Girona

The Costa Brava boasts three historic gardens: Mar i Murtra, in Blanes; Santa Clotilde, in Lloret de Mar; and Cap Roig, in Calella de Palafrugell. You can visit all three of them in a weekend because they are only an hour away from each other by car.
 
MAR I MURTRA GARDEN (BLANES)
 
The Mar i Murtra Botanical Garden contains Catalonia's most magnificent collection of plants and because of this, and on account of its considerable size, it is one of the most outstanding botanical gardens in Europe. This historic garden is also noted for its abundant array of cacti and Mediterranean plants, as well as a large variety of other plants from all over the world. These days, not only can you enjoy a walk through this spectacular garden, you can participate in some of the talks, concerts, courses and workshops that are held there.
 
THE SANTA CLOTILDE GARDENS (LLORET DE MAR)
 
The Santa Clotilde Gardens, located on a cliff of great beauty, and commanding marvellous views over the sea, is considered to have sprung from the Noucentisme cultural movement that took place in Catalonia during the early part of the 20th century. They were laid out by the architect, Nicolau Rubió i Tudurí, a disciple of Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. As you stroll through these gardens, pausing, perhaps in a little plaça, along your way, you will be treated to magnificent panoramic views of the coastline.
 
CAP ROIG GARDENS (CALELLA DE PALAFRUGELL)
 
In 1927 the exiled Tsarist colonel Nicolai Woevodsky and his wife Dorothy Webster built a castle on top of a cliff in Cap Roig surrounded by idyllic botanical gardens, considered to be amongst the Mediterranean's best. Today the Cap Roig Gardens also contain sculptures by contemporary artists. Don't forget to visit the castle during your visit. From there you can enjoy splendid views of the Cala d’en Massoni, known locally as the Banyera de la Russa, or Russian lady's bathtub, since it was here that Dorothy Webster would go for a swim.

 
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Some of the most important Romanesque architecture in Catalonia, indeed the world, is to be found in this town, located at the confluence of the rivers Freser and Ter. Surrounded by woods, rivers and peaks, Ripoll, in the midst of magnificent pre-Pyrenean countryside, is overflowing with history.
 
MONASTERY OF SANTA MARIA
 
The jewel in the crown of Ripoll is the Monastery of Santa Maria, also known as the cradle of Catalonia. Located in the Plaça de l’Abat Oliba, it was founded by Count Guifré el Pelós (Wilfred the Hairy) in 879 and went on to become a religious centre of the very first order. The portal, one of the most important Romanesque works in the world, has recently been restored to reveal the medieval polychrome of the Christ Pantocrator.
 
CHURCH OF SANT PERE
 
The church of Sant Pere, consecrated in 890 as a parish church, is in the same square as the Monastery of Santa Maria. It has recently been refurbished for use as a cultural centre, having previously been used for more than 30 years as a warehouse. It has not been used for religious purposes since the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, when it was sacked and the retables destroyed.
 
ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM
 
Without leaving the Plaça de l’abat Oliba you can pay a visit to the Ethnographic Museum which has 12 collections explaining the life of the country folk, their trades and occupations such as shepherding, life in the home and religious life, as well as other aspects of people's lives in Ripoll and Girona's pre-Pyrenees. Don't miss the section on forges and iron, essential elements of the Ripollès economy since the Middle Ages. There is also a collection of portable Ripoll firearms, items that achieved international fame.
 
PALAU FORGE
 
A few-minutes walk in the direction of the river Freser, in the Passeig de la Farga Catalana, will take you to the "Farga Palau" (Palau Forge). It was established as an iron foundry in the 17th century, later becoming a coppersmith's and not closing until 1978. It is an interesting place to visit because it is the only remaining complete forge left in Catalonia and it has, furthermore, been declared a Historical Landmark by the American Society for Metals.
 
TRAILS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA
 
As well as these places of historical and cultural interest you shouldn't leave Ripoll without tasting some of its culinary offerings, such as its renowned cured sausages, or visiting the countryside at closer quarters. The Pyrenees are just a stone's throw away! Maybe you'd like to follow these trails on foot. They'll lead you to the four hilltops surrounding Ripoll, from where there are excellent views of the town.
 

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June, July and August
 
Take advantage of the good weather to get to know Lloret at first-hand. Visit the Noucentista botanical gardens and the Iberian settlement of Puig de Castellet, which has spectacular views over the Costa Brava's Mediterranean coastline!
 
