We invite you to take a transversal journey that brings together five major film routes across Catalonia. This is not about ticking off a list of filming locations, but about understanding how the seventh art allows us to reinterpret the territory through a cultural and experiential lens. Each territorial axis — rural Catalonia, the coastline, the cities, historic destinations and architecture — offers a different way of travelling, using its cinematic heritage as a guiding thread. Film route along the Catalan coast The Catalan coastline has long been one of cinema’s greatest allies. Its light, the variety of coves and beaches, and its ability to transform into other corners of the world have made it a recurring setting for national and international productions that can now be rediscovered by following the film route along the entire Catalan coast. On the Costa Brava, towns such as Cadaqués, Tossa de Mar, Begur and Lloret de Mar, among others, showcase this chameleon-like quality. Cala Sa Boadella, for instance, was transformed into a Caribbean beach for Sahara (2005), starring Penélope Cruz and Matthew McConaughey, before reappearing years later in Uncharted (2022), reinforcing its image as a wild and hard-to-reach landscape. The Gardens of Santa Clotilde, meanwhile, became the gardens of the Red Keep in House of the Dragon, proving how a Noucentista design can seamlessly fit into an epic fantasy narrative. Further south, the route continues through the Maresme, where Arenys de Mar recreated Catalan high society of the 1920s in Vida privada and hosted scenes from La Mesías, integrating real spaces into a highly recognisable contemporary fiction. In the Garraf, Sitges blends cinema and experience with its international film festival and productions such as Who Is Erin Carter?, which uses the town’s beaches and streets to build a thriller with a distinct identity. Our proposals also take you to the Terres de l’Ebre, where the Ebro Delta has served both as a stand-in for African landscapes and as the backdrop for U2’s music video Vertigo. Here, travellers discover just how far a natural environment can be reimagined through fiction without losing its essence. Urban film route through the four Catalan capitals Catalonia’s cities have been privileged narrative laboratories. Here, cinema does not merely use streets and buildings as a backdrop; it engages directly with urban identity. Barcelona is the clearest example. From the emotional universe of All About My Mother to international productions such as Uncharted, and from generational series like Merlí to contemporary thrillers such as Mano de hierro, the city has revealed itself through multiple registers. The result is a cinematic map that allows you to explore from the Gothic Quarter to Montjuïc, from the Eixample to the seafront, recognising how each setting brings a different tone to the story. In Girona, the impact of Game of Thrones transformed perceptions of the old town. The Cathedral steps, the Arab Baths and the Pujada de Sant Domènec became part of settings such as Braavos and King’s Landing. Today, the city has embraced this legacy with cultural visits and dedicated routes focused on the series’ sixth season. Lleida adds a more understated, inland perspective to the route. The city was the setting for La abadesa, which used the Seu Vella and its monumental surroundings to recreate a story set in the Middle Ages, drawing on the powerful visual presence of the cathedral complex. Its elevated skyline, visible from much of the city, has turned Lleida into a natural backdrop for historical fiction. Tarragona adds a unique historical layer. Tarraco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has hosted productions set in Antiquity and is complemented by experiences such as Tarraco Viva, historical re-enactments and theatrical visits that allow you to experience Roman heritage from a distinctly cinematic perspective. Let yourself be guided by the film route through the Catalan capitals. Film route through charming historic destinations Beyond the major cities, Catalonia preserves a collection of historic destinations whose authenticity has made them ideal film settings. Here, architecture and landscape require little transformation to come alive on screen. In Manresa, the historic centre has recreated everything from the noir atmosphere of Marlowe to contemporary fiction such as Who Is Erin Carter? and You Would Do It Too. The city shows how a real urban fabric can adapt to very different genres without losing coherence. Terrassa, with its industrial and modernist heritage, has become a regular set for period dramas and television productions seeking a recognisable yet versatile aesthetic. In Vic, the Plaça Major and its arcaded surroundings were key in Pa Negre, lending realism to a story marked by rural Catalan post-war hardship. This film route through historic locations is completed by Montblanc and Tortosa, where medieval walls, old quarters and historic architecture have recreated conflicts from different eras, from medieval dramas to literary adaptations. These are places where visitors quickly understand why filmmakers find ready-made sets. Film route through rural Catalonia The film route through rural Catalonia focuses on inland landscapes, where nature and small towns become central characters. In the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Natural Park, villages such as Mura and Talamanca evoke the harshness of the post-war period in Pa Negre, while today’s theatrical routes reinterpret the setting from a cultural perspective. Further north, in Girona, the Garrotxa and the cliff of Castellfollit de la Roca show how volcanic landscapes can become epic frontiers in Game of Thrones. In the Vall Fosca, in the Catalan Pyrenees, cinema is also a gateway to heritage. Films and documentaries reveal the valley’s Romanesque complex, including jewels such as Sant Vicenç de Cabdella, built in granite and pumice stone and declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest. Here, cinema opens the door to a lesser-known yet remarkable heritage. The route also includes rural Tarragona, with productions such as Outlaws (Las leyes de la frontera) in Montblanc and La vida sense la Sara Amat in the Conca de Barberà region, where inland landscapes reinforce intimate, memory-driven narratives. Film route through Catalan architecture Architecture is one of the great narrative threads of films shot in Catalonia. From historic to contemporary architecture, buildings are not mere backdrops but active elements of the story. Historic architecture stands out in productions such as Cathedral of the Sea, where the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar — built between 1329 and 1383 by the common people — becomes both a social and narrative symbol. The Gothic Quarter and Plaça del Rei complete a medieval Barcelona that needs little artifice to come alive on screen. Modernism, with Gaudí and Domènech i Montaner as key figures, has been central to films such as Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which approach these spaces with great respect for heritage. Here, cinema engages directly with Catalonia’s visual identity. Finally, modern architecture defines present-day Barcelona in series such as Cites Barcelona, Mano de hierro and Barcelona, nit d’estiu. Buildings like the W Hotel, Torre Glòries and Hotel Arts shape a maritime and urban landscape that cinema uses to explore relationships, power, conflict and everyday life. A territory explored through the screen These five film routes across Catalonia can be followed independently, yet their true appeal lies in the overall vision of the territory they create together. Each contributes to a kind of long sequence shot, where cinema acts as a thread linking landscape, heritage and experience. Travelling through these locations is not only about recognising settings, but about understanding how each place has been reinterpreted by fiction — and how that fiction, in turn, transforms the way we look at the territory. Catalonia thus reveals itself as a vast living film set: diverse, recognisable and deeply connected to the stories that have been told — and continue to be told — in its streets, towns and landscapes.