If you are thinking of travelling this summer and want to get out of the usual beach and mountain circuit, in this article you might find some suitable proposals within Catalonia.

The summer of 2021 arrives as one of the most desired, in which many hope to return to the normalcy the pandemic took from us and to which, little by little, we are returning. The article What are holidays going to be like for Catalans? told you a recovery of 50% in tourism compared to last year, during which Catalans spent 42% less, is expected.

We are therefore preparing to enjoy a holiday knowing that the restrictions to travel are disappearing. It is time to select and discuss destinations, without forgetting that many wallets have suffered, and also that we may still be asked for expensive tests if our destination is abroad.

If we don’t want to spend too much or suffer a quarantine at our destination, it goes without saying that in Catalonia we have everything we need. Perhaps, however, we like something that comes out of the most well-known routes. Just in case, we will now propose several of those routes:

The gold in the Segre river

If you thought you had to go to the far west of California to look for gold, you were wrong. You can actually enjoy this experience for the whole family much closer: on the river Segre.

In these outings, which you can do from Balaguer during July and August, they explain why gold is found in the Segre river, they teach you how to look for it and distinguish it as the real seekers did and, if you find any, you can take it home.

The experience, which lasts about two hours, has very affordable prices: €8 for adults and €5 for children under 16. You can find all the information on Balaguer’s Museu de la Noguera website. If you decide to make this trip, you can also take the opportunity to visit and get to know its interesting archaeological, artistic, and ethnological collection.

The scenes of the battle of the Ebro

A key memory of our country, the Ribera d’Ebre has made a great effort to recover the spaces and scenarios that witnessed this decisive battle of the Spanish Civil War, and continues to work to disseminate it to travellers.

Deciding on these routes means entering anti-aircraft shelters, such as those in Flix or Font Gran in Benissanet; in trenches largely preserved, such as those of Berrús; camps of the Army Corps of the Ebro, such as the one we find in Ascó; defensive bunkers, such as Reguers; or castles that became a refuge for soldiers, as in the Middle Ages, and were heavily bombed, such as the castle of Mora d’Ebre and the castle of Miravet.

At turismeriberaebre.org you can check routes, accommodation, where to eat, and everything you need to organise your trip. In addition, you will find many other proposals to enjoy in the area, such as navigating the Ebro with the Llagut lo Roget.

Sleep on the trees

For the more adventurous, in the counties of Girona, there is a very peculiar accommodation: the Tree-Top Cabins. Located in the middle of the forest of Sant Hilari Sacalm, these wooden huts are integrated into the landscape and allow you to literally sleep on the trees.

This is the first accommodation of this kind to be opened in the state and, as its founders say, it will allow you to disconnect absolutely from your routine and let yourself be absorbed by nature; you will even have to go to the main farmhouse if you want to charge your phone. Total relaxation.

The animals of the Pyrenees, in their environment

If you like walking in nature, but you want to know the fauna too, in Catalonia we have a good number of parks where you can observe the animals in their environment. We highlight two:

• The Zoo of the Pyrenees, located near Port del Comte, is ideal if you like birds. It offers many activities that help you get to know them and even be able to touch them.
• Molló Parc, in the middle of the Vall de Camprodon, in Ripollès, offers us a fabulous route during which we will find bears, foxes, deer, chamois, and even lynxes, as well as many other native species.

These are just some of the options that the country has to offer, but if you want more, you can consult the Turisme de la Generalitat website, where you will find all kinds of ideas. And get your suitcase ready.

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