Vilafranca del Penedès

Vilafranca del Penedès is the capital of the Alt Penedès region, and is located in the middle of the Penedès depression. Vilafranca is known for its wines, its gastronomy, its modernist architecture, its folklore and for its castles, especially the Castellers de Vilafranca.

It is a town founded in the middle of the 12th century and the churches and buildings that can be found in the center of the city are a good example of this period: the Basilica of Santa Maria, with a single nave divided into five sections, begun in the XIII century and consecrated in 1484 by Pope Benedict XV; Its gargoyles and sculptures and its bell tower are very interesting. The Royal Palace, located in Plaza Jaume I, is a building from the 13th century and currently houses the VINSEUM, Museum of Wine Cultures of Catalonia, inaugurated in 1945. In the same square and next to the basilica we also find the Baltà Palace o Palacio de los Bobos, from the 14th century and restored in 1889.

Vilafranca del Penedès also has a good sample of modernist architecture, such as the facade of the town hall, located in the Plaza de la Vila. Other representative buildings of modernism are the Guasch Pharmacy, the Berger y Balaguer House or the Miró House. In the crypt of the Basilica of Santa María we also find an important group of modernist sculptures by Josep Llimona.

Vilafranca is also well known for its gastronomy, as it has some well-known products such as the Penedès rooster with IGP, the xató de Vilafranca (with its own festival: the xató festival ), made with escarole, cod, tuna, anchovies and olives. arbequinas, and accompanied by the xató sauce), the catáneas or the garland cake, made with anise or matafaluga.

Vilafranca is filled with festivities at the end of August, with the Fiesta Mayor, for Sant Fèlix, declared of National Interest. Around these dates , the festival of castles and the parades and folkloric processions are celebrated, where the dragon stands out especially, a charismatic figure of the oldest in Europe, dating from the beginning of the 17th century.

PLACES OF INTEREST

1. VINSEUM, Museum of Wine Cultures of Catalonia
2. The Basilica of Santa Maria
3. Cloister and church of San Francisco
4. Heritage Cemetery
5. Santa Maria bell tower
6. Palau Balta