Palafrugell, a municipality in the province of Girona, Catalonia, sits along the magical Mediterranean coastline of Costa Brava. Historically, the region was famous for its cork production industry which served many local Catalan vineyards. It has, however, been transformed in recent years into a popular holiday destination for both foreigners and Spanish locals alike. The municipality includes the coastal towns of Callella, Lllafranc and Tamariu, which offer idyllic coves and beaches. The rural villages of Ermedas and Lllofriu, as well as the more urban town of Palafrugell, offer a mix of undisturbed culture and commerce. Today at ShBarcelona, we’ll be telling you about how to enjoy your visit to Palafrugell and take advantage of all it has to offer.

Beaches, museums, and more

With its three coastal towns, Palafrugell offers a variety of beautiful beaches and coves where you can bask in tranquillity. Some of these include Platja de Llafranc with its coral sand and turquoise clear waters, Platja de Canadell, which is the largest beach at Calella de Palafrugell, Port Bo, which is famous for the Havaneres show in July, and the Platja de Tamariu, which is quieter and more ideal for families. Palafrugell beaches are also perfect for a number of water activities such as snorkeling, diving, kayaking and boat excursions to name but a few. You can also visit the Cork Museum, or the Museu del Suro as it is referred to locally, centered on the history of Palafrugell’s role in the cork manufacturing industry. Another option is the Fundacio Josep Pla, a literary heritage centre where Josep Pla, a renowned writer, donated his literary works.

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Natural sights in Parafrugell don’t stop the marvelous beaches – the Cap Roig Botanical Gardens, considered to be one of the best botanical gardens along the Mediterranean, are also breathtaking. Originally a private home, the Cap Roig is home to a castle and a garden with over 1,000 botanical species located by the sea in Calella de Parafrugell. The garden is known for hosting the annual Cap Roig music festival, a series of outdoor summer concerts. For more details on the festival check out the official Cap Roig festival website.

Lastly, we recommend seeing the Sant Sebastià de la Guarda monument, one of the oldest sites in Palafrugell. It’s an ideal destination for architecture buffs as it consists of an Iberian archeological site, a watchtower, and a lighthouse from which the beautiful views of the coast can be seen. This monument is located at Carrer de l’Uruguai, 87.

Related article: Weekend Getaways in Catalonia

If you plan to visit Palafrugell, there are a few different ways to get there. It’s about 135 kilometers from Barcelona by car. Palafrugell is also only an hour away from the Girona International Airport, where there are several buses all day long that connect from the airport to Palafrugell. You can also get there by train from the Sants Railway Station in Barcelona. Take the train to Portbou and get off at Flaca, which is about 25 kilometers away from Palafrugell. There are several connecting buses from this train station. There are also discounts and special offers for trips to nearby areas of the Costa Brava and Girona that you may want to check out.

*Main Photo by Carles Torras via VisualHunt

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