Geographically, Catalonia is very close to France, yet its traditions and customs are very different from our own.
If you'd like to spend some time on the Costa Brava, or even make it your home by buying an apartment or small character house near a white sandy beach or inland, you'll need to observe a few rules of etiquette.
Here's a list of some typically Catalan traditions and customs that will help you blend in perfectly with the locals.
The Catalan donkey
Of course, for many, Catalonia and the Costa Brava mean Barcelona and soccer with its team Barça. But is that all? Do you know the fundamentals of this region?
Did you know that the region's emblematic animal is the donkey, not the bull as in many other parts of the country? Endangered by extinction, the Catalan donkey is now a protected species and the unofficial symbol of the Catalan region.
Els Segadors
If there's one hymn and one piece of music you need to know during your stay on the Costa Brava, it's Els Segadors.
Composed in the mid-17th century, this hymn was written as the region fought for its freedom from the Spanish king. It's still as relevant today as it was then.
Catalan cuisine
It's impossible to become a true Catalan if you don't know the region's typical dishes.
Calçotada
Calçot is a variety of sweet onion grown only in Catalonia.
It is eaten wood-fired directly onto a grill, then dipped in a sauce similar to romanesco.
The calçotada is a festival that celebrates this vegetable, with hundreds of onions of this type being eaten in competitions.
Pan con tomate
It's a simple dish of tomatoes, salt and oil on a slice of bread.
Impossible to miss, especially with tapas.
The Castellers
The translation of the word "castell" is "tower".
In the past, tradition dictated that on Sundays, groups of men would get together and climb on each other's shoulders to form a tower of at least 7 storeys.
A statue depicting the Castellers can be seen in Tarragona (on Rambla Nova), for example, but you can still enjoy this spectacle between the last Sunday in September and the Sunday in October in Tarragona and Barcelona.
Correfocs
During this festival, which takes place in September, people race through the streets dressed as devils, burning fireworks.
These devils represent happy beings dancing and having fun to the rhythm of the drums.
A warm atmosphere for an unmissable Catalan festival.
La Sardana
This is a traditional Catalan dance that you need to know to become a true Catalan. A quiet dance performed in a circle (representing brotherhood).
You're all set to move to Catalonia! Interested in buying an apartment or house on the Costa Brava? Contact the N1 France Espagne Immobilier team, who will help you every step of the way.