Cultural tourism experiences: 10 ways to learn while traveling

Travel is, historically, a source of knowledge. When we travel, we want to know what century that building was from and who lived there; what legends and ways of life the people of that town had; geography of tourism at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). The origin of tourism was, in fact, "cultural and intellectual enrichment." Today, people no longer seek contemplative cultural tourism but rather a complete experiential one. They look for quality educational products, guided by a specialist, and not just whatever happened to be there," says Blanco. That's why tourism initiatives have expanded their outreach resources to respond to the search for an experience increasingly rich in educational elements, comments the geographer. As a result of this experiential trend and a cultural history of our country that combines experience and education.

One. The Geopark: when stones speak

Have you ever wondered how mountains are formed or what traces our ancestors left in the landscape? In the UNESCO Global Geopark of Central Catalonia, which brings together some thirty municipalities in Bages, five municipalities in Moianès, and the municipality of Collbató (Baix Llobregat), the history of the Earth is written in the rocks. On guided tours, geologists interpret the existence of a sea 36 million years ago from the delta of Montserrat or the seabed found in Castellgalí. In the Orígenes Geopark, on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees, you can also take this journey through time across the Earth.

TWO. La Bisbal del Empordà: Become a ceramist

Have you always loved kneading clay with your hands? In Bisbal d'Empordà, the town with a tradition of ceramics par excellence, you have the opportunity to delve into this ancient craft through practical and immersive workshops. The Ceramics School offers summer and weekend courses for all levels, and several local artisans open their workshops for personalized activities. In addition, the Terracotta Ceramics Museum completes the experience with a historical perspective. All this in a town that preserves the charm of its old town, with craft shops, porticoed houses, and a privileged location in the foothills of the Gavarres.

THREE. In search of our grandparents' history

Beyond books, we can still experience contemporary history by walking in the places where it was written. This is the case with the Trenches Route in Terra Alta, the scene of the Battle of the Ebro during the Civil War, the longest and bloodiest battle of this dark episode in our history, where more than 30,000 people died. Marked by the 38th and Terra Enllà, two initiatives located in Corbera d'Ebre, work to keep the memory alive through itineraries that cover key areas of the front. The latter also designs personalized routes for those who want to follow in the footsteps of a family member who fought there.

FOUR. Surviving in the Ebro Delta

Do you want to discover the secrets of nature in the Ebro Delta? In this experience of ancestral survival techniques organized by NJOY, you'll learn to identify food sources and find drinking water in the natural environment, based on the ancestors of its inhabitants.

FIVE. Discover Roman remains with an archaeologist by your side

Do you want to delve into ancient history in a unique way? The cultural tours with archaeologists organized by Atri Cultura i Patrimoni take us to discover the treasures of the past in fascinating locations in Girona, La Selva, and the Costa Brava. Accompanied by professional archaeologists, explore the traces of the Romans, for example, in the spa town of Caldes de Malavella.

SIX. The footprints of Aigüestortes

Crystal-clear ponds, lush forests, and rugged peaks: the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park in the Alt Pyrenees is one of those places you must visit at least once in your life. But beyond the landscape, the guided tours offered allow you to discover the Pyrenean flora and fauna, the legends passed down from generation to generation, and the human history that has left its mark in the form of Romanesque huts, paths, and churches. Local guides like Roger Gras, who know the area like the back of their hand, know how to convey this with enthusiasm.

SEVEN. Immersion in a medieval monastery

Next to the Llobregat River, Món Sant Benet (Bages) transforms the visit to a thousand-year-old monastery into a lively and surprising cultural experience that runs through the ancient monastery of Sant Benet del Bages, travels back in time with immersive recreations and discovers how Ramon Casas settled there at the beginning of the 20th century. There are also escape rooms, participatory culinary workshops and activities that connect food, science and tradition.

EIGHT. An open-air museum

The Àneu Valleys Ecomuseum, located in Pallars Sobirà, is a living window into Pyrenean culture, inviting you to experience its heritage firsthand. Beyond Casa Gassia, a traditional 18th-century house, the Ecomuseum extends throughout the valley with spaces such as an urban itinerary through Esterri, the Romanesque monastery of San Pedro del Burgal, and the church of San Juan de Isil. Activities include dramatized tours, workshops on medicinal plants, and heritage routes.

NEW. Making a dry stone wall

In Torrebesses, in the Segrià region, you can discover an ancient technique that has shaped the Garrigues landscape: dry stone. At the Dry Stone Interpretation Center (CIPS), practical workshops are held to build cisterns and vaulted huts, and the secrets of this technique, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018, are explained. Guided tours are also available to explore the stone landscape.

TEN. The curtain rises on modernism

Do you want to experience modernism from the inside and meet its protagonists? This dramatized tour of Casa Navàs, in the heart of Reus, invites us to immerse ourselves in the daily life of a bourgeois family at the beginning of the 20th century. Through the characters, we discover the architectural work of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which preserves its original interior.