Josep Pla's writings, the guiding light for a route through the Empordà
In his books the writer Josep Pla often described his native Empordà, and this route takes you to all the places associated with his life and work.
Josep Pla was born on 8 March 1897 in Carrer Nou de Palafrugell, number 49. More than a century later, this address is now the starting point of a route that takes you to all the places in the Empordà that had a bearing on the life and work of one of the most widely-read writers in Catalan literature. It is from here that the route continues to Carrer Torres i Jonama number 56—where the Pla family went to live in 1904—passing by Carrer Estret—which lent its name to the novel he published in 1956—continuing on to Plaça Nova, once an olive grove outside the town walls. This is where the Cercle Mercantil is located, formerly a social centre for the well-to-do, as well as the Centre Fraternal, a social club for the working classes that is still fully operational. The Josep Pla Foundation designed this route in 1993 to draw attention to the places in Palafrugell that influenced Pla, as well as to enrich any reading of his work by linking literature with the heritage and landscape that inspired it. The route, however, is not restricted to the municipality in which Pla was born. It includes other places, such as Calella, where it passes along the Mirador dels Burricaires with its views over Port Bo and Canadell beach, and Llofriu, where it crosses the old town before arriving at the cemetery, where Pla is buried. As well as highlighting the places Pla describes in his books, the route also brings to light other aspects of heritage, such as the Sant Sebastià lighthouse, the Joaquim Turró vantage point, the lookout tower and hermitage, Pals—the Hores Tower, the church of Sant Pere—and the Cap Roig Gardens, just to name a few.
After a joint investigation by the Catalonia - Ullastret Archaeological Museum and the Josep Pla Foundation to research Pla's association with the Ullastret archaeological site, the route also includes this location with a walk along the Sant Andreu hill. This walk evokes Pla's meeting with the pioneering archaeologists who first excavated the site. In fact, this year marks 75 years since the excavation work began and visits to commemorate this anniversary will be held on 9 July, 6 August and 17 September. The literary event on 17 September, for Pla's avid readers, will include refreshments.
