Catalonia and Barcelona, practice and enjoy sport.

Catalonia has a great sporting tradition and stands out for its high organisational capacity, with more than forty international tournaments taking place every year. The 1992 Olympic Games opened Barcelona to the world from both a sports and a tourist perspective. From then onwards, Catalonia has been hosting countless international events, such as the World Swimming Championships in 2003 and 2013 or the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Spain and the Moto GP Grand Prix of Catalonia at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya that are held every year.

This sporting tradition has triggered the foundation of many clubs in different sports (basketball, football, handball,…), the teams and athletes of which are amongst the world’s best. The mild Mediterranean climate and a natural environment that combines the beauty of the mountains with wide beaches make Catalonia a perfect place for golf lovers and one of Europe’s main golf destinations. Catalonia has 37 golf, 5 par 3 and over 40 pitch & putt courses. 

Catalonia is also a fine destination for water sports, which can be done mainly at the sea, but also in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. There is a network of 43 marinas, all equipped with suitable facilities for sailors, and 7 nautical resorts. Mountain sports such as hiking or biking can be practiced throughout the region thanks to vast network of marked trails along 5,000 km. Whitewater adventure sports are practicable in canyons and rivers in the Pyrenees. Catalonia is the perfect sports destination for thousands of young people, amateurs or professional teams, who choose it to practice sports on the coast or in the mountains.

Sports Tourism Destination (STD)
This is a specialisation label awarded by the Catalan Tourist Board to recognise destinations characterised by offering top-range resources and services aimed at sports-loving visitors. The Catalan Tourist Board has developed this brand according to four main target groups: tourists making sports-based holidays, tourists spending part of their holidays doing sports, supporters and attendants of internationally renowned sports events, and top-level athletes.

There are 16 municipalities certified as an STD in different categories (cycling, water sports, football, athletics, swimming, parachuting …)

Destinations:
Val d’Aran, l’Ametlla de Mar, Banyoles-Pla de l’Estany, La Seu d’Urgell, Sort, Castelldefels, Amposta, Salou, Lloret de Mar, Santa Susanna, Calella, Blanes, Cambrils, Girona, l’Hospitalet de Llobregat & Castelló d’Empúries-Empuriabrava.

 

For more information:
Catalan Tourist Board
Passeig de Gràcia, 105 – 08008 Barcelona
Telephone: +34 93 484 99 00
marketing.act@gencat.cat
http://act.gencat.cat/officially-recognised-sports-tourism-destinations-stds/?lang=en