Beaches
The little known beach of Platja d'en Castell is a 12 minute drive away. A lovely long stretch of sand, backed by a protected nature reserve where only two beach bars are allowed to open from June to September. To the left of the beach a short walk through pine trees takes us up to a fascinating pre-Roman Iberian settlement and to the right, after a short walk between the rocks, we find the beautiful shingly cove of Cala S'Alguer flanked by a jumble of pretty brightly coloured fishermen’s cottages. La Fosca sits just north of the bay of Palamós and its fine, sandy beach shelves gently into the warm clear waters, making it ideal for children.
The coastal walk between Platja d'en Castell and Calella de Palafrugell reveals the Costa Brava at its best with beautiful hidden coves only accessible by boat or on foot.
Eating Out
'Restaurant Vall Llobrega' in the village continues, as it has done for five decades, to offer superb local cuisine and is a favourite among locals and visitors alike. A walk amidst the vineyards followed by a lazy lunch of snails cooked in chorizo sauce, duck with turnips and a glass or two of the local wine, and all is good with the world!
Local vineyard
Set in a valley at the foot of the ‘Gavarres’ mountain range, the temperate climate makes this area ideal for the cultivation of vines and olives. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that Vall-Llòbrega is home to one of the oldest wine cellars in the area, ‘Celler Can Sais’. Its origins go back to the 17th century and it continues to be run by the same family, who are happy to welcome visitors to their stone farmhouse and bodega where their fine wines can be tasted. They also supply maps marking walking routes through their vineyards.
The Millennium Olive Tree
Mention must be made of this local celebrity, ‘l’olivera milenària’. With a circumference of no less than 8 metres, this ancient olive tree dates back to around the year 1014!
Activities
Take a trip from Palamós harbour aboard the ‘Rafael’, a traditional lateen-rigged Catalan fishing boat and follow in the footsteps of the infamous 15th century pirate ‘Barbarossa’.
On Palamós quayside, ‘General Nautíc’ offers a range of motor launches that can be rented by the day or week plus the opportunity of big game fishing under the guidance of an experienced sports fisherman.
Rarely mentioned in tourist guide books, there are several routes (walking or combined drive and walk) through the ‘Gavarres’ mountains where historic gems are to be discovered such as abandoned Romanic churches, Neolithic dolmens and centuries old byways where the ruts worn into the rocks by ancient horse-drawn carts can still be discerned.
Local stables offer guided excursions on horseback through the nearby mountains.
Markets
There are daily fruit and veg markets held in most nearby towns. Palafrugell holds its big market every Sunday whilst in Palamós it is held every Wednesday.
From Mondays to Fridays between 5pm and 7pm the Palamós fishing fleet enters harbour where stalls are set up offering the day’s fresh catch.
