Empuries
12/02/06 18:11
5 minutes by car
Only 1 mile from the centre of La Escala, the archaeological site of Empuries offers the remainders of a Greek and a Roman coastal trading centers.
The earliest settlers at Empuries traded with the Etruscans, Phoenicians and the Greeks during the 7th century b.c. By the 6th century, Greek traders founded a first settlement called Palaia Polis and eventually created a new sector of city called the new town, or Nea Polis--and this is the Greek part of the site you'll see when you visit Empuries. In 218 b.c. Gnaeus Cornelius begun the Romanization of Spain, from Empuries, but as Girona, Barcelona and Tarragona rose in importance, Empuries fell, and in the second half of the 3rd century b.c. the Roman city and Neapolis were abandoned.
A short walk along the sea takes you to the medieval village of Sant Marti d'Empuries, where the earliest settlement dates back to the end of the Bronze Age (9th century b.c.). Sant Marti d'Empuries has a little city centre and one of coziest bars of the bay.
Only 1 mile from the centre of La Escala, the archaeological site of Empuries offers the remainders of a Greek and a Roman coastal trading centers.
The earliest settlers at Empuries traded with the Etruscans, Phoenicians and the Greeks during the 7th century b.c. By the 6th century, Greek traders founded a first settlement called Palaia Polis and eventually created a new sector of city called the new town, or Nea Polis--and this is the Greek part of the site you'll see when you visit Empuries. In 218 b.c. Gnaeus Cornelius begun the Romanization of Spain, from Empuries, but as Girona, Barcelona and Tarragona rose in importance, Empuries fell, and in the second half of the 3rd century b.c. the Roman city and Neapolis were abandoned.
A short walk along the sea takes you to the medieval village of Sant Marti d'Empuries, where the earliest settlement dates back to the end of the Bronze Age (9th century b.c.). Sant Marti d'Empuries has a little city centre and one of coziest bars of the bay.
Besalu, Olot and La Garroxta
12/02/06 16:18
45 minutes by car
Besalu is an attractive small town about 20 km west of Figueres and was designated as Spain's historical national property in 1966. The most striking feature is the roman bridge (12 century) across the Fluvia which was constructed on existing rocks in the riverbed and has an unusual angular form. In the Middle Ages a toll was raised from travelers crossing the bridge. Because of this impressive bridge, Besalu is considered to be the 'gate' from the mainlann into the Spanish Pyrenees.
From Besalú the possibilities of year-round wildlife walks are endless: inland the high peaks of the eastern Pyrenees (2,700 m +) are just a little over an hour's drive. But you don't have to drive that long to visit Olot and the protected area of the Natural Park of the Volcanic Area of the Garrotxa, an exceptional Volcanic Area, with 30 craters and a protected space of over 12,000 hectares.
Visit http://www.cataloniapyrenees.com for more information about this marvelous area.
Besalu is an attractive small town about 20 km west of Figueres and was designated as Spain's historical national property in 1966. The most striking feature is the roman bridge (12 century) across the Fluvia which was constructed on existing rocks in the riverbed and has an unusual angular form. In the Middle Ages a toll was raised from travelers crossing the bridge. Because of this impressive bridge, Besalu is considered to be the 'gate' from the mainlann into the Spanish Pyrenees.
From Besalú the possibilities of year-round wildlife walks are endless: inland the high peaks of the eastern Pyrenees (2,700 m +) are just a little over an hour's drive. But you don't have to drive that long to visit Olot and the protected area of the Natural Park of the Volcanic Area of the Garrotxa, an exceptional Volcanic Area, with 30 craters and a protected space of over 12,000 hectares.
Visit http://www.cataloniapyrenees.com for more information about this marvelous area.