L'Escala is a town of 10,400 people (2018) in Costa Brava, Catalonia. It is on the Costa Brava between the southern end of the Gulf of Roses and Cala (bay) Montgó. It is an important fishing port and tourist centre, and has a festival dedicated to its famous anchovies. The GE-513 road runs inland from the town.
Understand
[edit]L'Escala is a coastal town in Alt Empordà, on the southern side of the Gulf of Roses, where sandy beaches alternate with rocky coves backed by low hills. It grew from a small fishing harbour of nearby Sant Martí d’Empúries and still keeps an active fleet and strong maritime identity. The town is best known for its salt‑cured anchovies, a tradition that dates back to the Greek and Roman settlement of Empúries and continues in modern factories and museums. Since the 1960s tourism has become the main industry, bringing apartments and campsites, but the old town, anchovy festivals and seafront promenades still give L’Escala a distinctly local character.
- 1 L'Escala Tourist office, Plaça de les Escoles, 1. L´Escala, ☏ +34972770603, [email protected].
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]There is no train station in l'Escala. The closest stations are Camallera and Flaçà (which is connected by bus with L'Escala and Girona). Buses go to L'Escala from Flaçà 5 times per day (twice on weekends). There is more information on this route in the section below.
It is also possible to go with high-speed train to Girona and then taking a bus from Girona station to l'Escala.
By bus
[edit]L'Escala is connected by bus to several cities including Girona, Figueres and Barcelona. The 207 bus connects Girona with L'Escala (via Flaçà) 5 times per day in each direction on weekdays (2 times per day on weekends), taking a little over an hour. The bus costs around €6.
There are also buses from the airports of Barcelona and Girona. The timetable of those buses changes depending on the season, so check Sarfa, the bus company website.
- 1 l'Escala bus station (Estació d'autobusos de l'Escala), Plaça de les Escoles, l'Escala, [email protected].
By car
[edit]- From Barcelona or Girona the fastest way to reach l'Escala is through AP-7 ( E-15 ) highway exit 5 and then GI-623 .
- From France: The A-9 ( E-15 ) from Montpellier and Perpignan to the Spanish border. Then the AP-7 ( E-15 ) until Figueres, and then C-31 until Viladamat and GI-623
By boat
[edit]- 2 Port de l'Escala (Club Nàutic L’Escala), ☏ +34972 77 00 16, [email protected]. Entrance: 80 meters,Depth: from 1,5 to 5 meters,Vessel length: until a 22 meters,VHF Channel: 9, Water and electricity at the mooring. Access to the Club’s bathrooms and showers. Docking service 24/7. 24 h-supply at the Petrol Station. Broadband WIFI service.Mooring assistance. Waiting dock.Infirmary / Cardio protected space. Laundry. Selective waste collection from €15/day.
Get around
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On foot
[edit]L'Escala is not a big town, and most of it is in walking distance.
By bus
[edit]During summer, there is a touristic bus (shaped as a steam train) called Carrilet that connects l'Escala from north to south and the other way around. It goes next to the sea most of the time and links several beaches. The price per trip is €2.
By bike
[edit]L'Escala, as most Catalan cities and towns, is improving its bicycle infrastructure. Even though it is still far from perfect, moving around by bike is a good option.
Parking
[edit]- 3 Parking Rec del Moli, toll-free: yesPhone with wrong format.
- 4 Parking Plaça Nova, Plaça Nova, toll-free: noPhone with wrong format.
- 5 Parking Les Monges, Carrer de la Torre, toll-free: noPhone with wrong format.
- 6 Parking Carrer de l'Església, Carrer de l'Església, toll-free: noPhone with wrong format.
- 7 parking Centre, Carrer de Dalí, toll-free: yesPhone with wrong format.
- 8 parking Plaça Catalunya, Plaça Catalunya, toll-free: noPhone with wrong format.
- 9 parking Avinguda del Montgó, Avinguda del Montgó, toll-free: noPhone with wrong format.
See
[edit]- 1 Ruines d'Empuries, Puig i Cadafalch s/n;17130 L'Escala, ☏ +34 972 77 02 08. opens at 10:00 and closes between 17:00 and 20:00 depending on season. It was a town founded in 575 BC by the Greeks and later occupied by the Romans. Today the ruins of that town can be visited, as well as a museum. €7.
- 2 Old town. several beautiful small streets reserved for pedestrians.
- 3 Anchovies museum (Museu de l'Anxova i de la sal), Av. Francesc Macià, 1., ☏ +34 972 776 815, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00-13:00, also evenings in summer. with an itinerary that exposed the connection of l'Escala with fishing with photographs, explanations and utensils. A small restored fishing boat with original lateen sail and more than a century of history was one of the most outstanding elements. The fish auction and the salting industry are explained. €3.