SANTA CLOTILDE GARDENS

Start your visit at the Santa Clotilde gardens in Lloret de Mar. The gardens were designed along traditional Italian Renaissance lines, gentle but at the same time austere, by Nicolau Rubió i Tudurí when he was 28 years of age, and when his teacher in the arts of garden landscaping, Forestier, was at the height of his popularity.
 
THE IBERIAN SETTLEMENT OF PUIG DE CASTELLET

After lunch in one of the numerous establishments open in Lloret during the summer you could visit the Iberian settlement of Puig de Castellet and finish the day with a promenade along the seafront, and dinner in one of the local restaurants.
 
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In the summer

Take a bicycle ride around the charming little villages of the Cerdanya, visit the impressive Iberian settlement of Bolvir, and relax in the peace and quiet of these natural surroundings.
 
BICYCLE ROUTE

Start your weekend early in the morning in Puigcerdà, with a round trip route by electric bicycle to visit little villages like Queixans and Pereres, in the valley of Cerdanya. All in all the route covers some 30 km, an excellent way of spending the day on a bicycle.

THE BOLVIR IBERIAN SETTLEMENT

During your bicycle tour stop at Bolvir, where you will find an impressive Iberian settlement which was opened to the public in 2015. The museum's facilities are modern and its collections and video presentation will help you to locate yourself in the Cerdanya of 2,000 years ago. The tour of the settlement, which is completely adapted and different from the others in the Iberian Route, provides a unique and memorable experience, as well as having some breath-taking views.
 
HOTEL PARK PUIGCERDÀ

Spend the night at the Hotel Park Puigcerdà, located just at the entrance to the town. The hotel is well-equipped and here you will be able to make the most of what is left of the evening as well as enjoying the following morning. You can also take advantage of your stay to visit Llívia, or some of the other towns in the area, where you can spend a pleasant evening and have dinner.
 
PUIGCERDÀ AND THE SURROUNDING AREA

After breakfast at the hotel you can play padel, take a dip in the swimming pool, or relax in the garden or the lounge. You might also like to explore the marvellous surrounding countryside and before the day is over, how about skating on ice or game of curling?


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Three days of hiking, from Torroella de Montgrí to Palamós, passing through Begur and Calella de Palafrugell, in a unique landscape and discovering two Iberian treasures, right in the heart of the Costa Brava: the town of Castell, an unspoilt beach in Palamós, and the strategic site of Sant Sebastià de la Guarda in Palafrugell.
 
TORROELLA DE MONTGRÍ – BEGUR (14 KM)

On the first day, leave Torroella de Montgrí inland, and head for the long beach, the Platja de Pals, and then continue onwards towards Begur. Along the way you will find numerous coves with crystal-clear blue water. You could spend the night in Begur.
 
BEGUR – CALELLA DE PALAFRUGELL (14 KM)

On the second day you will be walking through Mediterranean woods and you'll cross through unspoilt little coves, and walk along paths with magnificent views over the Mediterranean sea, as well as visiting charming towns such as, Tamariu, Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell, an enchanting fishing village where you can spend the night.

During your hike you can visit the Iberian settlement of Sant Sebastià de la Guarda in Palafrugell, located in a very privileged position on the top of the mountain with cliffs overlooking the sea, and with one of the best views of the Costa Brava. You can visit a 15th-century lookout tower, an 18th-century hermitage and hospice and a 19th-century lighthouse.
 
CALELLA DE PALAFRUGELL – PALAMÓS (12 KM)

The route to follow on the third day is one of the most spectacular ones in the southern section of the Camí de Ronda. You will pass by small coves, an unspoilt beach of incompatible beauty, Mediterranean pine and oak woods, and olive orchards. The route takes you to Palamós, with its fully-functioning fishing port, and a fish auction that is open every day of week for those in the trade.

During the course of this day you will have the opportunity of visiting the Iberian settlement of Castell, in Palamós, which was occupied from the sixth century BCE until the Roman period. It is located in a place with magnificent views over one of the last unspoilt beaches of the Costa Brava.


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Many people will have surely visited Banyoles to go for a walk, or ride a bicycle, around the lake or, indeed, go for a boat ride. But did you know that there are very interesting archaeological sites very close to Banyoles where you can find out more about the district's history? Sign up for the next visits.
 
