Welcome to Unexpected Catalonia
Hola!
We’re Marina and Marc, and we were born in Catalonia. Soon after graduating, we wanted to explore the world and became digital nomads for a few years. But in 2019, we decided to come back to this little corner of the world. We started seeing our homeland with different eyes, paying attention to things we’d never realised before.
After many adventures and unexpected finds, we’ve confirmed our love for this country doesn’t stem from eating paella in Las Ramblas, partying in La Barceloneta all night, or taking photos in front of Montserrat’s monastery.
It comes from discovering a family-run restaurant in Andorra that serves incredible canelons, hiking with friends in endless green meadows in the Pyrenees, and tasting local wines accompanied by a cheese platter in a winery in the Penedès.
It comes from the variety of landscapes and the endless opportunities they offer, the millions of people who call this place home, and the little hidden gems around the country that you wouldn’t know about if that person you met at the mountain hut hadn’t told you about it.
The mission of Unexpected Catalonia is to help you discover that side of our country too. The side that’s hidden from most travellers and that turns a good trip into an unforgettable experience.
Through our travel guides, map, and Instagram, we hope you’ll fall in love with this country as much as we’ve done!
Values
Slow over quick, local over touristy, and respect over ignore.
Since the start, our mission with Unexpected Catalonia has been to show you the unconventional side of our home country.
Here, you won’t find lists of the many venerated, overhyped sites – you don’t need us to discover those. Instead, you’ll find hand-picked destinations where you can experience Catalonia at its most authentic, just like a local.
We feel that a trip isn’t good if it doesn’t involve time in nature, connection with locals, lots of adventures and a sense of discovery!