Cultural history, natural landscapes and gastronomy.

The tourist destination of Catalonia offers a comprehensive range of resources to enjoy its important cultural heritage, landscapes, geography, gastronomic wealth and even a variety of sporting activities. Its relief is largely mountainous, with a large area formed by the Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees that occupy most of its territory.
Catalonia has the privilege of enjoying a long list of architectural works included as Unesco World Heritage Sites, where the architecture of Antoni Gaudí and Domènech i Montaner stand out. The archaeological site of Tarragona, the monastery of Santa María de Poblet and the Romanesque churches of the Vall de Boí are also included, to name but a few. All these sites have been selected for their exceptional qualities and as examples of the cultural or natural heritage they represent.
Catalonia’s architectural heritage spans thousands of years of history and its jewels include Iberian settlements, the remains of the first Greek city on the Peninsula, the legacy of the Romans, Romanesque churches, Gothic cathedrals and Jewish quarters. As for artistic movements, Catalan modernism, which reached its peak in the early years of the 20th century and of which Gaudí is the greatest exponent, presents unique constructions worldwide, such as La Pedrera, La Sagrada Família and Park Güell.

Catalonia’s cultural heritage is also worth mentioning. It is rich and diverse and covers all disciplines, offering visitors monumental sites, unique traditional festivals and numerous music, dance and circus festivals.
Catalan museums make a great effort to live up to all this material, and in the great home of Catalan art, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, the most important collection of Romanesque art in the world is on display, as well as Gothic and Baroque, a must for culture lovers.

The area of Barcelona-province covers an extensive territory between the serra del Cadí range and the Mediterranean Sea, offering great contrasts in terms of landscape and a rich cultural history. The coastline stretches for 100 kilometres, dotted with beautiful seaside towns and villages that have preserved their authenticity over the years. The imposing nature of the interior is another of its attractions: there are more than 100,000 hectares of protected areas, twelve natural spaces and a biosphere reserve: natural sites of great beauty that can be visited in a single day: less than an hour from Barcelona there is a whole world to discover.

Catalonia has very attractive beach areas, such as the Costa Brava and the Costa Daurada, which together with the Ebro Delta form the tourist or family areas. Other beach areas such as Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú, in the south of Barcelona, or Maresme, in the north, are also outstanding.
It is worth taking into account two unique areas with a very rich ecosystem such as the Delta del Llobregat on the one hand, or the Delta de l’Ebre on the other, which represents the most important aquatic habitat of the territory and a very rich variety of environment and fauna.
Catalonia has numerous protected natural parks that offer the possibility of coming into contact with nature at all times of the year, with the Aigüestortes National Park standing out, with its emblematic landscape of spectacular mountains, lush forests and green meadows.
Wine tourism is another option for visitors, both foreign and local. This activity allows visitors to get to know the country’s wine economy and share different experiences depending on the area. The wines of the Penedés, Alella, Pla del Bages, Priorat and Costa Brava stand out.

Travelling through the villages of central Catalonia is also an opportunity to review and learn about the history of the country. The traces of our ancestors have been left behind in the form of castles, monasteries, old mediaeval centres and modernist and industrial buildings, as well as in the form of popular festivals and traditions. There are still medieval villages intact, with cobbled streets and rustic houses, such as Rupit and Tavertet. In Vic, one of the oldest towns in Catalonia, you can visit the medieval market and its exceptional porticoed square.

Gastronomic tourism is another great attraction throughout the territory, where the local products used to prepare the typical dishes of each area are closely linked to the wine culture, which has managed to maintain and recover the high quality wine economy. Apart from the outstanding restaurants where you can taste the typical gastronomy, the visitor can complement the day with the possibility of visiting the wine cellars that open their doors and have numerous workshops or activities linked to the countryside and the vineyards, tasting products made in-house or handmade.

This need to get to know new places brings with it a need for transport.

Avant grup, has its origins in this desire for service, specialising in the tourism sector.
Tourist programmes, family programmes, outings or excursions generate a need for mobility that is increasingly required to be more sustainable and respectful of the environment.

Avant Grup has been one of the companies recognised with the “Biosphere Commitment to Sustainability” certification for many years and this has recently been renewed.
The Biosphere accreditation for transport is a certification of tourism-related sustainability for entities and companies dedicated to the provision of services related to passenger transport, especially in tourism or leisure services.
This Certification guarantees that the certified entity carries out new non-aggressive tourism models, which contemplate the satisfaction of the current needs of its clients and users without compromising future generations. The “Biosphere Commitment to Sustainability” aims to extend the culture of sustainable tourism in tourism companies and services in the Catalan counties and its main purpose is to implement a more sustainable management among all the agents involved in a tourist destination, whether public or private.

At the same time, in recent years,  Avant Grup  has also incorporated ISO certifications for Quality Management, Road Safety, Occupational Safety, Environmental Management and Biological Safety, along with the Environmental Quality in Transport distinction awarded by the Generalitat de Catalunya, all of which helps to maintain the confidence and safety of customers and users in the company’s mobility services.