Tourist attractions Portbou

When the road reaches the highest point, park your car and walk a few paces towards the edge for a sweeping view which extends beyond the Languedoc and Catalonia coasts as far as the Cabo de Creus.

This stretch of of coastline was christened “Côte Vermeille” (the Ruby Coast) in the 19C, on account of the rose-red colour its rocks take on around dusk. This is a craggy shoreline battered by the waves, with fishing ports and marinas tucked away in..

Steep roads and paths lead to the Cabo de Creus peninsula, offering some stunning contrasts on the way. The rugged relief is criss-crossed by paths which will take you past sheer cliffs and hidden bays. Down on the seafront, little boats leave from E..

The sea port of Llançà surrounds a small bay protected from the waves and storms. The area was once occupied by fishermen's huts and is today a place of residence and holidaymaking.

The Renaissance citadel was built in the 16C on the order of Charles V, who feared a Turkish invasion. The monumental Porta de Mar , in the Renaissance style, with its ornamental pilasters and frieze with plant decorations, is the main entrance to ..

Made up of a labyrinth of fishermen's houses that Dalí and his wife Gala built over more than 40 years. Here you can see the painter's studio, library, the couple's rooms, the extraordinary garden and swimming pool.

The fine Carmel , in the Catalan Gothic style, stands to the south of the ramparts. Built in the 13C, it has a fine polygon church and chapels between the buttresses (1400). The cloister, built in the 14C, is very graceful.

Houses Gothic and Romanesque sculptures and a remarkable collection of glass an ceramics from the 16-19C. The castle library has more than 70,000 volumes, including some incunabulae, and precious editions of Don Quixote .

This cloister is all that remains of the convent founded by the Augustines in the 11C. It is the most important Romanesque monument in the town. The iconography of the capitals - scenes from the Bible, animals - is very unusual.

This old home of the viscounts of Rocabertí, now one of th largest casinos in Catalonia, is a mosaic of architectural styles. This is where the International Festival of Music of Peralada Castle is held every year.

Built in the 18C and situated at the centre of Llançà, the church has a single aisle and is preceded by a fine stone perron. The monumental façade has a neo-classical portal and an abundant decoration of reliefs.

The immense plane tree in the centre is called the Tree of Liberty . Here you can also see the ruins of the belltower of the 13C early Romanesque church and the Torre del homenatge , which was part of the old castle palace (13C and 14C).

The shape of this 16C church has been immortalised by many painters and is a symbol of Cadaqués. The exterior austerity of the building contrasts with the interior, that houses a baroque retable by Pau Costa. This work of art, one of the most remar..

The museum occupies a 19C casino and has different collections of geological material from the Comarca d'Alt Empordà.

The remains of this 11C church are inside the citadel. The best preserved part is the fine Lombard-style chevet. In one of the apses, remains of an early Christian church have been found.

This old farm is situated in the Puig Salner district and is a fine example of civic gothic architecture from the 15C. Note the decorative detail on the windows.

On the old road to Figueres, to the west of the town, stands this 14C bridge. Despite its state of disrepair, the bridge takes us back to an age when the ponds and rivers were important sources of riches for the county of Ampurias.

The town hall is on Plaça dels Homes and was formerly the sea commodity market during the Middle Ages. It has been recently restored and is a building with thick stone walls and a diagonal ribbed arch doorway. The romanesque arcatures alternate with ..