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8 ideas, picked for these days
A weekend in the medieval Empordà, based in Peratallada
On the night of Maundy Thursday, in Verges, ten kilometres from Peratallada, the procession with the Dansa de la Mort goes out, the only one danced in Catalonia. Leave Barcelona after work, sleep in Peratallada and fly in the balloon with Good Friday free.
A ski weekend in the Cerdanya, an hour and three quarters from Barcelona
La Molina and Masella open from December to April depending on the snow, so Holy Week is usually one of their last weekends. Spring snow: hard first thing and soft in the afternoon, so ski early and leave the afternoon for Puigcerdà lake.
A weekend in the Ripollès: Romanesque monasteries and the Núria rack railway
In Núria, at almost 2,000 metres, spring arrives late and at Easter it is still a snowy landscape, while down below the valley is already green. The rack railway runs all year, but in the school holidays many people go up: buy your ticket online.
A thermal night in Caldes de Montbui, half an hour from Barcelona
Spring on the coast brings rainy days, and Caldes is the getaway that does not depend on the weather: water at 74 °C, thermal baths and Roman baths with a guide. The washhouses open in the morning almost every day; for Easter Day, ask first at Thermalia.
Montserrat: cable car and Sant Jeroni
Montserrat celebrates Easter with song: the Easter Vigil on the night before and the Easter Day Mass at 11:00, with the Virolai, for which a place is booked. Go up to Sant Jeroni early and come down in time; the Escolania begins its holidays right afterwards.
Codorníu: cellars by train and lunch in the tower
The Codorníu cellars have visits all year and La Torre on the estate serves lunches every day: confirm the holiday time when you book. It is the plan for a single holiday day without a car: the Rodalies R4 drops you at Sant Sadurní.
Peralada: Dalí, winery and mill
The Dalí Theatre-Museum is closed on Mondays except in July and August, with an occasional exceptional opening on a holiday Monday: check its calendar and do this plan on Good Friday or the day after. The Perelada winery and the mill lunch complete the day.
Besalú: bridge, Jewish quarter and basalt
For Easter Monday, when the Dalí usually closes, Besalú works just as well: the bridge, the Jewish quarter and Castellfollit can be seen independently, and the miniatures museum opens on holiday Mondays. With the spring thaw, the Fluvià runs with water under the bridge.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I work on Maundy Thursday if I live in Barcelona?
Yes, unless you are on holiday: in Catalonia Maundy Thursday is a working day, and the Holy Week holidays are Good Friday and Easter Monday.
When is the Verges Dansa de la Mort?
On the night of Maundy Thursday, in the Verges procession, around ten. It is free, although there are paid chairs in the square.
Can you ski at Easter near Barcelona?
It depends on the snow and the date. La Molina and Masella open until April if the snow holds; check the report the night before.
What can you visit on mona day?
The Iberian city of Ullastret, which opens that Monday although it closes on the others; the streets and bridge of Besalú, with its miniatures museum; and the Penedès cellars, confirming the time. The Dalí museum in Figueres usually closes.