Welcome to Catalonia, a 32.000 square km semi-autonomous region in the northeast of Spain. It has over 7.7 million inhabitants and the area spans over 579km along the Mediterranean coast. You can find lots of sandy beaches in Catalonia, but also lovely vineyards and beech forests. Moreover, the landscape of Catalonia is as varied as its cuisine, and you can peel back the layers of history through centuries-old monasteries, Roman amphitheatres, medieval Jewish bathhouses and more. For lovers of art, it also has plenty of Romanesque art and Art Nouveau masterpieces.
Living in Catalonia can be a good decision for you, whether you’re looking for a quiet retreat or a charming home in a livelier area. Properties prices in Spain, including Catalonia, are usually relatively low compared to other European countries – especially in northern Europe. In order words: you’ll get more value for money, and luxury homes in Spain are known to be more spacious and elegant. Besides the opportunity to get an amazing property with great value for money, you can also benefit from the Mediterranean climate.
There’s even a wonderful national park in Catalonia where you can get beautiful hikes. It’s named ‘Aigüestortes I Estany de Sant Maurici’, which is extremely rich in flora and fauna. It has more than 200 lakes, some magnificent cliffs, and more than 5.000 different species!
Catalans score high when it comes to mental wellbeing. This starts to make sense as we think about the pleasant temperatures, government support services, excellent health care and public transport. Furthermore, there’s a good community spirit among the population (you know, these people love being Catalan). The capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, is ranked among the best cities in the world for quality of life. It’s a safe and healthy city that benefits from the good climate, great locally produced food, green spaces, and inhabitants seem to be more equal.
Catalonia is a semi-autonomous region in the northeast of Spain. It has a long history that dates back to almost 1000 years. You can say that Catalonia is very contentious as many in this autonomous community wanted to break away from the rest of Spain and form their independent nation. After the rise of separatist causes and the Catalan renaissance in the late 1900s, the demand for increased autonomy was extremely high. This cultural renaissance was aimed at the revival of Catalan traditions and the Catalan language. This led to a desire for independence and the development of Catalan nationalism.
To this day, Catalans are still fiercely proud of their heritage and customs and language. You can see this in world-renowned art, architecture, and music. Barcelona is where the experience of Catalonia begins for many people, as this vibrant and cosmopolitan city is full of sights. Catalonia benefits the Spanish economy as it makes a hefty contribution to it, even though they only account for about 16% of the Spanish population. Furthermore, Barcelona started to become a major tourist destination once Catalonia saw rapid economic growth through the 1970s. They drew many workers from across Spain, making Barcelona a large industrial metropolitan area – one of the largest in Europe!
Many believe that Catalan is a dialect of Spanish. But it’s not. The language developed independently from vulgar Latin, a nonstandard form of Latin. The laws of Catalonia require public sector workers, teachers, and doctors to use Catalan along with Spanish. It’s one of the three official languages along with Spanish and Occitan. And did you know that Catalan is also spoken in Valencia, the Balearic Islands, and as a minority language in Aragon? Moreover, you can hear the language in Andorra, in the city of Alghero in Italy, and the Roussillon region of France.
A typical tradition in Catalonia is to build human towers named Castells. This tradition dates back to the 18th century, and it’s even been declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Another tradition is the circular dance of Sardana which was also performed during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in 1992. Or the Catalan celebration is known as correfoc where the duel between good and evil is performed. And do you know that Spain is known for bullfighting? Well, Catalonia banned this so you won’t be able to see someone challenging a bull with a red cloth.
Sagrada Familia: a most-visited monument in Spain!
Have you heard of the Sagrada Familia? Well, there’s no way that you don’t find this building impressive. When you see it, you can believe that it took 133 years to build it. It was also the result of a lack of funds and complexity. The Sagrada Familia is a very impressive basilica, designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí. It is the most-visited monument in Spain that attracts almost 3 million visitors a year! From the inside, the church is just as special with its renewed Gothic style and unique shapes. Sadly, the architect passed away before its completion. They are still working on it and they expect the completion between 2026 and 2028.
