Vilanova i la Geltrú

Vilanova i la Geltrú has its roots in two separate settlements. According to local legend, many people left the old village of Geltrú to escape the feudal lord's claimed right of pernada — the right to spend the first night with any newly married woman. They relocated closer to the sea, in the territory of Cubellas, founding the Vila Nova de Cubellas. Over time the two communities grew toward each other and eventually merged into one.

The unified town was officially founded in 1274, when King Jaume I granted it a Carta Puebla, a royal charter establishing its civic status. The next great turning point came in the mid-18th century, when King Carles III allowed Vilanova to trade directly with the Americas. The economic boom that followed was not just about wealth — it funded culture. The town's first recreational societies and social meeting places were founded in this period.

In 1804, a man named Pere Gumà built the city's first theatre, known as La Sala: a square-plan building with vaulted ceilings that served as both a theatre and a dance hall.

The city's golden age came during the Romantic period, and its mark is still visible in the architecture. The Víctor Balaguer Museum, built by the last Spanish Minister of Overseas Territories, is a flagship example. Mansions and manor houses from the era include Casa Renard, Foment Vilanoví, Casa Cabanyes, Casa Samà, Xalet del Nin, and Can Pahissa. The town also has several hermitages and churches — among them Sant Cristòfol, Sant Gervasi, and Santa Maria de la Geltrú, which contains a polychrome wooden altarpiece.

Vilanova i la Geltrú is the capital of the Garraf comarca and sits on the Mediterranean coast, 45 km from both Barcelona and Tarragona.

The closest airport is Barcelona El Prat, with Reus airport as an alternative. Vilanova sits 40 km south-west of Barcelona and about 10 km south-west of the well-known resort of Sitges. The town is connected by several motorways, including the Pau Casals motorway and the Garraf motorway linking it to El Prat airport.

Vilanova is a recognised centre for xató, a winter salad with a sauce of almonds, olives, fish, oil, and garlic, celebrated at the annual Festival of Xató alongside nearby towns. Local drinks include the Mig-Mig, invented at gelateria Cal Llorens — a half-and-half blend of orxata de xufa (tigernut milk) and granissat de llimona (crushed ice with lemon syrup). Culinary destinations include L'Oganquit and Genito.