 Cataluna is made up of four provinces - Barcelona, Girona,
Tarragona and Lleida (Lerida), each with a capital city of the
same name. Barcelona is the place people want to visit and the
capital is now very much an international city. The area enjoys
a varied landscape from the high sierras of the Pyrenees, to
the Mediterranean coast and the central lowlands. There are two
Cataluna coastlines - the Costa Brava with its cliffs and deep
coves (Costa is Catalan for coast and Brava means Rugged) - and
the Costa Dorada (Gold Coast) with long, wide and gentle beaches.
There are three airports - Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona. There
are two international rail stations at Estacion de Sants and
Estacion de Francia, both in Barcelona.
Palamos is located on the Costa Brava,
just 4 miles north Platja d'Aro and 5 miles south of Palafrugell.
Gerona is around 20 miles inland.
|
 Palamos has a beautiful bay, popular for swimming,
sailing and windsurfing, yet it still maintains a thriving fishing
industry. There is a lively fish auction every weekday afternoon.
Palamos stands on a headland overlooking the harbour and although
the modern town has gradually extended along the waterfront,
its old quarter remains largely unaffected by tourism. From the
harbour, a palm-lined promenade leads around a long, sandy beach,
chosen as the venue for the Olympic sailing competition in 1992.
In the 19th century, Palamos was the main export harbour for
Cataluna’s cork industry and several shops in the centre
continue to sell cork artefacts. |