- 4 Alfolí de la Sal (Pòsit Vell), Carrer Alfolí , número 6., ☏ +34 972 059 823, [email protected]. It was the old salt warehouse, when it was a royal monopoly. The salt arrived by sea in large coastal ships, was stored in Alfolí and distributed to the towns in the interior, until the end of the salt monopoly in 1869. Since then it had different functions. €3.
- Visit the Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park
Do
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Beaches
[edit]L'Escala, as most towns in Costa Brava, is well known for its beaches. Specifically in l'Escala, it is possible to find several kinds of beach, from rocky to long sandy beaches.
- 1 Platja del Moll Grec (platja d'Empúries). It is 620 metres long and 30 metres wide with fine sand and pebbles. At the northern end, the breakwater called Punta de Sant Martí separates it from the Riuet beach and right in front is the Casa del Servei Forestal, in the centre of Sant Martí d'Empúries. At the southern end, there are some islets known as Les Muscleres Grans, which border Les Muscleres beach, a few metres from the ruins of Empúries. The name Moll Grec is due to the remains of a Hellenistic dike on the right, which was the gateway to the Greek and Roman civilisations in the Iberian Peninsula. On 13 June 1992, on the occasion of the Barcelona Olympic Games, the Olympic flame arrived at this beach, coming from Olympia (Greece),
- 2 Platja de les Muscleres. is a beach located in front of the ruins of Empúries. It is 638 meters long and has a surface area of 14,394 m² of fine sand. It is bordered by two islets connected to the land by a sandy arm: to the north, Les Muscleres Grans, which borders the beach of Moll Grec, and to the south, Les Muscleres Petites, which borders the beach of Portitxol. The islets, with an abundance of mussels, give the beach a shell shape and constitute a protective breakwater on days with rough seas.
- 3 Platja del Portitxol. 245 meters long and 3,224 m² of fine sand, it can be accessed from the Empúries promenade, right next to the entrance to the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia-Empúries. To the right of the beach is the Portitxol arch, a curious rock formation. Behind it is the historic Hostal Empúries
- 4 Platja del Rec del Molí. It is 377 metres long and has a surface area of 7,366 m² of fine sand. At the end closest to the Pedró hill, the Rec del Molí flows into it, coming from the Ter river. For this reason, the first 160 metres are declared unsuitable for swimming, from this signposted area there is a stretch where dogs are allowed, and the rest of the beach is only for bathers.
- 5 les Barques beach. Until 1962 it was used to moor fishermen's boats because the port of L'Escala had not been built until then. You can still see some of the norais where the boats were moored and the old mooring pylons from the 18th century that were used by large coastal vessels. With a length of 103 m and a surface area of 2,420 m² of coarse sand, it is very popular with local bathers. The popular Cantada d'habaneres is held there, on the first Thursday of August; the Festa de la Sal, on the third Saturday of September; and the Greco-Roman fair Triumvirat Mediterrani, on the first weekend of May.the beach where most locals go. It is not very big and can get crowded during the peak season.
- 6 Platja Port d'en Perris. beach located in the old town. With a length of 30 meters and an area of 785 m² of pebbles and coarse sand, it is flanked by two spits of land: La Punta, on the left, and L'Olla, on the right. It had previously been used as a fishing port.
- 7 Platja dels Riells. It is located at the edge of the town centre, protected from the open sea by the bay. It is bordered to the northwest by a stretch of promenade and to the northeast by the port of L'Escala. It is 582 m long and has an average width of 53 m of medium sand. The beach is surrounded by a promenade dedicated to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, with restaurants, bars and shops. During the summer, various activities such as craft fairs are held there.
- 8 Platja de Montgó (cala Montgó). It is administratively located in the municipality of Torroella de Montgrí, although it is closer to the center of l'Escala. It faces east and is topped by the Montgó point (96 meters above sea level) to the north, crowned by a fortified watchtower from the modern era. It is made of fine-grained sand. The waters are transparent and calm, as it is sheltered from the tramuntana storms that are so common in the Empordà.
Scuba diving
[edit]- 9 Dive Paradis, C. Port de la Clota, s/n, ☏ +34 972 77 31 87, [email protected].
- 10 Mateua dive, Plaça Punta Montgo, 2, ☏ +34 972 773 556, [email protected].
- Snorkel: there are several good spots to snorkel in l'Escala, mostly in Empúries, La creu and Cala Montgó.
Hiking
[edit]There are many routes around the city. The camí de ronda has nice view over the sea.
The GR 92 long-distance walking route crosses the city.
Cycling
[edit]- Most of the seafront is now connected with bike lanes and bike paths, so it is easier than ever to go from one side to the other by bike.
- The Pirinexus and the EuroVelo EV8 long distance bike routes crosses the city.
Karting
[edit]- 11 Karts L'Escala, GI-632, Km 2, ☏ +34 972 771 957.
Festivals and events
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- PortalBlau: organizes several concerts during summer.
- Festa Major: held every year in early September, it includes dozens of activities specially for children.
- Festa de la Sal: a festivity the third Saturday of September.
