Vilanova i la Geltrú is a city inBarcelona province. The town has a long history, and experienced an efflorescence during the Romantic period evidenced by a wealth of opulent 19th-century buildings, and its atmospheric town square, the Plaça de la Vila. It has a population of 66,000 (2018).
Agriculture and the maritime trade in wine were the traditional sources of income during the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, while agriculture and a significant fishing fleet continue to be sources of income, the primary economic activity is industry in the sectors of metal, textile and chemicals.
Although the legend of its foundation tells us that its origin was the peasants who escaped from the right of a feudal lord, this is not confirmed and its history is attested in that it was officially founded in 1274 when King James I granted it the Puebla Letter.
In the middle of the 18th century, the city became prosperous when King Carlos III allowed Vilanova to trade with America. It also invested in culture, and the first recreational societies were founded then. At the beginning of the 19th century, the majestic meeting gardens appeared, giving it the appearance of a great joyful city due, in large part, to the contact it was acquiring with the island of Cuba.
During the dictatorship, large numbers of people fleeing poverty in Southern Spain settled in Vilanova. They are sometimes referred to by historians as "fugitives of fascism". Although they experienced prejudice they became increasingly accepted and known as els alters Vilanovins or "the other Vilanovins". By 1970, a majority of the town's population had been born elsewhere. In the first decade of the 21st century, there was another wave of immigrants (called nouvinguts or "newcomers" locally), this time primarily from North Africa, South America and Eastern Europe.
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The traditional and popular festivals(festes) celebrated in Vilanova i la Geltrú are among the richest and most varied in Catalonia. Locals say that Vilanovins "always have a leg in the air" referring to their festive proclivity.
Apart from traditional seafood restaurants, and cutting-edge presentations of local foods at culinary destinations such asL'Oganquit andGenito, Vilanova is a recognised centre forxató, a winter salad dressed with a rich sauce made from almonds, olives, fish, oil and garlic, which forms the basis for the Festival of Xató (Xatonada) in tandem with nearby villages and towns.
Other local innovations includeglòries, elaborate confections of meringue presented during carnaval that may be a dying tradition, and theMig-Mig, a refreshing summer drink invented at the gelateria Cal Llorens, is a fifty-fifty blend oforxata de xufa made from tigernuts andgranissat de llimona or pulverized ice with lemon syrup.
Two wellworthy towns very near areSitges and of courseBarcelona.
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