Aiguablava is for many people the Costa Brava`s most perfect spot, where the cliffs reach down into a turquoise bay backed by a beach of gently shelving sand. It was here in 1908 that Ferran Agullo first coined the term Costa Brava. Although Aiguablava (its name means `blue water` in Catalan) has been `discovered` and villas are creeping up the hillsides, this remains a good place to experience the Costa Brava as it was before mass tourism took over in the more southern resorts.
Aiguablava seems immune to change -- probably why it is still among our preferred destinations on the Costa Brava. As we approach, we pass through lush vegetation and catch glimpses here and there of resplendent, well-hidden private houses dotting the hills. At times the ascent from the waterfront is so steep that construction is virtually impossible; and yet the government-sponsored Parador de Aiguablava crowns one of the highest rocky crags. The hotel, modern and spare in style and well over 30 years old, takes a back seat to the vertiginous views. The hotel pool, at the edge of the precipice, is perfectly situated. In the evening, lights sparkle from the houses in the surrounding hills, and we briefly contemplate staying put. But we can`t resist exploring nearby small villages on their own coves: Tamari, Aigua Xelida, Sa Tuna, Aiguafreda, and Llafranc, where the simple but immaculate little Hotel Llafranc sits along the tree-shaded seaside promenade
We visit again the fabulous botanical gardens at Cap Roig in Calella de Palafrugell, which have grown thick and lush in the intervening years. Conceived by a Russian colonel and his British wife, who came to live here in the 1920`s, Cap Roig was their lifetime labor of love. Planted with both native and exotic species, the terraced gardens on a promontory high above the sea explode with fragrance and color. A delightful walk along a deeply shaded path takes us to an overlook, where the rugged coast appears in all its glory.
About 40 minutes farther up the coastal road we visit the ruins of the ancient city of Empories. The Greeks landed here and set up one of their first Iberian settlements in 550 B.C., and because it was a land of plenty, named it Emporium, or marketplace. The Romans followed in 49 B.C., and both Greek and Roman foundations remain. Mosaic floors, sculpture and other objects on display in the archaeological museum reconstruct the city`s past. Among the ruins is evidence of an ancient fish factory, where anchovies from local waters were most likely preserved in salt.
The tradition continues in nearby L`Escala, celebrated throughout Spain for the excellence of its anchovies. Before we lunch on anchovies and other fish and shellfish at Els Pescadors, with the sea at its doorstep, we visit a garagelike shop across the street that looks almost as ancient as Empories to buy small jars of anchovies to take home.
When we returned to the Costa Brava in October, we checked into Mas de Torrent, a few miles inland from Aiguablava. The hotel was at the vanguard of a wave of small deluxe hotels sprouting in Spain. An 18th-century masia (Catalonian manor house) in the countryside, exquisitely refurbished, the hotel is ideally situated to take advantage of both the coast and the rural interior.
While here we direct our attention inward, visiting beautifully preserved medieval towns like Peratallada, with cobbled streets, covered passageways and an 11th-century castle (now a deluxe hotel with eight guest rooms), and Pals, former fief of feudal lords that was rediscovered by city folk who have splendidly restored the houses as weekend retreats. We are especially charmed by the isolated town of Monells and its singular Plaza Mayor, from which multiarched porticoed streets, tunnel-like passageways and alleyways emerge at odd angles.
Following signs and a dirt road that comes out to the east near the town of Mont-Ras, we wind our way through wheat fields and come to La Cuina de Can Pipes, a magnificent masia, most elegantly appointed, that takes us by surprise in this rural setting. The ambitious menu based on excellent local produce includes such fine dishes as saut of shrimp, squid, wild asparagus and mushrooms, and squab with dried apricots, pomegranate and prunes.
The provincial capital of Girona, although not officially part of the Costa Brava, is so close to the coast that we can`t pass it by. At the juncture of the Rivers Ter and Onyar, where pastel houses are hazily reflected in the still waters, the walled Old Quarter of Girona climbs steeply.
In my experience, it is among the most beautiful and evocative of medieval Spanish cities. The cathedral, spanning the 14th to the 19th centuries, is reached by a dramatic 90-step ascent. The Gothic nave, at 75 feet, claims to be the world`s widest, and in a gallery off to the side is the exquisitely crafted 12th-century Tapestry of the Creation. Although large -- about 10 feet square -- it is only part of the complete tapestry. The so-called Arab baths -- dating from the 12th century -- are another highlight of the Old Quarter, designed in graceful, delicate Moorish style. For more photos or information on this area please CONTACT US
