CATALONIA - COSTA BRAVA: EMPURIES

In the previous post I suggested to you an interesting cultural visit in La Costa Brava: the Dalí Theatre-Museum. Today I would like to speak about another cultural activity you can do If you spend some days in La Costa Brava: visiting the remains of Empúries.

Empúries is one of the most important archaeological sites in Catalonia. The ancient port city, known to the Greeks as Emporion and to the Romans as Emporiae, was the gateway to the Iberian Peninsula for the classical cultures. The vestiges preserved here are a magnificent testimony to this glorious past.


Emporion was founded by Greek colonists from Phocaea with the name of Emporion. It was later occupied by the Romans, but in the Early Middle Ages, when its exposed coastal position left it open to marauders, the town was abandoned.

The ruins are midway between the Costa Brava town of L'Escala and the tiny village of Sant Martí d'Empúries. There are good car parking facilities and the site may be reached by a traffic-free coastal walk from L'Escala.



If you have more time after visiting Empúries, there are other interesting nearby places to know like:

• Girona (old city and jewish quarter)
• Dalí Theatre-Museum
• La Catedral de l'Empordà in Castello d'Empúries
• Cadaquès, Roses and Empuriabrava
• Parc Natural del Cap de Creus
• Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà
• Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery
• Medieval Village of Besalú
• Banyoles

Next, some pictures I took the day I visited Empúries.

The greek city of Emporion was located next to the Mediterranean Sea of La Costa Brava

An sculpture which has stood the test of time in Empúries

As you can see, the day was truly lovely in Empúries :)

Overview of the remains of the Greek city of Emporion

Basilica of the Roman City

Here you can see the remains of a Roman house, called domus

I think that this picture also show the remains of a domus, or Roman house

A well-preserved Roman mosaic shows the place were a domus stood in the past

The jetty of Emporion, located next to the city

Overview of La Costa Brava. The fishing village of L'Escala appears in the background

The church of the neighboring village of Sant Martí d'Empúries

I also would like to give you some practical information in case you decide to visit this interesting remains:

- Address: C/ Puig i Cadafalch s/n (17130 Empúries-l'Escala).
- Phone: +34 972 77 02 08.
- Opening Hours

• From October 1 to May 31: From Monday to Sunday: 10am - 6pm.
• From June 1 to September 30: From Monday to Sunday: 10am - 8pm.
• Closed on: December 25th and 26th, January 1st.

- Website: http://www.mac.cat/eng/Branches/Empuries.
- Clicking on the next link, a location map of Empúries.

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find more links to other beautiful places in Catalonia, among them, more nice places in La Costa Brava.