Girona | Page 9 | Cultural Heritage. Goverment of Catalonia.

Girona

The Dalí Triangle

If we drew a line joining the municipalities of Púbol, Portlligat and Figueres, we would draw a triangle: the Dalí triangle, an area covering some 40 square kilometres. Here you can get to understand the life and work of Salvador Dalí by visiting the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, the Gala Dalí Castle in Púbol and the Salvador Dalí House Museum in Portlligat. Start the car and let's set off!
 
DALÍ THEATRE-MUSEUM

Our suggested tour starts at the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres. It is in itself considered to be the largest Surrealist object in the world. Built over the remains of the former Figueres theatre, the building contains many master works by Salvador Dalí. After lunch you can head on to Cadaqués and Portlligat, 50 minutes away from Figueres, to discover even more about him, and spend the night.

SALVADOR DALÍ HOUSE MUSEUM
 
What was a fisherman's hut in Portlligat is now the Dalí House Museum, his only fixed abode. He established himself there in 1930 and continued to live and work there until 1982. When his wife and muse, Gala, died, he moved to the Castell de Púbol. The building, devised by Dalí and Gala, is a labyrinthine structure distributed around the so-called 'Hall of the Bear'. To visit it, you need to book.
 
GALA DALÍ CASTLE
 
The following day, after a stroll around the picturesque coastal village of Cadaqués, head off to Púbol, the final destination on the route, and an hour-and-a-half's drive away. Here you can visit the Gala Dalí Castle, a medieval building which Dalí gave to Gala. It has been open to the public since 1996 and epitomises the relationship between the two lovers very well. At the end of your visit you can have lunch in one of the nearby restaurants or head off to Girona, half an hour away, instead.
 
 
Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural
 

The historic gardens of the Costa Brava

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.

 
Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural
 
English translation unavailable for 25è Festival de Sant Pere de Rodes.

Jewels of Catalan Romanesque in Ripoll

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.
 

Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural


The Iberian Route: Lloret de Mar, the botanical gardens and the indigetes

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.
 
Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural

The Iberian Route: Summer in the land of the ceretani

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?


Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural

The Iberian Route: The 'camí de ronda' footpaths in the land of indigetes

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.


Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural

The first settlers of the Pla de l’Estany

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.


Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural

The Indigetes Route

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.

Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural

English translation unavailable for Tastos amb història: la cuina dels ibers.