Barcelona - Barcino - Catalunya - Catalonia

Catalunya  is in the Northeast corner of Spain, bordering France to the North, Aragon to the west the Levante to the south and the Mediterranean along its eastern coast. Until 1716, Catalonia, as a principality of the Crown of Aragon, continued to retain its own  constitutions and usages and laws, which gradually were adapted until 1705, in the course of the Spanish transition from feudalism to a modern state. In the Spanish Constitution of 1978, Catalonia, along with the Basque Country and Galicia, was defined as a "nationality".- it defines the region as an autonomous community within the Kingdom of Spain.  It remains an autonomous community today  and is designated an historical nationality by its Statute of Autonomy.

 The capital of Catalonia,  Barcelona (originally Barcino) was founded by Phoenicians and ruled by Romans -  ruins from this period can still be found in in the city, especially in the Plaza del Rei and in the Gothic quarter. In the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural center and a major tourist destination.

Particularly renowned in Barcelona are the architectural works of  Antonio Gaudi and Lluis Domenech i  Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the modern and avant garde art of Picasso, Dali,  and Miro - who worked and developed their styles in the area.

The area is also famous for its Cava (once referred to as Spanish Champagne) -a sparkling wine, most of which is produced in Catalonia. Its served at most Catalonian celebrations and  may be white  (blanco) or rose (rosado). Only wines produced in the champenoise traditional method can be labelled cavas, those produced by other processes may only be called "sparkling wines" About 95% of all cava is produced in the Penedesarea in Catalonia, with the village of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia being home to many of Spain's largest production houses.