’s throw away from the Catalan capital, the Pyrenees are a haven for lovers of adventure, sport, and nature. Their scenery — with peaks rising up more than 3,000 meters, high mountain lakes, ski resorts, volcanic landscapes, and climbing walls — offers a whole host of options catering to a wide range of visitors. The fact Barcelona and the Pyrenees are such a short distance apart will allow you to tailor your trip to your customers’ profile and tastes, so they can explore them at their leisure, any time of the year, on a getaway from Barcelona lasting anything from a few days to one day.

A Haven for Hikers

You can discover Barcelona and its neighborhoods and attractions on foot. But the pathways and charming hidden corners don’t end in the city. With one national park and six natural parks, the Catalan Pyrenees are a must for walkers. You’ll find 14 long-distance trails (GR) and more than 1,000 kilometers of sign-posted routes designed for you to enjoy the pleasures of walking. You can organize circular routes that take more than a week to complete, as well as simple, one-day excursions to a mountain refuge, peak, or lake.

The Noguera Pallaresa: The Best River in Europe for Wild Water Sports

Lovers of the water will enjoy the salt, the waves, and the sand on Barcelona’s beaches, but they’ll also love taking part in water sports in the Pyrenees. The Noguera Pallaresa river is the best in Europe for wild water sports, including rafting. It has 37 miles of navigable routes of varying levels of difficulty, suitable for people of all ages and skills — from those looking for adrenaline-fuelled thrills to those who want to enjoy more leisurely activities in captivating surroundings. A wide choice of businesses in the area will ensure the complete safety of your adventure sport experience, from rafting and canoeing to canyoning.

Santa Maria de Ripoll Monastery © Turisme de Barcelona

Romanesque Architecture in the Pyrenees, UNESCO World Heritage

Barcelona is the only city in the world with nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, and just a step away, in the Pyrenees, the Romanesque churches in the Vall de Boí have also earned this distinction.

The Pyrenees have an extensive and valuable architectural and cultural heritage: They are home to Romanesque churches, castles, archaeological sites, and medieval villages as well as some 50 museums. Culture and traditions are also present at a wide variety of festivals and celebrations, including La Patum and Les Falles, which have been designated as Intangible Cultural Assets by UNESCO.

Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park © Turisme de Barcelona

Snow in the Pyrenees

In winter, the Catalan Pyrenees offer a wide variety of activities: alpine, Nordic, and night skiing at its ski resorts; snowshoe trekking, dog sleds, and horse-drawn sleighs, snowmobiles, and heli-skis; cross-country skiing through mountainous areas along trails that pass between refuges high up in the mountains. There’s even skiing for people with reduced mobility.

About the Turisme de Barcelona Consortium

The Turisme de Barcelona Consortium is the official body responsible for promoting and boosting the tourism, cultural, and retail offer of Barcelona and its surrounding area. With its program, Barcelona Pirineus – Snow and Mountain, it expresses its commitment to taking advantage of the wealth of resources and the tourism offer of the Pyrenees in order to shift the benefits of tourism away from the city and boost the combination of urban tourism and snow and mountain tourism. For further details, visit the website.

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