For the first time, the Port of Barcelona hosts 'Stopover in Barcelona: Maritime Cultural Festival' to publicise and promote the local maritime culture and heritage. For three days, loads of traditional Catalan boats and tall ships will stop in Barcelona so anyone can feast their eyes on and learn about them. There will also be stands with citizens' organisations, workshops and activities related to maritime culture, as well as food, performances and more. The initiative comes in the wake of the collaboration established with the 'Festival Escale à Sète' (Mar 22-28). Both festivals aim to jointly start a project to boost the maritime culture of the two cities and the two territories: Occitania and Catalonia.
The weekend ends with the departure of the participating vessels bound for Sète, along a historical route: the citrus trade route between the coasts of the east of the Iberian Peninsula or the Balearic Islands and the south of France. They'll reach Sète on March 22, and for six days, that town will celebrate their 'Stopover in Sète Maritime Festival', with Catalonia as their invited guest.