Vilanova i la Geltrú combines more than six kilometres of fine-sand beaches with museums, architecture and maritime history. This gives your trip several possible focuses: time by the sea, insights into the city’s history, or visits centred on art and culture. You can choose the combination that suits your interests and the time available.
Beaches and maritime themes
Ribes Roges beach can be reached on foot, by scooter, bicycle, car or city bus from anywhere in the city. During the summer season, the tourist train is another option. When planning your journeys, bear in mind that the train operates seasonally and check the current rail timetable before travelling. Vilanova i la Geltrú is a main station on the R2 Sud line, which connects Sant Vicenç de Calders with Barcelona Estació de França; the specific service may vary depending on the connection.
The city’s maritime history can also be explored from different perspectives. Espai Far, in the Far de Sant Cristòfol, comprises three permanent exhibition areas: the Museu del Mar de Vilanova i la Geltrú, Espai Víctor Rojas and the Museu de Curiositats Marineres Roig Toqués. This brings three different institutions together in one exhibition complex. In 2000, a former watchtower on the seafront promenade was transformed by Josep Guinovart into the Torre Blava, as a tribute to the Mediterranean and its people. Its three floors are decorated with elements from the maritime world.
Another way to experience the sea is through activities: the Estació Nàutica de Vilanova offers water sports as well as additional activities such as horse riding, golf and Segways. For a trip focused on getting active, there are different types of activities to choose from. If you would rather walk through a neighbourhood while learning about the city’s history, you can follow a route that takes you to the castle and the church and tells the story of the founding of Vilanova i la Geltrú.
Museums, architecture and city history
The Biblioteca Museu Víctor Balaguer opened on 26 October 1884. It is one of Catalonia’s first museum buildings to have been purpose-built for the public display of collections and access to culture. A selection of important works from the Museo Nacional del Prado’s historic collection is on permanent display there. A visit therefore combines the history of a building created specifically to house public collections with a permanent display of works of art from this historic collection.
The Masia d'en Cabanyes is also a destination in its own right for those interested in architecture and art: built in 1798, the house is considered an exceptional example of late 18th-century Catalan architecture. The visit includes admission to the Espai Goya, which features twelve original prints from Francisco de Goya’s “Los Disparates.” The Centre d'Interpretació del Romanticisme Manuel de Cabanyes presents the history and heritage of the Cabanyes family and explains Romanticism as a cultural movement that has left a distinct mark on the Garraf region. A visit to Can Papiol includes access to the music room, billiard room, grand ballroom, private rooms, bathrooms and dressing rooms.
The Railway Museum of Catalonia and the Adarró archaeological site offer further historical perspectives. At the Railway Museum, visitors can climb aboard locomotives, walk through passenger trains and watch audiovisual projections in a goods wagon. At Adarró, you can visit the neighbourhood of Iberian blacksmiths and the residential area of a Roman villa. The villa was built around 120 AD; its residential area includes a wide corridor open to the sea.
The history of the festival also has several clearly defined milestones: the Carnaval de Vilanova i la Geltrú has been documented since 1790, was revived in the streets in 1955, and its restoration was completed between 1976 and 1981. In contrast to these historical themes, the Centre d'Art Contemporani La Sala is a production centre that hosts proposals for contemporary artistic work. For a shorter stay, you can first decide whether you would rather focus on beaches, maritime collections, architecture or art.
Discover more destinations: Molins De Rei, Sant Pere De Vilamajor, Vilalleons, Folgueroles, Mosqueroles, Caldes De Montbui, Cantallops, Mura.
For the broader travel overview: Barcelona.