So now you know that Catalonia is a different area in Spain with lots of benefits. The quality of life is high, the landscape is as diverse as its cuisine, the Mediterranean climate is pleasant, and compared to other European countries – especially in the north, you will get more value for money as properties are relatively cheaper in Spain. We will show you some of the best areas to live in in Catalonia, including the types of properties that we have to offer you. If you need more guidance from experts in luxury real estate, then it’s time you contact us.
We are more than a traditional real estate agent as we can help you with taxation, legal matters, financing advice, turn-key management in architecture, renovation, construction, interior design, landscaping and furnishing as well. On average, we save our clients more than 3 times our brokerage fee! We have in-depth knowledge about every hotspot in Catalonia (and the rest of Europe) thanks to our extensive network. We made this guide to help you find your new dream destination and property. If you want, we can also help you save both time and money as we make the process of buying Catalonia real estate as easy and enjoyable as possible.
Let’s get started with showing you the gems of Catalonia!
Sitges is the perfect picturesque area for those who seek a new home or those who like to visit the area. It’s only 40 minutes away from Barcelona and you can easily go there by train. When you arrive, you will have the tourist office on your left and a market named Mercat de Sitges on your right to buy things like sandwiches, beer, alcohol, and more. Compared to Barcelona, you will find yourself in a lively seaside atmosphere but then it’s less crowded. There’s even a natural park right on the corner (more about this later)! Since the 19th century, Sitges is famous for its scenic, long sandy beaches and cultural festivals. Furthermore, it even has special gay beaches and this makes it one of the most popular gay resorts in Europe.
The beachside promenade has beautiful white and blue themed buildings, statues and sculptures, and a lovely church named Ermita De San Sebastián at the end of the promenade. The centre of Sitges has nice shops and places to eat whilst you watch the world go by. A restaurant named Villa Marina Sitges has delicious food and one of the best pasta in the town. You can also get sweets and gelato in lots of the shops when you walk to the town. The seaside path to the town is lovely. Furthermore, Sitges played an important role in the rise of the Modernist art movement. And you will discover this as you come across an array of historic museums and galleries.
Sitges enjoys a mild temperature, with mild winters and pleasurable summer. The average temperature is 18.7 degrees and you’ll get over 300 days of sunshine a year! This great climate is thanks to the seaside location and the mountain range named Garraf massif, which gives the town shelter and prevents it from cold winds. You can say that more than 28.000 residents don’t have to complain about the weather.
First of all, the promenade. We already said it but we’re going to zoom in a little bit more here. It is almost 3 km long along the coastline of Sitges, with stunning vistas from anywhere on the promenade. The lively restaurants and bars will always be near you where you can get a quick refreshment or some delicious Spanish food whilst you enjoy Sitges’ easy-going atmosphere. Sitges has also wonderful ancient history to explore. Take the baroque Church of Sant Bartomeu & Santa Tecla. This impressive landmark is the one you’ll find in brochures and catalogues about the area, and is also known as ‘The Point’ or ‘La Punta’. It comes from the 17th century.
When you get to the church you will be rewarded with wonderful views of the surroundings. You can take a tour which takes place on the first Saturday of the month, to get even better views when you get to the belltower. Furthermore, you can visit one of Sitges’ museums, like the Cau Ferrat Museum where you find artwork of the most celebrated artists of Modernism, or the Maricel museum with a collection of works from the Noucentista, Modernist, and Luminism art movements. A great bonus from the Maricel Museum is that you’ll have fascinating views of the sea.
Almost every street in Sitges offers you great places to eat and drink something. The cafes and bars are very colourful and inviting where you’ll find fantastic tapas and cocktails. To get around easier during the warmer summer months, you can decide to take a small train to visit every area in Sitges.
Furthermore, Spain is known for its festivals and Sitges also participates in this. On the 26th of February, Sitges holds one of the biggest carnivals that can attract more than 250.000 people! It also has a film festival that’s been held since 1967. You can attend this festival every year in October near the coast. It’s specialized in fantasy films and it’s known as one of the best worldwide that’s specialized in this!
