Below, we tell you what you can see and do in Pals, a municipality in Girona that has (almost) everything: a natural park just a stone’s throw away, several of the most sought-after beaches on the Costa Brava, delicious Mediterranean cuisine and, of course, one of the most seductive medieval towns in Catalonia, where we begin our route.
What to see in Pals?
Although a good number of tourists jump into the Mediterranean from Grau beach without going through the town, we prefer to walk through the streets of its medieval town, which, stone by stone, tells us the story of a town with a thousand-year-old tradition in the Lower Empordà from Girona.
And the first documentary data on this town dates back to the end of the 9th century, in times of Wilfred the Hairy who united under his command a good part of the Hispanic Mark of Carolingian dominion and who united the county of Girona to that of Barcelona.
A walk through the medieval town of Pals
Our route begins to the west of the town, in the Ca La Pruna Culture House Museumnext to a car park where you can leave your car. It is a 16th century building originally located outside the city walls that the Town Hall has converted into a Tourist Office, so it is the ideal place to stock up on maps and information and explore the Gothic town.
If you continue along Carrer de la Creu you reach the Main Squarethe first symbol of Pals: sandstone masonry buildings that generate those ochre and gold reflections that have become iconic and so seduce photography enthusiasts. In the square there are several terraces where you can make a first stop on the way.
Because we must not forget that Pals is integrated into the movement Cittaslow Along with other Spanish towns such as Begur, Lekeitio, Rubielos de Mora or Palafrugell itself: we don’t come here to take some photos and run, we have to take it easy, without disturbing the serene rhythm of the town’s residents.
After passing by the tombs of the Main street With more than 1000 years of history, we arrive at the 15th century church built on the remains of a 10th century building: with a Romanesque base, it has a Gothic apse and nave, a Baroque front door and an 18th century bell tower.
It is in this northern area of the historic center of Pals where the most important monuments of the town are concentrated, starting with the remains of the castle and the Keepfrom the 12th century: a Romanesque circular tower 15 metres high.
And the remains of the wall, of course, because a town without a wall was inconceivable in the Middle Ages. It is the best preserved medieval wall in the Baix Empordà, in which the Ramonet Towerone of the best preserved towers of the same.
And this route through the medieval town ends at the Josep Pla viewpointat the northernmost point of the town: the best view of the Montgrí massif and the Empordà plain.
What to do in Pals?
Gastronomy, nature and beaches, three more than attractive options that must be added to the historical and cultural aspect that we have already enjoyed.
Pals rice
We are told that the cultivation of rice in Pals began in the 15th century, a time when there was already a mill in the area that was the hub for the exploitation of this cereal by a family of farmers from Pals.
But not everything was plain sailing over the last five centuries, as rice cultivation experienced periods of decline until become prohibited due to the epidemics associated with its consumption.
However, recent decades have seen a renaissance of rice culture in Pals in the heat of the vindication of traditional Mediterranean cuisine: since 1994, the gastronomic campaign has been launched Pals and the Arròs Kitchenjointly organised by Pals Town Hall, participating restaurants and rice mills.
Coinciding with the traditional planting and harvesting of rice, this event is held every June, in which restaurants offer their best recipes based on rice.
For example? Dry Pals rice with cod, black sausage, cuttlefish and rosemary aioli; dry Pals rice with octopus, prawns and touches of garlic mousseline; rice stew with monkfish and squid… or the traditional Pals rice in a casserole.
Montgrí, Medes Islands and Lower Ter Natural Park
A few kilometres north of Pals, you have a protected area ideal for enjoying the Mediterranean nature of Empordà. This is a very special natural park that has two partial nature reserves, one marine, that of the Medes Islands, and another terrestrial, that of Baix Ter.
This park is defined, first of all, by the Montgrí massifa small mountain of just over 300 metres that, nevertheless, shines with special splendour as it is located on the edge of the Mediterranean.
This mountain is the balcony of the Medes Islandsa small archipelago of seven islands and a few islets totalling just over 20 hectares. But the great treasure of these islands is underwater: an excellent seabed favoured by the proximity to the mouth of the Ter River, making it the largest marine reserve in all of Catalonia.
If you want more information and prepare your visit to the park, go to Can Quintana Museum of the Mediterraneanheadquarters of the Natural Park Interpretation Center located in Torroella de Montgríten minutes north of Pals.
The beaches of Pals
Let no one be angry with us in Begur (or Pals), but our route through the beaches of this area of the Costa Brava cannot help but begin in Sa Riera and Illa Roja, two of the most admired beaches on the entire Girona coastline.
And passing the Racó beachwe are now entering the territory of Pals, whose beach is divided into two sectors. On one side we have the Gran Beachlocated in a semi-urbanized environment of great natural value in the area of the former Radio Liberty, which continues to demand its rehabilitation since the United States dismantled it in 2006.
Its front area is a place of naturism and also has an important dune system that has been delimited in order to avoid the impact generated by excessive access and transit of people.
And to the north of Gran, the Grau beach which is located in the Rec del Molí area that separates this beach from Fonorella beach, already belonging to Torreolla de Montgrí: a set of marshes of great ecological value called “Basses d’en Coll” also included in the Montgrí Natural Park, The Medes and the Baix Ter make this beach unique, which is the last treasure of our visit to Pals.
