Calella Overview

Calella is located in the Spanish region of Catalonia on the Costa Maresme which is commonly regarded as being part of the better-known Costa Brava This thriving modern town is just 50 kilometres north of Barcelona - its accessibility and three kilometres of sandy beaches make this the tourist capital of the Costa Maresme

The resort is next-door to the Costa Brava which officially starts 12 kilometres north at Malgrat de Mar It's also sometimes confused with the much smaller resort of Calella de Palafrugalls 60 kilometres north east along the coast The Costa Maresme extends from just north of Barcelona 55 kilometres northeast to the southern boundary of the Costa Brava

Calella attracts both Spanish holidaymakers and international tourists primarily from Germany Britain and Scandinavia Its many modern hotels with a total of 14 000 beds gear themselves to the package holiday market - good transport links enable the big tour operators to bring holiday groups here in droves (by plane and coach) during the summer months

The resort is just 60 kilometres from Barcelona's "El Prat" international airport and 45 kilometres south west of the airport at Gerona With its excellent range of water sports and beach entertainment international restaurants and lively nightlife this is a holiday destination which appeals mainly to teenagers and families with young children

The local authorities and commercial organisations have gone to great pains to court the international tourist market The beaches have 50 000 square metres of sand between them so they're never over-crowded and are kept spotlessly clean by an army of local council workers The seafront entertainment on the modern esplanade and on the beaches themselves is second to none During high season there are beach games organised activities for children plenty of watersports dancing fiestas and nearly 1 000 sunshades for hire

The beach is obviously the biggest pull for the majority of tourists but Calella has other attractions not least of which is its proximity to Barcelona Trains run every half hour to the great metropolis which must surely rate as one of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world

The old part of Calella is worth a visit for its many ancient buildings the beautiful Dalmau natural park and the old-style narrow streets where you can taste some of the "real Spain" in the tapas bars and restaurants serving local Catalan specialties

Every month throughout the year colourful fiestas bring the streets to life with processions parades music dancing and much general merrymaking

Throughout the summer months you can see the famous Sardana danced down at the beachfront every Sunday evening Local people join hands to perform this fiercely cherished Catalonian dance which was banned under Franco's fascist regime They move in circles to symbolise the

brotherhood and unity of the Catalonian people accompanied by local musicians (known as "coblas") playing flute-like instruments

At the beginning of June there's a big Sardana festival at the beach and in Dalmau Park And if you're visiting in the middle of September you'll be able to enjoy one of the biggest fiestas of the year - the music festival of La Minerva which includes the election of Miss

Calella and the not-to-be-missed parade of the giants