A must-eat dish in Sitges is the special paella dish. It’s the most popular local dish from Sitges named arroz a la Sitgetana. It combines fresh shellfish and rice with vegetables and local meat. And as you can imagine, the seafood in Sitges is excellent which is not surprising as it is a coastal village. If you combine this popular dish with the wine named Malvasia de Sitges, you will get the best experience. Did you know that this typical dish has a history that goes back to centuries?
Then there’s the Garraf Natural Park which lies next to Sitges. The park is situated on the hills and spreads across 12.820 hectares. There are many walking routes which you can complete within a few hours, and explore a diverse range of geological sites. Along the eastern border, there are chalky rocks that make way for red sandstone. You can take a guided tour or go there on foot or by bicycle. The guided tours can show you some abandoned villages.
Sitges has a couple of great and well-maintained beaches, and we will go over some of the best. These beaches are known in the whole of Spain with every beach unique in character, size, and atmosphere. The beaches in Sitges have cleaner water and sand compared to the beaches in Barcelona. And not to forget mentioning the pleasant climate that Sitges offers. This offers excellent opportunities to relax here throughout the year. And when it comes to convenience: it’s easy for the beachgoers in Sitges to rent a private chair or beach cabana, which is a tentlike shelter with an open side facing the beach.
You will find lots of beaches along the wonderful promenade of Sitges. These are all relatively small, but when you drive some time by car you will come across wider beaches. One of the most favoured beaches that are easily accessible from Sitges is right near the port and the old town. It’s named Platja Sant Sebastià, and you get there when you pass the eastern seawall. It has a lovely beachfront bar, a sandy beach, and clean water. The surrounded hills give this beach spectacular scenery. And in the west part of Sitges, you find Platja de les Anquines with calm waters. It’s even less crowded here than at Platja Sant Sebastià.
Moreover, you have Platja de la Fragata which is one of the most central beaches. It’s located right underneath the beautiful church of Sitges. Families and children love it because they can also hire volleyball nets or pedal boats. Another central beach is Platja de la Ribera which is one of the biggest in Sitges, that has important facilities, a sailing school and of course lovely views of the sea and the church. The further you go outside of Sitges, the more beaches you will encounter!
Would you like to live in or nearby this authentic and peaceful small town, with excellent sea views? It’s truly a prime location with excellent infrastructure, great beaches, and nice white and blue themed buildings. The typical laidback lifestyle in Sitges appeals to everyone. Whether you’re seeking a new holiday home, a permanent retirement home, or a property for you and your family: Sitges can be the place to go. It’s not as crowded as Barcelona but you’ll still find yourself in a lively seaside atmosphere. The gastronomy is excellent and it hosts multiple cultural events and festivals. What about living on a hillside that’s overlooking the town of Sitges? Or a villa with direct access to the natural park?
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Barcelona is known for its high quality of life, and not without reason. This Catalan Capital is even ranked as one of the best cities in the world for quality of life! It’s a safe city where people experience equality. And because of the excellent amenities and infrastructure, it’s easy to live here and get around as the area is very walkable. It has a very pleasant Mediterranean climate with no cold winters but mild temperatures and sunshine. It has healthy and locally produced food and nice green areas to explore. Furthermore, as the cultural heart of Europe, you will find great architecture, art, and rich history in sports.
No matter where you walk in Barcelona, you will experience a nice ambience through the city. Everywhere you will find pedestrian areas, squares, and tree-lined streets. La Ramba is a well-known and popular street in the centre of Barcelona which is about 1200 meters long. On this street, you can find the Mercat de la Boqueria. This is the biggest market of Spain with the most amount of fresh products. It’s visited every day by local customers and many tourists.
Besides reaping the benefits of all that the city has to offer, what about great sea views and views on the mountains? Yes, Barcelona is nearby a mountain range named Montserrat with its highest peak over 1200 meters. Furthermore, there are some great hills in Barcelona. Firstly, you have Serra de Collserola in the north with its highest point of 512 meters, and Montjuic in the south with a wonderful coastal defence fortress from the 18th century on top. Then there’s a hill in the centre of the city named Turó de la Rovira with great views over Barcelona at a height of 262 meters.
