06 Mar 2017
Family Tourism. Spring Activities in Catalonia
SPRING 2017
The Vernal (Spring) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is the Autumnal (Fall) Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa.
Not Entirely Equal Day & Night
On the equinoxes the Sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night is nearly equal – but not quite.
The March equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator – from south to north and vice versa in September.In the Northern Hemisphere, the Vernal (Spring) Equinox marks the first day of astronomical spring. There’s also another, more common definition of when the seasons start, namely meteorological definitions, which are based on average temperatures rather that astronomical events.
Rituals and Traditions
Modern astronomy aside, people have recognized the vernal equinox for thousands of years. Many early peoples celebrated for the basic reason that their food supplies would soon be restored. The date is significant in Christianity because Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. It is also probably no coincidence that early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox.
CATALONIA WITH KIDS
Travelling to Catalonia with kids couldn’t be easier. If you’re restricted to the summer holidays, you’ll find milder climes in the Pyrenees, and the children are welcome virtually everywhere with minimal fuss. There are lovely self catering options, swimming pools, sheltered bays and plenty of outdoor action for older children and teens.
There are currently 22 locations in Catalonia which are FTD-Certified (Family Tourism Destination): on the Costa Brava , the towns of , Blanes,Torroella-l’Estartit, Calonge-Sant Antoni, Lloret de Mar, Castell Platja d’Aro, Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Roses; on the Costa del Maresme, the towns of Calella, Malgrat de Mar, Santa Susana and Pineda de Mar; on the Costa Daurada, Calafell, Cambrils, Castelldefels, El Vendrell, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Salou and Vila-Seca La Pineda Platja; and in Pirineos, Les Valls d’Àneu, Berga, La Vall de Boí and Muntanyes de Prades.
