Garraf: one hundred percent Mediterranean nature and culture a few kilometers from Barcelona

Coastal and inland landscapes rich in biodiversity, museums, festivals and a unique gastronomy come together in this privileged place on the shores of the Mediterranean. A starting point is found in the fishing port of Vilanova y la Geltrú.

In this enclave the most authentic and maritime spirit of the Garraf region beats strongly. In all its corners and at all hours, but especially from Monday to Friday, when the fishing boats enter the mouth loaded with fresh fish and land it to sell at auction. All kinds of species, from the tasty sardines and anchovies to the prized red prawns from Vilanova, are displayed before the attentive eyes of buyers.

When the sale ends, the bustle ends and the port rests. Life moves to other places in “Baix a Mar”, the fishermen’s quarter: the restaurants on the Paseo Marítimo and Paseo del Carmen, the fine sand beaches such as Ribes Roges or El Faro, or the Museum of the Sea and that of Marine Curiosities, located in the Espai Far, a center for the promotion of the city’s marine culture and history located in the grounds of the emblematic lighthouse of Sant Cristòfol.

Although Vilanova is the only large fishing port in the region, all the cities and towns of Garraf have a long history linked to the sea, both due to their fishing tradition and the historical importance of maritime trade. In this sense, the legacy of the 19th century is especially interesting: trips to different parts of America, especially Cuba, enriched some merchants from Vilanova and Sitges, called “Indians” or “Americans” and part of the money they invested in buildings that today are part of their architectural and artistic heritage.

The economic progress experienced by the region in the 19th century can also be seen in the facades and interiors of the neoclassical and modernist houses in Vilanova, Sitges and also in Sant Pere de Ribes, a town where you can precisely visit an interpretation center dedicated to the Indians In Vilanova, the Railway Museum, the Víctor Balaguer Museum, the Can Papiol Romantic Museum or the Manuel de Cabanyes Romanticism Interpretation Center, in the monumental Masia d’en Cabanyes, and in Sitges the Cau Ferrat Museum, are essential visits. the Maricel Museum, the Palau Maricel and the Can Llopis Romantic Museum (temporarily closed).

The historical richness of the area is reflected in the festivals and gastronomy. Which Carnival is more spectacular? And the most fun and participatory? And where is the best cultural offer? And the best gastronomy? Traditionally, Vilanova is presented as a quieter and more familiar city (it is precisely one of the family tourism destinations certified by the Catalan Tourism Agency) and Sitges, more lively and touristy. But there are nuances, and many, in both cases.

Another proposal with a cultural key is a leisurely tour of streets and squares that lead to discovering postcard locations both in Sitges – the Racó de la Calma, the Town Hall, the church of Sant Bartomeu and Santa Tecla, the old market or the beaches of la Fragata and Sant Sebastià – as in Vilanova – the streets of Geltrú, the Rambla, the church of Sant Antoni or the Plaza de la Vila –.

And if we talk about culture, the offer is wide throughout the year, with major events such as VIDA, Tingladu, Jardins de Terramar, the Sitges Film Festival, Temps de Vi or the Feel Chill Experience, among many others.

Other towns also come into play in the mission to discover the most authentic Garraf. In Cubelles, the birthplace of the clown Charlie Rivel, with a small museum in the center, its beaches stand out, especially the “platja Llarga”, located in an area of ​​great natural interest, the old castle, the gardens of the neoclassical palace of Can Travé or “Els Safareigs”, former public laundries.

In Olivella the old town and the church of Sant Pere and Sant Feliu. And in Sant Pere de Ribes it is very interesting to visit the Castell de Ribes, recently renovated and converted into the Cultural Heritage Interpretation Center of the municipality, and space generating artistic activities, such as the Udaeta Festival – Castell de Ribes.

If we look at gastronomy, in addition to xató -a salad served with a sauce that gives it its name, made with ñoras and other ingredients, typical of the Garraf and Alt and Baix Penedés regions-, other dishes. Some of them are “all cremat” (burnt garlic), cuttlefish “a la bruta” (dirty), sitgetana rice, baby octopus with aioli, “rossejats” (golden rice) or “rossejats” noodles. (golden noodles), all of them inherited from the “ranxos” that the fishermen cooked on board their boats. To try them, nothing better than treating yourself to one of their restaurants.

Very close to the urban centers of Sitges, Olivella and Sant Pere de Ribes, is the Garraf Park, a series of calcareous rock mountains that form an exotic landscape with its own vegetation, of great ecological value and a peculiar heritage.

To discover it, it is worth following one of the signposted routes, most of them circular. The destinations of these routes are multiple and varied, from the climb to the top of La Morella, the highest mountain in this natural space, to visits to the abandoned town of Jafra, the old castle of Olivella, the Buddhist monastery of Sakya Tashi Ling (located in an old modernist palace), the hermitage of the Trinitat or the castle of Eramprunyà.

Other points of interest for hiking or cycling routes, signposted and recently interpreted are: the park and the mouth of the Foix river, in Cubelles, an ideal place to observe birds of different species, the Pic de l’Àliga area, in Canyelles, full of routes to explore the Mediterranean landscape, climb the Old Castle of Olivella, or the Castellot de Garraf, in Sitges, walk among the vineyards in Sant Pere de Ribes or climb the Mirador de Montserrat, from where you can appreciate the mountain of Montserrat.

In all of them you can enjoy characteristic vegetation led by the margalló, a plant from the palm family that has become an emblem of the region. To end this trip by the sea, there is nothing better than visiting the Colls i Miralpeix natural area, a true undeveloped natural oasis on the coast between Vilanova and Sitges, and accessing the La Punta Grossa viewpoint.