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Culture
Vilanova i La Geltru has a museum, founded by the Catalan poet, historian and diplomat, Víctor Balaguer (1824-1901), which contains collections of Roman, Egyptian and prehistoric antiquities, as well as paintings, engravings, sculptures, coins and a large library. Vilanova also has a railway museum, the Museu del Ferrocarril de Vilanova i la Geltrú.

Apart from some renowned seafood restaurants, Vilanova is a recognised centre for xató, 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 notable festivals include Festa Major in early August and Carnaval (late February) which includes Les Comparses, in which good-humoured rival groups throw boiled sweets (candies) at each other. However, the most important festival in Vilanova is the "Festival Internacional de Música Popular Tradicional", Vilanova International World Music Festival, which has been held since 1981 and is the oldest world music festival in Spain.

Image: Mighty clouds over Ribes Roges beach.

WS image: same location, 9 minutes later...