{"id":17236,"date":"2015-08-19T11:19:00","date_gmt":"2015-08-19T09:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/pals\/"},"modified":"2023-08-26T22:37:03","modified_gmt":"2023-08-26T20:37:03","slug":"pals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/pals\/","title":{"rendered":"Pals, a Medieval Stroll"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Pals<\/strong> is a beautiful medieval village located in the region of Baix Empord\u00e0<\/strong>, in the province of Girona<\/a><\/strong>. The village is situated about 5 km from the Costa Brava<\/strong> and is renowned for its stunning medieval architecture and panoramic views of the area.<\/p>

The old town<\/strong> of the village is situated on a small hill and consists of a labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets<\/strong>, stone houses<\/strong>, and buildings of significant historical and architectural value<\/strong>. Among the most notable landmarks is the Tower of the Hours<\/strong>, a medieval watchtower offering impressive panoramic views of the region, and the Sant Pere Church<\/strong><\/a>, a Romanesque church from the 11th century<\/em> with an imposing bell tower.<\/p>

What to See<\/h2>

It is recommended to start your visit to the village at Ca la Pruna<\/strong>, an imposing fortified house in Gothic and Renaissance style<\/em> located outside the walls. It’s considered the current house of culture and features a permanent exhibition of wines and cellars from Catalonia.<\/p>

\"Casa
Ca la Pruna<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Once you’ve seen the house, you can climb the Carrer de la Creu<\/strong> up to the Pla\u00e7a Major<\/strong>. In this square, besides being a gathering place where the old market used to be held, there are several well-preserved buildings. Among them, the Casa de la Vila<\/strong> dating back to the 13th century<\/em>.<\/p>

\"Pla\u00e7a
Pla\u00e7a Major de Pals<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The medieval nucleus is located at the top of the town and corresponds to the Barri del Pedr\u00f3<\/strong>, which preserves elements of its past on the Carrer Major<\/strong>, the most important elements of the old walled enclosure<\/a>: the Tower of the Hours<\/strong> and the Sant Pere Church<\/strong>.<\/p>

\"Barri
Barri del Pedr\u00f3<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Additionally, there is a Gothic Arch<\/strong>, known as the Portal de la Vila<\/strong>, which provides access to the Carrer Major<\/strong>, one of the most beautiful streets in Pals<\/strong>.<\/p>

\"Portal
Portal de la Vila<\/figcaption><\/figure>

This street leads to the Sant Pere Church<\/strong>, a church built with stones from the ancient castle. It has a Baroque facade with remnants of an old temple from the 12th century<\/em>.<\/p>

\"Esgl\u00e9sia
Esgl\u00e9sia de Sant Pere<\/figcaption><\/figure>

In front of the church stands the Torre d’en Ramonet<\/strong>, dating back to the 13th century<\/em>, one of the best-preserved towers of the city walls<\/strong><\/a>. There are sectors of ancient walls remaining from this wall, and you can follow its route almost entirely.<\/p>

\"Torre
Torre d\u2019en Ramonet<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Before that, if you climb the stairs of the Carrer de la Torre<\/strong>, you’ll reach the Torre de les Hores<\/strong>, a Romanesque tower<\/em> standing 15 meters tall, constructed between the 11th and 13th centuries<\/em>.<\/p>

\"Torre
Torre de les Hores<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Continuing along Carrer Major, you’ll reach the Ermita de Pals<\/strong>, a chapel located on the Can Pi Estate.<\/p>

\"Ermita
Ermita de Pals<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Inside the walls, the last notable building is Can Frailem<\/strong>. A property of the Vila Casas Foundation, it was once an old pharmacy. The building has a semi-circular arch, and above it, there’s a conopial arch window.<\/p>

\"Can
Can Frailem<\/figcaption><\/figure>

After crossing the wall, you’ll find the Mirador d\u2019en Josep Pla<\/strong>, which offers a view of the landscape of the Empord\u00e0<\/strong> region. Finally, from the viewpoint, you can start the route known as the Passeig Arqueol\u00f2gic<\/strong>, which provides excellent views of the surroundings.<\/p>

\"Mirador
Mirador d\u2019en Josep Pla<\/figcaption><\/figure>

What to Do<\/h2>

In Pals<\/strong>, there’s a tourist train that offers various route options. On the Xiulet de Pals website<\/a>, you can reserve the one that best suits your needs.<\/p>

