1: Swim with tuna at l’Ametlla de Mar
Swim with fish in Catalonia (tunatour.com)
Head to l’Ametlla de Mar, located on the south side Tarragonagive your children an experience they will never forget: swimming in the warm Mediterranean with hundreds of bluefin tuna.
Tuna has long been an integral part of Catalan history and cuisine. With the sharp decline of fish stocks, Tuna Tour in La Metra de Mar is doing its part to recapture the public’s attention and draw attention to the plight of this once-abundant fish.
In addition to snorkeling with the fish, visitors can learn first-hand about the region’s fishing history and the steps being taken to ensure a sustainable future.
However, the highlight was swimming. With your snorkel and fins on, you and the kids will dive into one of the wild fish farms that dot the coastline here, holding on to a float until you work up the courage to dive below the surface to join the fish swimming in the sun — — dappled water below.
tunatour.com
2: Grape crushing at Penedes Vineyards
Kids Help Harvest (Dreamstime)
Vilafranca, Penedes region catalonia, known as the “Wine Country” by the locals. Locals have been picking grapes here since 1887, and little has changed today: Catalan pickers still wear straw hats and travel to the vineyards in horse-drawn carriages to pick grapes on Mount Llopart.
During the harvest months, September-November, visitors are encouraged to participate and experience first-hand how the Penedes are farmed. Families can enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride before exploring a historic dry stone cottage, hand-crushed grapes for grape juice, and enjoy a traditional peasant lunch.
This unforgettable harvest adventure is available at most wineries in the Penedès region.ask locally wine museum Find out more details at Villafranca.
vinseum.cat
3: Cycling along a revamped railway line
Cycling along Catalonia’s revamped railway line (catalunya.com)
Why puff up a mountain on your next family cycling holiday when Catalonia offers the perfect solution for young, tired legs: green LaneSpectacular family-friendly cycle routes along converted railway lines.
These easily accessible and safe routes have minimal inclines and are great for children of all ages.
The Terra Alta, Zafran Valley and Baix Ebre Greenway meanders through the mountains along the 49 km long, through 40 tunnels and viaducts , passing streams and medieval hilltop villages to Tortosa. The Girona Greenway is 125 kilometers long and spans 4 routes in northern Catalonia, providing excellent (and flat) way.
Both routes offer a fun, active way to explore Catalonia’s diverse countryside, from the mountains to the Mediterranean coast.
viasverdes.com
4: Track brown bears in the Pyrenees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vME8UftbPFo
Did you know that northern Spain is home to the largest number of wild native brown bears in Europe?exist Home of the brown bear in the Pyrenees At Les Valls d’Àneu (House of the Brown Bears of the Pyrenees), families can learn about the region’s famous brown bears, what they eat and how to spot them through audio-visual displays, photos and interactive games.
Expert guides demonstrate the skills of recognizing bear signs, and kids can put them to the test on one of the recommended hikes.
Families can enjoy the tranquil setting with picnics in the nature preserve, family hikes, and kayaking or canoeing on the glacial lake.
casaosbru.org
5: Explore a prehistoric cave
Spanish Cave (Dreamtime)
One of the longest caves in the world, Espluga Cave is an underground wonderland of conglomerate formations. It is both a natural wonder and a living museum, with audiovisual projections, reproductions of objects and real-life characters explaining the history of the caves, which date back to the Paleolithic era.
This is the kind of adventure your kids will really enjoy. Suitable for children ages eight and up, this tour follows an underground river route. Wearing neoprene suits and headlamps, young adventurers wade through various water-filled galleries until they reach the Bira well chamber. Accompanied by a professional guide, they will learn basic speleological techniques as well as the geological characteristics of this particular cave system.
Cubism.cat
For more information on family fun in Catalonia, visit www.catalunya.com
Main image: Celebrating the harvest in Vilafranca del Penedès (Shutterstock.com)