THE NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT OF LA DRAGA

The Neolithic settlement of La Draga is located on the eastern edge of the lake on a peninsula, surrounded by water to the north and west. It is an exceptional settlement because it has been preserved in water. Over the years it has been possible to recover tools made of wood, baskets and ceramic items, amongst others. You can visit the reconstructed huts where workshops and other activities are held to reproduce life as it was in Neolithic times.
 
SERINYÀ PREHISTORIC CAVES PARK

The Serinyà Prehistoric Caves Park comprises a series of unique sites for learning about life in the Stone Age. It is a unique location in Europe for learning about the evolution of Neanderthal man and modern man. It is located very close to the municipality of Serinyà. From Banyoles the C-66 towards Besalú leads you there.
 
THE ROMAN VILLA OF VILAUBA

The Roman villa of Vilauba is located in a small valley some 3 km to the south of Banyoles. It was discovered in 1932 and today it is a site that can be visited. The villa was divided into two areas: one a residential space in the northern section, notable for the remains of a triclinium and some small thermal baths, and the other with structures related to the production of wine and olive oil, in the southern section.
 
BANYOLES ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM

Banyoles Archaeology Museum is in the centre of the town and has palaeontology, archaeology and numismatic collections, all of which have come from the various excavations that have been carried out in the Pla de l’Estany from the mid-19th century to the present day. Notable items amongst the collections include fossils of large animals, including one known as the jaw of Banyoles, and items from the Serinyà caves and the Neolithic settlement of La Draga.


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According to Graeco-Roman writers such as Avienus, Ptolomy, Strabo and Pliny the Elder, the most prominent Iberians were the Indigetes, who lived in the present-day districts of the Empordà and La Selva. If you would like to know who they were, how they lived, where they lived and what customs they had, don't miss three of Catalonia's most important Iberian settlements: El Puig de Castellet, in Lloret de Mar; Castell, in Palamós; and Ullastret. The route is also a way of enjoying the Costa Brava and its beaches.
 
EL PUIG DE CASTELLET

Start your tour in Lloret de Mar, in La Selva, where you can visit the Puig de Castellet Iberian Settlement. This was a fortified and strategically located position from which the Indigetes dominated a broad band of the coastline and directly controlled the other Iberian settlements in the area. The group of buildings was inhabited for 50 years until 200 BCE, when it was abandoned.
 
CASTELL

After your visit head for Palamós, where you can sample the famous prawns. In the afternoon you can enjoy Es Castell beach, where you will find the settlement of the same name. The settlement was built on this small peninsula in the 6th century BCE to take advantage of the excellent possibilities offered for dominance and defence.
 
ULLASTRET

Finally, visit the Iberian settlement of Puig de Sant Andreu in Ullastret. This settlement is considered to be the largest from that period in Catalonia and it was the Indigetes' capital. Its moment of maximum splendour was around the 4th to 3rd century BCE when it had a population of around 6,000 people. It consists of temples, streets, noble houses, and imposing defensive walls, making it an altogether impressive capital, and one that played an important role in trade, as did the Greek city of Empúries.
 
This route forms part of the Iberian Route, a cultural tourism initiative coordinated by the Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya with the aim of raising awareness about the main Iberian settlements in our country, and the people who used to inhabit them.

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This month of March, the city of Girona has implemented the Girona Episcopal combined admission pass. A ticket that enables the user to visit the Cathedral, the Basilica of Sant Feliu and the  Girona Art Museum, which sits within the walls of the old Episcopal Palace, all for the reduced price of €10. Three heritage sites that are essential and complementary for those who want to discover and explore the history and the art of the Girona Diocese. Have you ever seen them?
 
BASILICA OF SANT FELIU
You can begin your route with a visit to the Basilica of Sant Feliu. Up until the 10^th century, this temple was the first cathedral of Girona. Today it is one of the city’s most representative Gothic buildings, thanks to its immense bell tower, which dates from the 14^th-16^th centuries. 
 
CATHEDRAL OF SANTA MARIA DE GIRONA
Just minutes on foot from the Basilica of Sant Feliu, you will come to the Cathedral of Girona, a symbol of the city that dates back more than 5 centuries. Located at the highest spot in the city, its single nave is the second largest in the world, second only to that of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The 90 stairs of the spectacular stairway will bring you up to the entrance doorway.
 
