In Catalonia, there are destinations that read like a history book and look as though they already belong on the big screen. Medieval streets, city walls, bridges, arcaded squares and former industrial spaces have all served as film locations for productions seeking authenticity. This route brings together places where real heritage and fiction blend naturally, turning their cinematic legacy into a living part of local memory. Manresa: a monumental city with a growing cinematic profile The route begins in Manresa, in the heart of the Bages region, a city that combines an industrial past with outstanding monumental heritage. One of Luis García Berlanga’s most iconic films, Plácido (1961), was shot here. Berlanga chose Manresa for its urban layout and everyday rhythm. The Plana de l’Om was the main hub, alongside locations such as the Baixada del Pòpul, the Born, Sant Domènec Square and the Pont Vell. Many local residents took part as extras, in a shoot marked by the cold December weather and a compact urban fabric that made moving cameras and equipment a real challenge. Today, walking through these streets makes it easy to recognise the settings of this Oscar-nominated Spanish classic. Manresa in contemporary series and productions Since then, Manresa has maintained a close relationship with audiovisual production, intensifying it in recent years. The Netflix series Who Is Erin Carter? (2023) also chose locations in Manresa for its storyline. This action thriller follows a British teacher whose life takes a dramatic turn after a violent incident reveals a hidden past. Filming took place in areas such as Bases de Manresa, El Congost, the Centre Hospitalari and the Palau Firal. Local director David Victori also set part of his debut series, Tu també ho faries (2023), in the city. Locations such as the former l’Anònima factory and the legendary Menfis nightclub hosted this fiction, which begins with a robbery that destabilises a police investigation and raises complex ethical dilemmas. Manresa appears again on TV3 in the series Nit i dia (2016), particularly around the Basilica of Santa Maria de la Seu de Manresa, designed by Berenguer de Montagut, the architect of Santa Maria del Mar. This landmark of Catalan Gothic architecture can be visited through various guided tours. The city also features in Saben aquell (2023), directed by David Trueba, where the Centre Hospitalari recreates episodes from the early career of the popular comedian Eugenio, portrayed by David Verdaguer. International shoots, immersive experiences and new narratives For visitors keen to explore this connection between history, the city and audiovisual storytelling in greater depth, Manresa also offers an immersive experience powered by artificial intelligence, extending the visit beyond fictional sets. Through a guided route led by the virtual assistant Ignasi, visitors access text, audio and video content combined with AI-generated historical reconstructions, including a striking recreation of the Burning of the Sealed Paper. This pioneering initiative in Catalonia and across Spain offers a new way to discover the city, connecting heritage, memory and technology through a contemporary lens. One of the shoots that generated the most anticipation was Marlowe (2022), the thriller starring Liam Neeson and inspired by the famous private detective created by Raymond Chandler. To recreate 1930s Los Angeles, the Miami restaurant was transformed into a period cocktail bar renamed Schmidt’s Liquors, attracting plenty of curious onlookers. Unstable weather and the complex layout of the historic centre forced several filming days to be rescheduled. The Manresa Police Station and the newsroom featured in the local newspaper Región7 were also recreated here. As a curious detail, the restaurant still preserves the exact bar stool where Liam Neeson sat during filming, now a small cult object for film lovers who visit the venue. Finally, Manresa reached international audiences with the music video “Monotonía” (2022) by Shakira and Ozuna, filmed in the Llobet supermarket and along the Sant Domènec Wall, a shoot that captured global attention. Beyond film shoots, the city walls of Manresa are now a key element for understanding the city’s historical evolution and can be explored on foot along several preserved sections integrated into today’s historic centre. Areas such as the Sobrerroca tower, the Carme wall or the Sant Ignasi sector, known as the mur d’en Jaffa, allow visitors to literally walk along the former boundaries of medieval Manresa, combining heritage, urban landscape and cinema in a single experience.