Buy
[edit]Anchovies (called anxoves in Catalan) are the most typical product. The history of l'Escala is closely related to the fishing, preparation and selling of this fish. There are several shops, specially in the old town, which are focused on this product.
Carrer Marangues, popularly known as Carrer de les Botigues (Shops Street) has plenty of shops including apparel, a jewelry, a pastry and a supermarket.
The seafront of Riells is full of apparel shops.
Eat
[edit]The seafront of La platja and Port d'en Perris are full of restaurants with different types of cuisine, including Mediterranean cuisine, seafood, tapas and pizzerias.
- 1 La Gruta, Pintor Enric Serra 44, ☏ +34 972 776 211. centrally located restaurant, in an old stone house with several dining rooms and a charming patio-terrace. from €35.
- 2 El Roser 2, Passeig Lluís Albert 1, ☏ +34 972 77 11 02, [email protected]. from €40.
- 3 Mas Concas, Camí de Cinc Claus, ☏ +34 656 66 4114.
- 4 Restaurant La Llar dels Pescadors, Carrer Port de la Clota s/n (At the harbour, with sea views.), ☏ +34 972 77 42 61. Daily 13:00–15:00, 19:30–22:00.. Fishermen's tavern serving fresh seafood, tapas and local Mediterranean dishes.
- 5 El Molí de l'Escala, Camí de les Corts (Near the town centre.), ☏ +34 972 77 47 27. Daily 12:30–15:30, 19:00–22:00.. Hotel restaurant with traditional Catalan and market-fresh cuisine. from €50.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Ultramar Club, Carrer de la Torre 1 (At the tip of the bay, seafront.), ☏ +34 872 201421. Evenings, music nights Fri–Sat; aperitifs Sun noon–14:00.. Cocktail bar with 25 vermouths, live jazz, DJs and dancing. Free tapas with first drink on Sundays.
- 2 La Lluna Bar (L&A Lluna Club), Camí Ample 50 (In town, popular spot.), ☏ +34 972 77 30 52. Evenings 20:00–03:00.. Music bar with terrace, sushi and night drinks. Mythical local for cocktails and live music. €35.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hotel L'Escala Centre, Carrer Migdia 18, 17130 L'Escala (In the old town centre, near shops and beaches.), ☏ +34 872 20 14 14, [email protected]. Modern boutique hotel with air-conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi and family-friendly service in the heart of town. From €70.
- 2 Hotel Bonaire, Carrer Bonaire 14 (Short walk from the beach and centre.), ☏ +34 872 20 14 40, [email protected]. Comfortable rooms with AC, TV and Wi-Fi. Outdoor pool and central location for exploring the Costa Brava. From €80.
- 3 Hotel Rallye, Avda. Auma 1 (Central area near the port.), ☏ +34 972 77 02 45. Family hotel with restaurant, bar and parking. Simple, clean rooms with private bathrooms. From €60.
- 4 Hostal Empúries & Spa, Platja de Portitxol (Beachfront at Portitxol beach.), ☏ +34 972 77 02 07, [email protected]. Beachside hostal with spa services, pool and sea views. Relaxed atmosphere near coves and ruins. From €120.
- 5 Hotel Can Català, Plaza de las Escuelas 17 (Old town, 350 m from beaches.), ☏ +34 972 77 04 43. Family-run hotel with 40 AC rooms, bar, parking and elevator. Traditional welcome in historic quarter. From €55.
- 6 Camping Punta Milà, Punta del Milà s/n, l'Escala (Cala Montgó) (from l'Escala, go towards Cala Montgó, and 1 km before Cala Montgó beach, follow the signs to the right towards Camping Punta Milà), ☏ +34 638652712, [email protected]. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. Small, very peaceful family campsite. Fully furnished tents for rent, glamping ones with air conditioning, kitchen and bathroom. Also simpler accommodation for a more pure camping experience. Tennis, basketball, volleyball, table-tennis, swimming-pool, supermarket, Restaurant Miluus with local quality food. Cool for teenagers, comfortable for parents who want to relax in the middle of nature.
Stay safe
[edit]During summer, most beaches have a lifeguard during the day hours. They are responsible of helping anybody who gets hurt or drowns in the beach and raising a colored flag depending on the state of the beach. Don't swim if there is a red flag, it means it is not safe. Yellow flag means it might be dangerous to swim and green means it is safe. If there is no flag, apply common sense when swimming.
Connect
[edit]As of Jan 2024, L'Escala and its approach highways have 4G from MasMovil and Orange, and 5G from Movistar and Vodafone.
Go next
[edit]| Routes through L'Escala |
| Roses C-260 ← Empuriabrava ← | N  S
|
→ Torroella de Montgrí |
| Figueres ← | N S
|
→ Torroella de Montgrí |
| Figueres ← | N S
|
→ N-2 → Girona |
| Peralada ← | N  S
|
→ Torroella de Montgrí → Palamós |
| Castelló d'Empúries ← Sant Pere Pescador ← | N  S
|
→ Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park → Torroella de Montgrí |