For literature enthusiasts, the Josep Pla Foundation<\/strong> offers an itinerary based on the author’s readings inspired by corners of the village. You can check the schedules, prices, and make reservations here<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Carrer
Carrer de Pals<\/figcaption><\/figure>

There are various adventure activities such as exploring the rice fields on a segway<\/em> or engaging in nautical activities<\/em>. To test your skills, there’s also an adventure park with several zip lines, jumps, and walkways.<\/p>

Additionally, Empord\u00e0<\/strong> and the Girona<\/strong> regions are known for their hiking and biking routes. There are different trails you can discover here<\/a>.<\/p>

If the weather is nice, you can also opt for a car trip to the coast, to the Platja Gran de Pals<\/strong><\/a>. This beach stands out for its urbanized area with numerous services and privileged views of the Illes Medes<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Vistes
View of Illes Medes from Platja de Pals<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Gastronomy<\/h2>

Pals is also famous for its rich cuisine, which highlights traditional Catalan dishes made with local products such as Pals rice<\/strong>, seafood from the Costa Brava<\/strong>, and wines from the region.<\/p>

\"Arr\u00f2s
Arr\u00f2s de Pals d’\u2018El Pedr\u00f3\u2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Where to Eat<\/h2>

There are around 40 establishments in the locality with a wide gastronomic variety, from traditional and family cuisine to pizzerias. Mediterranean cuisine stands out. In the center of the old town, you’ll find several options for dining among picturesque buildings, whether indoors or on terraces. Along the beachfront, there are beach bars and various restaurants in the more distant streets.<\/p>

You can explore the restaurant options in Pals on Guiacat<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>

Where to Stay<\/h2>

To immerse yourself in this area firsthand, staying overnight is a good option. If you’re coming by car, you can choose to stay in a rural house located in the surrounding areas, where you can enjoy nature and explore the Girona province. However, in the Costa Brava towns, there is also a wide presence of hotels and apartments for lodging.<\/p>

Check out where to stay in the Baix Empord\u00e0 on Guiacat<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>

Local Festivals<\/h2>

The Pals Town Festival<\/strong> takes place in early August. It features various activities for all ages, including water activities, dancing, concerts, and processions.<\/p>

Best Time to Visit<\/h2>

Most people visit Pals<\/strong> in August, but we don’t recommend it as there are many people and parking can be challenging. The months of May and June are a good option to explore the village and its beach.<\/p>

Must-See<\/h2>
  1. See the Torre de les Hores<\/strong>.<\/li>
  2. Wander the streets of the old town<\/strong>.<\/li>
  3. Enjoy the natural surroundings<\/strong> with hiking routes or walks through the rice fields.<\/li><\/ol>

    Nearby Attractions<\/h2>

    Pals has charming nearby towns such as Begur<\/a><\/strong>, Peratallada<\/a><\/strong>, and Monells<\/a><\/strong>, which also share significant tourist and heritage interest.<\/p>

    \"monells
    Pla\u00e7a de Monells<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>

    Additionally, near the beach, you’ll find the arrossars de Pals<\/strong> (Pals rice fields) and the Basses d’en Coll<\/strong>, a protected natural area inhabited by flora and fauna, including bird species that can be observed. It’s a marshland and dune area that’s well worth seeing and contributing to its conservation.<\/p>

    How to Get There<\/h2>

    By car: From Barcelona, take the AP-7<\/strong> highway towards Girona until exit 9 (Vidreres\/Lloret) in the direction of Platja d\u2019Aro. From there, follow the signs towards Palam\u00f3s (C-31).<\/p>

    By public transport: There is a Sarfa bus<\/strong> line that connects Pals with Barcelona and Girona. There is no train station in Pals; the closest one is in Fla\u00e7\u00e0.<\/p>

    Map<\/h2>\t\t
    \t\t\t
    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    <\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    <\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Pals is a beautiful medieval village located in the region of Baix Empord\u00e0, in the province of Girona. The village is situated about 5 km from the Costa Brava and …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1134,1109,1135,1123],"tags":[1136,1137,1138,1139],"class_list":["post-17236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baix-emporda-en","category-cities-and-towns","category-destacat-en","category-girona-provincia-en","tag-costa-brava-en","tag-medieval-en","tag-patrimoni-arquitectonic-en","tag-rutes-literaries-en"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":1,"sum_votes":5},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.catalunyaturisme.cat\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}