GIRONA ART MUSEUM, IN THE OLD EPISCOPAL PALACE
Just next to the Cathedral, within the walls of the old Episcopal Palace, is the Girona Art Museum. Founded in 1976, this museum houses the third most important Gothic and Romanesque art collection in Catalonia. Here you will discover unique works of Catalan art, dating from the Romanesque period to the present day.
 
You may purchase the new combined admission ticket at any of these three sites. Discounts are available for children of ages 8 to 16, students over age 16 with student ID, seniors and physically disabled persons. There is also a special rate for tourism groups.
 
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We would like to suggest a number of different places around Catalonia where Easter is celebrated with particular devotion with ceremonies and services that have centuries of tradition behind them, and which now form part of Catalonia's cultural heritage.

PALM SUNDAY: VIC PALM MARKET

Easter week starts with Palm Sunday, which marks a very important date in the Christian calendar.  From 12 to 14 April one of the city's oldest fairs is held in Vic, the Palm Market. Over the course of years this has become a major event for the agricultural and livestock industries to include farming exhibitions, the sale of agricultural produce, leisure, sporting and cultural activities, as well as horse shows and the farmers' market fair.
 
GOOD FRIDAY: THE PROCESSION IN VERGES

Another unmissable tradition, if you want to experience Easter at first hand, consists of the Passions and processions that are held in Verges in the Baix Empordà district. The event is held every Maundy Thursday and represents a mystery based on the book in verse by Brother Antoni de Sant Jeroni describing the drama of Jesus' last hours. The procession sets off at midnight and leads around the village streets, the only illumination being from lit torches. The much anticipated highpoint of the proceedings consists of the Dance of Death, a macabre performance, medieval in origin, in which five skeletons jump and dance to the sound of a drum.
 
GOOD FRIDAY: PROCESSION OF THE HOLY BURIAL IN TARRAGONA

Another important Easter week event in Catalonia is the Procession of the Holy Burial in Tarragona. It leaves from and, after a long procession through the city, returns to the Plaça del Rei. The procession involves more than 3,000 people and follows an order that is strictly determined by tradition. Each brotherhood has its own position in the procession, and is responsible for the number of times it proceeds along the route.
 
FROM FEBRUARY TO MAY:  THE PASSION OF ESPARREGUERA AND THE PASSION OF OLESA DE MONTSERRRAT

The Passions of Esparreguera and of Olesa de Montserrat are the two most important ones in Catalonia and have their origins in medieval mystery plays. The first documented evidence of the performance of the Passion of Esparreguera dates from the early 17th century. Nevertheless, the oldest is that the passion of Olesa, for which the first documentary evidence dates from 1530. If you would like more information, please consult the programme for the Passion of Esparreguera and the Passion of Olesa de Montserrat.
 
If you would like to know what activities have been organised for Easter this year in Catalonia, please consult the programme


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There's more to the Costa Brava than just sun and sand. Go a bit further inland and we find a whole host of castles and forts, a testament to the medieval past and all are located in strategic areas. Their job: to defend a region as beautiful as it is dangerous. This close to the border, incursions and fights were commonplace.

This is our section on the coastal castles and forts you can't miss out on:

 

Roses

Wander through the Ciutadella, an authentic, open-air museum constructed by Charles I to protect against pirates and Turkish invasions.

Figueres

If you walk around the Castell de Sant Ferran you'll be surprised by the pentagonal floor-plan of one of the largest forts in Europe.

Montsoriu

The mysterious Castell de Montsoriu hides the secret of Guilleuma the witch. Rumour has it that for centuries she has haunted the fort, scaring off all who dare approach. This is not a visit for the faint-hearted!

Peralada

Owned by the Mateu family, the spectacular Castell de Peralada isn't completely open for visiting, but it is home to the 'Casino' and its gardens are open throughout July and August for the Festival de Peralada. A good opportunity to listen to good music and taste the county's wines.

Peratallada

This town, which was built around its castle, re-lives the Middle Ages one weekend a year. You’re invited to the mercat medieval from 3rd till 4th October: products from the county and period trades at the castle square.

Requesens

Nature and history combined in one place: we suggest you visit the castell de Requesens, surrounded by Mediterranean scenery and the smells of the Albera mountain range.

 

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