The joys of a summer spent at home

More festivals and more people rediscovering the country; this is the reality that awaits us for the summer season in a very particular context marked by the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine.

There is a desire to enjoy summer, and to go beyond the sun and beach tourism, which naturally remains the most essential of the summer offerings. The world of summer festivals is transforming and innovating, with some disappearing and others emerging in line with the preferences of the new audiences. The range of festivals on offer is exceptional and worth taking advantage of; on the following pages of this special summer issue you will find some of the most popular music, dance, theatre and circus festivals.

And alongside this growing demand for culture we find another phenomenon that is not new but clearly on the rise: an interest in rediscovering the country or getting to know it better. Historical, gastronomic, cultural routes... routes to enjoy nature and the local heritage... every day more people are attracted by the countryside, the mountains or the Mediterranean coast, and enjoy it in a sustainable way. From discovering fascinating landscapes to tasting a gastronomic product that you can only find in a single place in the country, via visits to monuments bearing witness to the events that have marked our history.

Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists coming to Catalonia in search of authenticity is also on the rise, as they seek out unique local hidden gems off the beaten track and flee the cultural, commercial and gastronomic standardisation of the mass tourism industry.

To visit a country and find the same commercial franchises, the same restaurant and bar chains, and the same kinds of music that you already have at home is not worth it for many families, whereas discovering the authenticity of a country - its language, its culture, its customs and traditions, its products - is priceless and will accompany them for the rest of their lives.