When the Greeks came here in the fourth century BC, they decided to stay forever and no wonder, the beauty of this area of ​​the Costa Brava and all that l’Escala offers will make you feel the same.

 
La Escala, whose official name in Catalan is L’Escala, is a municipality located on the coast of the province of Girona, Costa Brava, which consists of different villages: L’Escala, SantMartíd’Empúries ,Riells and Montgó. Currently, it has about 10,000 inhabitants but in summer, the population increases considerably.

l'escala tripkay

L’Escala beach

 

 

 

The origin of its name is Roman; it comes from the Latin word “Scala” which means ‘as dock’ or ‘berthing place’. Not only does its name come from ancient times, it is known that the first Greek colony settled there in the fourth century BC, calling the place Ampurias. Later, the Romans settled west of the Greek city and today, everyone who comes there has the privilege of getting to know a place full of history and culture, the Greco-Roman ruins of Ampurias, where we find the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia.

 

Empuriabrava tripkay

Empuriabrava

 

 

What to do and see in l’Escala

The Old Town is a must. It has its origin as a fishermen’s District installed around the ancient port of l’ Escale.The environment of the small cove called “Platja” Alfolí de la Sal, la Casa de la “Punxa (1919), the marine cemetery and Iglesia Parroquial de Sant Pere are some of the highlights, though there are many more places to get lost in.

 

L’escala central village beach calles la Platjeta

L'escala tripkay

L’escala old town narrow streets

 

In the Port de la Clota, we find the Yacht Club L’Escala from where excursions are made and you can practice many water sports. In the port, we find the Brotherhood of fishermen, the fish market where you can watch the fish auction every afternoon and the Centro de interpretación del pescado to learn about the daily life of the fishermen and their fishing gear.

 

sunset l escala tripkay

L’escala beautiful sunset

 

 

One of the main attractions of L’Escala are its beaches. Along the municipality, we find 12 beaches and coves that are all different. In the old town, we find “La Platja” and “Port de’en Perris,” two small coves easily accessible and with very good services. Much larger are Playa de Riells, known for its beaches of shallow draft ideal to go with children and we will find a beautiful promenade dedicated to the book “The Little Prince”, las Playas d’Empuries, that are right in front of the archaeological site or CalaMontgó. All of them ideal for a holiday with family or friends, as they offer plenty of water sports to enjoy yourself.

 

L'escala beach

L’Escala beach

 

If you love nature, L’Escala has a great variety of seascapes and here, merges the Parque Natural de los “Aiguamolls de l’Empordà” the Parque Natural del Montgrí, the Islas MedasandTer, so from here, you have the chance to enjoy these wonders hiking, through bike routes, BBT, hiking ATV or riding through the beautiful landscapes that surround them.

 

Aiguamolls Natural Park in Costa Brava

 

The town is famous for its production of anchovies as a typical product of L’Escala par excellence, its origin is ancient, and the tradition of salting has remained intact over the centuries, from the Greeks and Romans till this present day. To learn more about this custom, you can visit the Museo de la Anchoa y de la Sal or any of the factories.

As a good coastal town of fishing tradition, in L’Escala you can eat delicious dishes based on a rich Mediterranean diet, enjoy your fresh fish, fish stews, anchovies and rice. There is a great culinary tradition in this population and we can check it in a variety of establishments with all kinds of cuisines.

 

Anchovy Museum of L'Escala tripkay

Anchovy Museum of L’Escala

 

 

Fotos cedidas por: © Kevin Krejci / © Stefan Schlautmann / © Calafellvalo / © Hans Porochelt / © Albert Torelló