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No doubt we are all familiar with the obligatory baby Jesus in the manger scene rolled out every Christmas, but the early 18th-century inhabitants of Catalonia, Italy, and certain areas of Southern France started a different tradition that lives on to this day.

Unlike the English-speaking version of the Nativity scene, Catalonians at Christmas time actually build a large model of the city of Bethlehem. The Caganer, whose origins have been lost in time, is a particular and highly popular feature of these modern interpretations.

Often tucked away into a small corner of the nativity scene, one can find a lone figure caught in the act of defecation. There are more than a handful of guesses as to how and why this tradition started ranging from the figure representing the equality of all people (everyone poops!) or that it symbolises the idea that God will manifest himself when he is ready, without regard whether humans are ready for him. Still, others believe it is a tradition grown from comic relief.

Nonetheless, it is said that not exhibiting him brings misfortune since his faeces fertilize the ground and also bring luck and happiness for the year ahead.

Traditionally, the Caganer wears a barretina (typical Catalan hat like a beret) and holds a pipe in his mouth, but over the years this tiny fellow has evolved to the extent that nowadays we find models of celebrities, politicians, actors, musicians and football players, as well as Caganers dedicated to towns, to distant traditions, to jobs, and to animals. 

Whatever your thoughts, if you find yourself travelling in the region around Christmas time it’s highly encouraged to take a second look at the scaled down Bethlehem and see if you can find their little “Caganer.”

Barcelona's oldest treasure is also one of the most hidden. Located in the city’s Gothic quarter, four 2,000-year-old columns from the Roman Empire’s Imperial Period are hidden by the building that houses the Centre Excursionista de Catalunya (Hiking Club of Catalonia).

The temple was originally built to honor Emperor Augustus and once towered over the ancient Roman city of Barcino. It was constructed of sandstone from nearby Montjuïc Hill and at least partially plastered over. The building was built in the first century and measured 12 feet in length. It was surrounded by numerous 30-foot-tall columns, but now only four exist and lay testament to this wonderful building.

Most of the stones from the temple were reused for other buildings. Three of the columns remained intact, forming part of the inside of a new structure. They were found in the 15th century, but no one could figure out their origin until the 19th Century, when it was discovered they were, in fact,  the remains of a Roman temple.

The fourth column was rebuilt from the remains of the other columns and erected in the Plaça del Rei (King’s Square) in 1879, where it stayed until 1956 when it was moved to the spot where it stands now, next to the original three columns, which have never been moved. Though they rest on bits of plinth from the original structure, the ancient building is otherwise gone.

I'll bet whatever you want that not many people know of a place where you can literally find a village inside a cave, and if that wasn't enough, with sea views. This really was a discovery, a surprising and incredible one at that and it is most definitely a place to visit if you are in the region. Add it to your list as you will not be disappointed.

You don't have to travel very far if you are already in the Canary Islands because this remarkable place can be found on the island of La Palma. Tucked into a large cave, on an impressive cliff, we can find a small village that seems to be taken from an adventure novel. The village is called Porís de Candelaria and it is located in the most western part of the island built upon the oldest rock formations of lava on La Palma which combined with a backdrop of almost vertical cliffs make for a spectacular sight.

The meaning of its name comes from the word 'porís' which means 'jetty or natural harbour'. In it, we find white-washed houses located under a giant stone semi-dome created by the constant volcanic eruptions that the island has had over the centuries. The majority of the houses are more than 80 years old and are used by their owners during the holiday season to escape the heat.

To get to the 'secret cave village' from the town of Tijarafe, you need to follow the road that goes towards the sea, the LP-1 heading North for about 4 kilometres.

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