Cathars, castles and monasteries

Only 50 km from Barcelona is one of the most important symbols for the Catalans – the holy mountain of Montserrat, which stands 1236 meters high. With a bit of luck and good weather you can see a lot of Catalan towns, the Mediterranean Sea and even the island of Mallorca. At an altitude of 721 meters you'll find a Benedictine monastery with over 80 monks still living there. The convent is known for the revelation of Holy Mary, known as La Moreneta. Her sanctuary is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year.

Thousands of people come to this Andorran village every year, on the 8th of September, to celebrate one of national holidays – Day of Holy Mary of Meritxell. It is one of only four national holidays in Andorra. The sanctuary itself was partially destroyed by fire in 1972. It was subsequently reconstructed by the Catalan architect Ricard Bofill Leví. The form of building was inspired by the Andorran mountains and the traditional dry stone houses.

Located next to the Aigüestortes National Park, this picturesque valley possesses one of the most valuable treasures of Catalonia – some beautiful Romanesque churches, that constitute a UNESCO site. This charming valley offers its own thermal springs.

Ariège is a French department located in the Pyrenees, on the border with Andorra. From Andorra there is only one way to get to this region, which passes by the famous alpine ski station of Pas de la Casa, with amazing views of the nearby mountain passes guaranteed.
This small French region is rich in cultural and natural touristic sites, such as the caves of Mas d’Azil, Bedeilhac, La Vache and Niaux, the Prehistoric Park in Tarascon, the castles of Foix and Montségur, which protected the Cathars against persecution by the papacy. Picturesque towns such as Mirepoix, Saint-Lizier and Ax-les-Thermes with thermal water are worth a visit.

bordering both Catalonia and Andorra, Languedoc – Roussillon is a southern French territory.
Not many years ago, its southern part belonged to Spain. These days it is known in Spain as North Catalonia and in France as the department of Eastern Pyrenees. The visitors will find many attractive sites: the Cathars castles of Peyperetruse, Puilaurens, Quéribus and Arques, the huge medieval fortress of Carcassonne, the beaches and cliffs of the Red Coast (the continuation of the Costa Brava) and the Amethyst Coast, the Pyrenees Mountains, the monuments of Carcassonne, Perpignan and Narbonne.

Located in north-west part of Spain, Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the Autonomous Region of Galicia and the most important cultural and academic centre in that part of Spain. It is the final point of the famous Camino de Santiago. With a dozens possible routes and itineraries, it is one of the most important pilgrimage routes in the world. In this unique region of Spain the mountains, pits, rocky Coast of Death, eucalyptus forests, temperate maritime weather and local legends and traditions merge. These combine to create something completely different from rest of Spain or Portugal. The Scottish and Welsh countryside – remind many visitors of some of the elements of the landscape in Galicia. Galician people speak their own language, which is closely related to Portuguese. The old town of Santiago is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to beautiful granite houses and a giant cathedral that is considered as one of the most beautiful urban complexes of the world. Close to Santiago you will find also a lot of ancient monuments, such as megaliths and examples of Roman and Celt towns.