Upon arrival in the town of Llafranc, I checked into the Llevent Hotel. Situated along the promenade, my room had a beautiful sea view. The family-owned and run boutique hotel with only twenty-six rooms turned eighty-two years old this year. I enjoyed the view and listening to the waves crashing onto the shore from my balcony during the afternoon. In the evening I spent some time in the lobby area next to the wood-burning fireplace with a glass of local red wine. Before enjoying the buffet breakfast in the morning, I went out for a walk along the “Camí de Ronda” (coastal footpath) to enjoy some sunshine and take some photographs of the stunning views. Here is more information on the Levant Hotel.

The Museums of Palafrugell

Palafrugell has many landmarks and museums; I went to three of them while I was there.

The Catalan Modernism-style water tank was finished in 1905. Located in the former Can Mario cork factory which has become an authentic symbol of identity for Palafrugell and its skyline. It is a notable feature of Catalan industrial heritage thanks to its structure and artistic values. If you climb the steps 30 meters up, you will be able to see some ironwork details that were not very common in this kind of construction and enjoy some unbeatable panoramic views of Palafrugell and the Empordanet.

The Cork Museum is an institution in the middle of Palafrugell which is dedicated to the interpretation and distribution of the heritage and of the territory linked to the Catalan cork world.

 The Fundació Vila Casas Museum of Contemporary Sculpture is in the Can Mario Museum. The Can Mario building belonged to the Miquel & Vincke cork company in the early 20th- century. It is now home to approximately 220 works of art from the present day back to the 1960s. On display are works from local artists either living in or born in the Catalonia area of Spain

Restaurant La Xicra

Dinner at the La Xicra restaurant was amazing. Here I ate sea urchin for the first time. I decided to have the ‘Degustation Menu’, a special three-course meal that several restaurants put on for the La Garoinada Celebration. It includes a starter of sea urchins, a main, and dessert. I also tried the deep-fried cod dumplings. Dinner was paired with white wine. Read more about the restaurant here. The website can be viewed here.

Tela Marinera Boat Tour

Wrapping up the trip with a boat tour was a great way to spend a few hours on Sunday afternoon before heading back to Barcelona. The boat was an original 1957 fishing schooner. We spent three hours out on the water eating freshly caught sea urchins, freshly baked bread, sausage, and drinking some red wine out of a Porrón. A Porrón is a traditional glass wine container with a small narrow spout that you use to pour wine into your mouth. I graciously accepted the opportunity to drive the boat for a while before getting back into the marina. Tela Marinera offers several tours throughout the year on either the ‘Jolie Biche’ or the 1915 ‘Rafael’ boats. Read more about the Tela Marinera boat tours.