Interesting is that Barcelona city is quite international. English speakers can easily feel at home here, as there are even ex-pat communities. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about medical healthcare. Barcelona is ranked as one of the top medical tourism destinations in the world. It is excellent and reasonably priced. Additionally, compared to other world cities, the cost of living in Barcelona is relatively lower and higher if you compare this to other parts of Spain. Barcelona is known for its laidback lifestyle and friendly people to surround yourself with.
To understand the best places to live in Barcelona, you have to discover the different neighbourhoods. Each neighbourhood has its unique vibe and different things to do and admire. It’s even possible to have the feeling of living in a village in Barcelona! But if you want, you can also live close to the wonderful promenade, beaches, or the highlight buildings of the area. This makes Barcelona so diverse which is amazing for those who look for a property. Let’s show you the different neighbourhoods to live in in Barcelona.
If you’re looking for a more local, quieter, and alternative atmosphere you can go to Vila de Gràcia. This is a quieter district that will give you a village feel as it has atmospheric squares and small streets. You will find independent artists’ studios, sub-offices, and organic greengrocers. Furthermore, the Gracia district is known for its many affordable bars and restaurants. Most of the streets in Vila de Gràcia are pedestrian-only, great to stroll along and get lost in the pretty neighbourhood. Besides, Vila de Gràcia is known as a safe neighbourhood as it is uncrowded.
In Catalan, Barceloneta means ”little Barcelona”. This start to make sense when you get there. It is the neighbourhood to go to if you’d like to live near the beach. It’s fantastic to stroll around Port Vell and the promenade. Families can enjoy lots of areas and there’s room to party for those who want to. Furthermore, you will get a sense of how Barcelona was like when it was little as you’ll get a sense of the industrial roots when you walk there. Barcelona first was a traditional fishing neighbourhood founded in the 18th century. Close by, there’s the L’Aquàrium with an 80m long shark tunnel and the Museu d’Història de Catalunya. It shows what its name says: the history of Catalonia from the Stone Age into the 21st century.
El Born is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Barcelona with the most landmarks of the city. It is located between the city centre of Barcelona and the neighbourhood Barceloneta. El Born is the place where you can find the nicest and most impressive buildings and monuments. Think about the Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar which is a Gothic church from the 14th century, or the music hall named Palau de la Música. El Born is also the best area for top fine-dining restaurants that offer the best Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. Additionally, there are numerous fast-food restaurants and bars.
Then we also have the best neighbourhood for history. Barri Gòtic is what its name says, as it shows amazing gothic-style buildings with magnificent facades. The Gothic Quarter is the highlight of this neighbourhood. Here you will find yourself in the ambience of centuries ago with a wonderful cathedral, and multiple churches and museums. It’s free of traffic and every architectural detail is as time stood still from the Middle Ages. It has narrow pedestrian streets which show the wear on its cobblestones. No matter where you go, you will find inviting places to relax and admire what’s going on in the world, such as street musicians in quiet courtyards.
If you want to be in the most vibrant and contrasty area of Barcelona, then El Raval is your place to go. Not only is it home to the Mercat de la Boqueria with the most amount of fresh food (which makes you come here for sure if you want to do some excellent shopping), all the late-night activities are going on here as well. Maybe you remember that Barceloneta also had opportunities for going out, but El Raval is even better for that. It has even a bar named Bar Marsella that’s continuously open and the oldest ones in the city. You can also find the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona, which is a museum for great modern art and the art of today. This makes it the most multicultural neighbourhood in the city.
L’Eixample is your place to go for the most impressive building and the most-visited monument in Spain: the Sagrada Familía. It attracts more than 2.8 million visitors each year! Besides these visitors, the district is usually very quiet with several parks to relax, practice sports, or read a book. Anton Gaudí is the famous architect who designed a part of the Sagrada Familía, which was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. It is an impressive basilica that’s just as beautiful from the inside as the outside. Completion is expected between 2026 and 2028, and they started in 1882. This means it already took 140 years to get it this far.
By the way, there’s more ”Gaudí architecture” in this area, such as the Casa Batlló: one of Europe’s most strange residential buildings, and the giant sculpture of La Pedrera. It’s one of the gems of Barcelona which is a must-visit to get immersed in his work and the architecture. Even people who aren’t into architecture will find it very interesting.
