At this time of year, as everyone heads towards the mountains, seaside resorts can provide a peaceful alternative for those who want to get out and about. One such coastal resort is Calella de Palafrugell-a mere two hours from Barcelona-an ideal retreat from the busy city that is never really out of season. This former fishing village, situated in the municipality of Palafrugell in the Baix Emporda region of the Costa Brava, should definitely not be confused with its more touristy namesake, Calella, further south. Here, there are no high-rise buildings and no nightclubs.
The landscape surrounding the village is a scenic smorgasbord of rocky coves, coarse sandy beaches, clear blue waters and pine forests. On the hillsides, elaborate stone houses with turrets contrast with the simple whitewashed and vibrant facades lining the beachfronts and narrow back streets.
During the winter months, the pace of life slows down. Capped men amble behind their dogs, which eagerly fill the empty beach with their paw prints. Couples sit on terraces looking out to sea, absorbing the silence, only broken by the gentle lap of the waves. A few mallorquinas (traditional fishing boats) remain, dotted around a half dozen small, coarse sandy beaches, a reminder of Calella de Palafrugell's fishing tradition. Local specialities such as suquet de peix (fish stew) and arros negre (rice and seafood cooked in cuttlefish ink) can be savoured in the many seafront restaurants, including Les Voltes and El Tragamar, as well as those almost hidden down the tiny back streets between art shops and boutiques.
From mid-January until mid-March, restaurants in the Palafrugell area take part in the gastronomic event, La Garoinada, a set menu in which the first course consists of the orange flesh of locally caught garoines (sea urchins). Prices for a menu range from 25-50 euros. Those who wish to sample them in a more natural setting can join the many locals who gather on the beaches to feast on this succulent delicacy.
The village's maritime heritage is also strongly evoked through the 19th-century tradition of Havaneres. These three-to-five part harmonies were originally composed and sung by Catalan sailors, soldiers and tradesmen on their voyages to and from the Cuban capital and the coastal towns of Catalunya. On every first Saturday of July, since 1967, the village has hosted the Havanera song festival, attended by thousands.
The traditional beverage accompaniment to Havaneres is ron cremat, a mixture of rum, sugar, lemon peel and coffee beans-cinnamon stick optional-served in an earthenware bowl and flambeed to burn off the alcohol. This warming drink-especially good on cold nights-is served in many of the village's bars, in some of which Havaneres are still sung today.
However, not all visits to these shores were of a friendly nature. From the 12th to 18th centuries, pirates and corsairs subjected this coastline to many attacks, raiding homes and kidnapping locals. Ransom demands were made, and in cases where no ransom was paid the captives were often sold as slaves in North Africa and Europe.
Heading north out of the main village, the Passeig del Canadell-a wide, paved promenade lined with white benches overlooking the sea-leads to the Torre de Calella, built in the 16th century. The watchtower is one of the many still standing on clifftops and in villages in the area, evidence of the defensive strategies used by locals in times of trouble. From their elevated positions, watchtower guards could see far out to sea and only left their posts to take the coastal paths-that also served as a lifeline for villagers on a day to day basis-to warn residents of the approach of danger, or escape attacks themselves.
It was not just pirates and corsairs that used the coast for ill-gotten gains; smugglers, too, frequented the area and used the coastal paths in an attempt to avoid being caught with their booty. Whilst parts of the original shore paths still exist, local councils are also working to extend the 15 kilometres of routes to include more of the old ones.
The steady walk from Calella to the equally picturesque village of Llafranc takes about 15 minutes, along the coastal route GR92. The path is a mixture of steps fashioned from natural local resources-in keeping with the surroundings-and dirt tracks. From Llafranc up to the Cap de Sant Sebastia is a longer and somewhat more arduous climb. The continuation of the route begins with 161 relatively steep steps up to the cliffs, then levels out between the sea and pine woodlands. The route is easy to follow, signposted along the way by red and white markings on trees and walls. At the summit is the San Sebastia lighthouse, built in 1857, and said to be one of the most powerful in the Mediterranean. Still in operation today, its beam is clearly visible from the hillside hotels and apartments above Calella. The views from Cap de Sant Sebastia are magnificent, spanning across the sea, over the bays of Calella and Llafranc to the forests behind. The coastal route continues further north to the village of Tamariu and beyond.
For those that find the outdoor climate a little too chilly at this time of year, the urban centre Palafrugell-four kilometres inland-offers a number of indoor options. The Museu del Suro (Cork Museum), opened in 1991, tells the story of the town's relationship with cork. From the end of the 18th century up until the mid-20th century, the cork industry provided the economic backbone for Palafrugell. Where previously the main economies had been fishing and farming, in the 19th century former farmers and fishermen went to work in cork factories, earning relatively high wages for the time. As a consequence, the town became more affluent. The outbreak of World War One led to the closure of many of the factories and after the war, as more machinery was introduced, both workforce and wages were reduced.
The museum is the only one of its kind in Spain, and offers an extensive range of exhibits, archives and a specialist library, detailing the evolving processes used to grow, extract and manufacture cork, as well as films and workshops for children. It also has a shop selling a variety of products made from cork.
The town's famous son is the prolific Catalan writer Josep Pla (1897-1981). One of the most popular Catalan writers of the 20th century, he wrote in both his native language and Castillian. His complete works, published in 1965, comprises 46 volumes-20,000 pages-and much of his fiction and memoirs were set in this area. La Fundacio Josep Pla houses a permanent exhibition in the author's birth house, including quotes, photographs and numerous other documents detailing his life and work. Another place of interest nearby is El Jardi Botanic de Cap Roig, situated just south of Calella, displaying a wide variety of plants and trees indigenous to the Mediterranean, alongside species from all over the world.
This is the perfect time of year to experience the tranquility and charm of some of Catalunya's beautiful coastal resorts. They almost seem as if they have never been touched by the hand of tourism.
More info:
Palafrugell Tourist Board www.palafrugell.net
Tel: 972 611 820
Cork museum (advance booking needed)
www.museudelsuro.org Tel: 972 307 825
The Josep Pla Foundation Fjpla@ddgi.es
Tel: 972 305 577
Poseidon Nemrod Dive Centre:
(Open Mar-Oct)
www.divecalella.com
Cap Roig Botanical Gardens: 972 614 582
During July and August,
the gardens become the setting for the Costa Brava Jazz Festival.
Getting there:
By bus:
Sarfa run a service direct from Barcelona to Palafrugell and a connecting service to Calella. www.sarfa.es Tel. 902 260 606
Round trip - 28 euros
By car:
Take the A7 north until junction 6. Then follow the C255 East, to Palafrugell. 125 km from Barcelona.
This article was first published in Barcelona Metropolitan magazine in March 2005.