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Travellers Corner

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Did you Know?

• There are three official languages in Catalonia: Catalan, Castellano (Spanish) and Aranese. Aranese is spoken in the Aran Valley in northwestern Catalonia, on the border between Spain and France. Spain has four main languages with official status in some communities: Castellano (Spanish), Catalan, Galician and Basque. All these languages are widespread in their respective regions and have daily newspapers and significant book publishing and media presence in those regions.
• Barcelona (1.7 Million people) and the grand metropolitan area (4.9 Million people) are one of the most densely populated in Europe. But Barcelona has a big advantage when compared to places like Paris or London: the Collserola Park – a huge protected green area of 8,000ha (eight times Bois de Boulonge, Paris and 22 times Central Park, New York) making it the biggest metropolitan park in the world. It’s a great escape from the bustling city and a haven for runners and hikers.
• Som sis milions. We are six millions. This saying regarding the Catalan population, still valid in 1992, is not longer true thanks to the massive arrival of immigrants. Now there are 7.4 million people living in Catalonia and already more than 300.000 foreigners living in Barcelona making it a real multicultural city. Barcelona and Catalonia have always been a place of immigration thanks to early industrial development but the latest growth is very significant because it’s not just people coming here to find work. Since 1992’s Olympics there’s been a boom that attracted young, international and creative people (architects, designers, fun and sun lovers, students) to Barcelona. The number of foreigners has thus risen more than 12 times compared to 1992 – an incredible fact! Things have changed in Barcelona since 1992 – the first bike lane was opened that year, now the city boasts more than 120km of the same. Just before the Games a new International airport building was opened which became too small 15 years later and a new terminal had to be built in 2009.
• First class rafting and trekking in the Catalan Pyrenees. Almost 200km of this high mountain range belongs to Catalonia and offers amazing opportunities for active holidays. The Catalan Pyrenees have become an activity Mecca and with very good reason - the range of activities in the area is simply enormous thanks to a fast flowing river and soaring mountain peaks. The heart is the National Park Aigüestortes with dozens of peaks reaching up to 3000m. The Noguera Pallaresa river is probably the best in Spain for any kind of whitewater activity. There are also three lakes where the waters are calm and ideal for kayaking. Don’t forget the gorges for exciting canyoning activities – a haven for lovers of adventure sports.
• Correfoc and human towers: Playing with fire during the local festival. Once a year every town and city in Catalonia celebrates its Grand Festival. The streets fill with merrymakers who are only too glad to let strangers join in the fun. Many places keep up traditional customs of ancient origin. In the region of Tarragona you can wonder at the agility and strength of the castellers as they build their spectacular human towers. If you feel brave enough to be chased through the streets by fire-breathing dragons, giant eagles and demons hurling fire-crackers, then you'll enjoy the Patum which is held in Berga for the feast of Corpus Christi (June). This truly unique festival, which combines pagan and Christian origins, has been handed down from generation to generation. The Patum festival is the biggest of all correfocs that take place during local festivals throughout Catalonia.
• No smoking please: Since 2006 smoking in public places is limited to specially designated areas, not only in airports but in other public spaces including bars, restaurants and offices. This controversial law is being enforced in 2010 when all public places are completely non-smoking and thus will end special arrangements for small smoker bars or smoker areas in restaurants. This has a huge impact in a country like Spain where sitting in a bar over a glass of wine and a cigarette is a vital part in daily life.
• Bullfights in Catalonia: Being an important tradition among locals and visitors in other parts of Spain, bullfights have little importance throughout Catalonia. Immigrants from southern and central parts of Spain brought along this tradition when moving to Catalonia in order to find work and better living conditions. Although there are some places in Catalonia with arenas and traditional bullfights, there is a significant resistance trying to ban bullfights and killing bulls. Culture or cruelty against animals? Fiesta or torture? Liberty or prohibition? These are the questions that come up every once in a while in civil protest movements, the last being as recent as December 2009 when this issue came to be discussed in the Catalan Parliament.

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Passing clouds. Quite Cool.

Responsible Travel with Urban Adventures

 

Wherever we go in the world, we take a responsible attitude with us. That means travelling in a way which both respects and benefits local people, their culture, their economy, and their environment. Please read on for more information on our Responsible Travel policy and how you can be a responsible traveller for your entire journey.  

Top 12 Responsible Travel Tips

The following tips are for your overall travel plans, not just for your time spent on an Urban Adventures tour. 

1. Before leaving home, learn as much as possible about the countries you are visiting - the religion and culture, the local rules and values.
2. Learn some of the local language and don't be afraid to use it - simple pleasantries will help break the ice. Keep practicing.
3. Learn what's appropriate behaviour and body language. Like the concept of "saving face" in Asia or giving the thumbs up in western or central Europe.
4. Support locally owned businesses, hotels, restaurants, and other services. Eat local food and drink local brands and brews. Use public transport, hire a bike or walk where convenient - you'll meet local people and get to know the place. Use our local travel practices as a guideline.
5. Think first. It's best not to eat in restaurants, shop in stores or visit local shows, markets or zoos that promote cruelty or exploitation of endangered species.
6. Shop from traditional artisans and for locally made products, helping keep traditional crafts alive and favour local products over imported items. Bargain if that is a local practice, but bear in mind that a small amount to you could be extremely important to the seller.
7. Dress respectfully with an awareness of local standards. Dress modestly at religious sites and check what swim wear is suitable for pools and the beach.
8. Always ask first before photographing or videoing people. Send them back copies of photos to help make it a two-way exchange.
9. Be wary of giving gifts or money to beggars, children and people you have just met. Supporting the community through a local school, clinic, or development project may be more constructive.
10. Leave only footprints...take care of the environment as you would your own home. Take out all you take in, to areas away from the cities. Use alternatives to plastic and say 'no' to plastic bags. For cigarette butts, an empty film container makes a perfect portable container.
11. After returning home think how you can support programmes and organisations that are working to protect the welfare, culture and environment of where you've been lucky to visit.
12. Smile - The traveller who wishes to have a happy and successful trip should keep as calm, cheerful and friendly as humanly possible. And have fun!

Responsible Travel Code of Conduct

The following are Urban Adventures's key principles for operating responsible tours.

We aim to:

• Use locally owned infrastructure on our tours where possible.
• Spread the financial benefits amongst local people and operators.
• Provide employment and leadership opportunities for local people.
• Respect local customs and culture.
• Provide safe tours for Urban Adventure partners, staff, and travellers.
• Educate travellers and our partners about how and why we choose to travel this way.
• Limit the negative impacts to daily lifestyles of local people not involved with Urban Adventures groups.
• Limit the physical impact of trips in all destination communities-particularly sensitive natural and cultural environments.
• Provide support to organisations and local communities visited by Urban Adventures groups.
• Provide fun enjoyable trips to Urban Adventures travellers.
• Provide opportunities for travellers to interact with local people.
• Actively ban partners, staff and passenger participation in or endorsement of commercial sexual activities or illegal drug use on Urban Adventures tours.
• Actively discourage the participation of Urban Adventures groups in activities which exploit animals - wild or domestic.
• Use local partners that adhere to Urban Adventures' Responsible Travel and Local Travel principles and provide the best possible service to Urban Adventures travellers and staff.
• Work to prevent the exploitation of children in tourism.
• Support and encourage fair employment practices.
• Give our travellers the best possible value.

For more information on how to be a responsible traveller, region-specific guidelines, and voluntourism, check out what our friends at Intrepid have to say.

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