Afternoon, day 1: The house of the master
As soon as you arrive in Vendrell, you can go in search of the life of its most famous resident, Pau Casals. The house where he was born is easy to find, at C/ de Santa Anna, 4, close to Plaça Nova. It's open to the public, and offers hour-long guided tours, which reveal the human story of the composer and cellist, with information such as that his mother bore eleven children, only three of whom reached adulthood, and that the house was rented by his parents from the day they married. In fact, his father came to Vendrell to tune the organ in the church, fell in love with the city and stayed. Pau Casals always said he owed his love of music to his father, and his love of peace to his mother.
In addition to the tour of the house, Vendrell offers a range of possibilities in the form of art galleries and museums, including the Apel·les Fenosa Foundation, the Àngel Guimerà Museum, and the Déu Museum. But if the weather's nice, we recommend you make the most of the fresh air, and explore the historic centre of the city – see the Plaça Vella, and discover the Sant Salvador church and its baroque organ, and the painted mural, bench and lamp post in the Plaça dels Germans Ramon i Vidales. The city streets also offer a good bunch of shops and eateries, if you feel like wandering around.
In addition to the tour of the house, Vendrell offers a range of possibilities in the form of art galleries and museums, including the Apel·les Fenosa Foundation, the Àngel Guimerà Museum, and the Déu Museum. But if the weather's nice, we recommend you make the most of the fresh air, and explore the historic centre of the city – see the Plaça Vella, and discover the Sant Salvador church and its baroque organ, and the painted mural, bench and lamp post in the Plaça dels Germans Ramon i Vidales. The city streets also offer a good bunch of shops and eateries, if you feel like wandering around.
