Oller Del Mas

Surrounded by imposing rocky peaks, the 16th-century Abbey of Montserrat (half an hour’s drive) houses a much-revered statue of the patron saint of Catalonia, a Black Madonna, as well as an art museum with works by the likes of Salvador Dalí and El Greco. If you can, time your visit with a performance by the Escolanía, a boys’ choir. For an evening of stargazing, head to the remote Observatori Astronòmic de Castelltallat (half an hour), in the Serra de Castelltallat national park. In addition to an interpretation centre with multimedia displays, there are powerful telescopes through which you can admire nebulae and star clusters. Spend a day in Barcelona (one hour), checking out Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished Sagrada Família basilica, alongside other impressive architecture, from the Modernist Güell Palace to the Art Nouveau Palau de la Música Catalana. Afterwards, stroll along the tree-lined Ramblas all the way to the seafront for a visit to the aquarium.