As you can see, there are plenty of neighbourhoods to live in in Barcelona. Each has its unique vibe and things to see and to. The Barcelona real estate of Baerz & Co is located in the best positions and is built with the best materials only. You will be close to important amenities and have all the facilities to live a happy and healthy life. From an apartment in a vibrant or relaxing neighbourhood to an apartment located in a high building with panoramic views of the city: we can offer it all. And not to forget mentioning the sea views and the views of the mountains. Have a look at our fresh selection and wide range of luxury apartments and villas in Barcelona. And as always, feel free to contact us!
Begur is a beautiful resort town on the Costa Brava in the north of Spain. The Costa Brava means ‘’rough coast’’ and is a 200km long coastline in Catalonia. Begur belongs to the province of Gerona, and it’s such a pretty and medieval village on top of a hill. It has about 4000 inhabitants and this gets almost 10 times as much during the summer months. The climate is excellent, as there are more than 200 days of sunshine throughout the year. Furthermore, the average temperature lies around 26 degrees in summer. The medieval village was beautiful whitewashed houses located in an elevated position on the hillsides. The cobbles streets and the view of the castle that dominates the town complete the medieval vibe.
From the castle, you’ll get the best views of the town, the Gulf of Roses, and the wonderful surrounding countryside. There are delightful narrow and windy streets that run from the front of the church through the town centre. These are the same streets that were used for the passing of fishermen and sailors in the past. Besides, Begur is also home to plenty of coves and its beaches with crystal clear waters. These are perfect for those who love diving, snorkelling, and of course swimming.
Begur is located on the east of Girona, which is 45km away from its airport. Girona is an old city that you can find more inland, built on a hill that’s known for its charming stone stairways. You can also reach Begur from Barcelona airport, as it is 142km away from there.
Begur has a variety of eight beautiful coves and beaches that are unique and different from each other. This is thanks to the geographical features which also lets you get wonderful views of the Mediterranean sea.
Illa Roja is one of the most emblematic beaches of the Costa Brava. It sits southwest of the town, and it’s an isolated rustic beach that’s characterized by a reddish rocky islet. That’s also why the beach got this name. You will find clear waters, fine sand, and it’s usually not crowded here. Furthermore, it’s an internationally renowned nudist cove. Moreover, you can visit Sa Rierra that’s in the north of Begur. This is a beach that’s more than 300 meters long. What makes it unique is that the place managed to maintain its traditional character. You still can find the old fishermen’s houses and it has sheltered coves.
Furthermore, Sa Tuna is a great stony cove where you can take a nice swim in transparent and clean waters. It has stunning natural surroundings that are completely undeveloped and unspoiled. And if you want to see a very unique cove, go to Platja Fonda on the southern coast of Begur. It’s located at the foot of the cape named Cap de Begur. It’s a hidden, natural gem that remained untouched and preserved. You will rarely find a cove like this in other places of the Costa Brava. And these are not the only coves and beaches of Begur, there are even more!
Begur is the place to look for real estate if you seek peace, tranquillity, and absolutely stunning views. You will be surrounded by great beaches and coves, all whilst you get a property in an elevated position. This gives you spectacular panoramic views of the Medes Islands, the Pyrenees, and the Mediterranean sea. Our villas are located in privileged locations in Begur and consist of the best quality materials. And from your property in Begur, you can easily walk through the charming streets of the town, admire the castle and the views from there, and visit amazing coves and treasures. All whilst you are not too far away from 2 airports! Have a look at our fresh selection of luxury homes in Begur down below.
Catalonia is not the only country where we sell luxury properties in the best locations. We are active throughout the whole of Europe, including Spain. We even have properties that you won’t find on the open market, as we continuously strive to find those hidden gems. To be able to do this, we make use of our extensive network, our proactive approach and do the necessary legwork. To help you decide which country or area is the best for you to live in, we have made ultimate guides of all the countries. Have a look at these if you want to discover wonderful new destinations. Baerz & Co is your place and one-stop shop when it comes to finding a luxury home. Let’s help you get a high quality of life in your new home!
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