Reus may live in Barcelona's architectural shadow, but its Modernisme heritage is exceptional in its own right. The Ruta del Modernisme walking trail leads past over 70 buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, showcasing the ornamental facades, ironwork balconies and colourful ceramic details that define the style. The Casa Navàs, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner (architect of Barcelona's Palau de la Música), features one of the most lavishly preserved Modernista interiors in Catalonia — its stained glass, mosaics and carved woodwork are breathtaking.
The Gaudí Centre, located on the central Plaça del Mercadal, is an interactive museum dedicated to understanding how Gaudí thought, designed and innovated. Rather than housing his finished works, it uses scale models, digital installations and structural experiments to reveal the genius behind the curves. Children particularly enjoy the hands-on exhibits that let them build arches and explore catenary forms.
Reus also has a long-standing claim as the capital of vermouth. The tradition of Saturday-morning vermouth — a glass of locally made vermouth with olives and a few tapas — is deeply embedded in Reus culture. Several historic vermuteries around the Plaça del Mercadal serve house-made vermouth from the barrel, and the atmosphere is convivially local.
The Mercat Central de Reus is one of Catalonia's finest covered markets, a Modernista building filled with stalls selling olives, cured meats, cheese, fruit, nuts and local wines. It is an excellent place to stock up on quality campsite provisions. The surrounding streets have good independent shops, cafes and restaurants.
From Camping La Noria, Reus is about 30 km — a 25-minute drive via the AP-7 or T-11. Reus also has its own airport, though for campsite guests the road connection is the relevant detail.
