Located on the Baix Empordà coast, 50 km directly east of Girona, Begur is a delightful village with a permanent population of just over 4000, although in the summer months, one can add another zero to that figure!
Begur Castle
Begur is not only all about summer tourism, though, and there is plenty of history attached to the region too, with the ruins of its medieval castle perched on a hill overlooking the town and the coast. As is the case with so many towns and villages in the region, the origins of Begur go back to a 6th-century BCE Iberian settlement located where the castle ruins stand today. The first documented reference to the place, although not yet called Begur, dates from the year 889, while the name first appears at the beginning of the 11th century, referring to the castle as the Castell de Begur.
The settlement grew in the 14th and early 15th centuries until the castle was destroyed in 1467-68 during the Catalan Civil War (1462-72), although it was later rebuilt. It was damaged again during raids by the French in 1694 and finally destroyed again in 1810 during the War of Independence/Peninsular War that occurred as part of the greater European Napoleonic Wars. As French troops were retreating from Catalunya to be redeployed in battlefields further north, the castle was captured by British troops and promptly blown up. It has never been rebuilt since.
Today the 360º views from the ruins on top of the hill are truly spectacular and are well worth the effort of getting up there. Looking up at the castle from the town below, the climb might appear a little daunting, but don’t let that put you off – it’s all paved and really a lot easier than it looks! Restoration undertaken during the latter part of the last century means that the castle ruins and views are now also accessible to people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility.
Economy
Begur’s economy was traditionally based on the cultivation of cereals, olives, and especially its vineyards. Phylloxera put an end to winemaking in the mid-19th century and was replaced as the main industry by cork production, which reached its peak in 1880, with about 400 workers and 25 workshops. In modern times summer tourism is the main source of income for this still small but thriving mecca for holidaymakers.
Indiano Colonial Architecture
Another source of wealth in the late 19th century was Catalan emigrants returning from the Caribbean. During the 19th century, many Begurencs left to seek their fortune in the Americas, on the sugar cane plantations of Cuba especially, and some of those who were successful later returned and built themselves extravagant neoclassical colonial-style homes. (Best not to ask just how they made those fortunes though, unless you’re prepared to read some pretty uncomfortable history! Yes, we’re talking about slavery.) There are over a dozen of these “Indiano” mansions, as they came to be called (in reference to the West “Indies”), giving the town a very classy and stylish feel.
In February 2023, a new Centre d’Interpretació dels Indians de Catalunya-Begur was inaugurated in the Centre de les Escoles Velles in the heart of the town. This museum is “dedicated primarily to education, conservation and the study of heritage inherited from past Indios generations, and entry is free of charge.
Festival Fira d’Indians
Every September, the cultural relationship between Begur and Cuba is celebrated during the three-day Fira d’Indians festival. In the words of the Begur Tourist Office:
“The streets and squares of Begur are the setting for a market featuring overseas produce, displays of traditional crafts, and musical performances… scheduled over the course of the Fair. On Friday, the first day of the Fair, the outstanding setting of the Old School courtyard is each year visited by a different star… Caribbean rhythms, with internationally renowned Cuban groups… guarantee fun and enjoyment… There are also plenty of traditional habanera songs, street shows, and recreations of the colonial era. All of which is rounded off with a range of cultural activities: exhibitions, guided tours, interviews, conferences, documentaries and roundtable discussions, analyzing and showcasing the legacy of the “Americans”. Begur Tourist Office
Music and Film Festivals
In the lead-up to the Fira d’Indians, Begur also hosts a number of concerts under the umbrella of La Cruïlla d’Ultramar Music Festival, starting towards the end of July and culminating in the Fira d’Indians itself. The village of Esclanyà, located within the municipality of Begur, stages its Festa Major during this period, too.
That is followed by the Begur Comedy Film Fest, which is held in October every year and is dedicated mostly to the comedy genre but also features short films and movies from around the Mediterranean. The festival lasts for one week, and screenings take place in the Casino Cinema, right in the heart of the old town. The following month, the Begur Flamenco Festival celebrates one of the greatest flamenco dancers of all time, Carmen Amaya, who spent the last years of her life in the town, dying there on 19 November 1963. The programme of events takes place over three days.
In November there is the Carmen Amaya Flamenco Festival. Although Catalunya is not typically associated with the art of flamenco, since 2016, Begur has been commemorating arguably the greatest flamenco dancer of all time, Carmen Amaya. She spent the last years of her life in the town and died there on 19 November 1963, subsequently being the “adopted daughter of Begur.” Celebrated initially during the month of August, it was shifted to November to mark the date of her passing more closely.
If you happen to be in the area in May, check out the local events calendar for Begur en Flor, a weekend when the town becomes even more beautiful, if that’s possible! Local artists and volunteers get together to “create” flowers from various materials through sewing and couture, with some very imaginative exhibits on display. There are workshops where visitors are encouraged to take part and learn, and the atmosphere is added to by some lovely “organic music mixed with the sounds of nature.”
Every year from December to the beginning of January, Begur & Esclanyà are getting ready for a fantastic Xmas celebration! If you’re a resident or a visitor, there’s something for everyone to NjOY! For all the details, be sure to download the program.
Gastronomy
Just like everywhere else on La Costa Brava, Begur has great food on offer all year round, but the town also has an annual gastronomic campaign known as Peix de Roca, or rockfish. The 2024 edition is the 25th and sees 14 participating restaurants around town offering special set menus and a half dozen or so bar-restaurants serving special rockfish tapas. The campaign is actually part of the larger Festival A Begur Cultura, which takes place over the months of April, May and June and offers art expositions, movies, book markets, visits to Carmen Amaya’s home in the town, and free entry to the Centre d’Interpretació dels Indians de Catalunya.
Begur’s beaches
Beautiful and all as the town is, there comes a moment when it’s time to hit the beach, and in Begur, you’re spoilt for choice! Some of the most gorgeous coves of the Costa Brava (or calas as they are called in Catalan) can be found right here within the municipality. The northernmost cala, bordering the long Platja de Pals, is the Platja de L’illa Roja (or Red Island Beach). This is a naturist – or at least clothing-optional – beach that tends not to get too crowded except at the height of the peak season.
A short distance south along the Camino de Ronda is beautiful Platja de Sa Riera, a larger, sheltered cove whose beach is split in two by a (mostly underground) stream called Sa Riera, which gives the beach its name. In 2023, loggerhead turtles came ashore on this beach to nest and lay eggs – the first time ever on record. This is thought to be a result of warming water temperatures, causing the turtles to travel further north than usual in the Mediterranean. The nest site was immediately protected as loggerhead turtles are an endangered species.
Continuing south, we eventually come to the spectacular Cala d’Aiguafreda (Coldwater Cove). Don’t let the “coldwater” moniker deter you, as the water here is particularly crystal clear and, of course, no colder than anywhere else along this coast.
Next is the secluded Platja Sa Tuna with equally transparent water, and then, a couple of kilometres further south (as the crow flies!) is Platja Fonda (Deep Beach), so-called as you need to walk down around 100 steps to get there. If you’re not a crow, those “couple of kilometres” are more like five or six km, depending on which camino you take, but the walk is only beautiful! Both of these coves require a little more effort to access and so tend to be a bit more tranquil but also lack the touristic amenities of the other calas, although Sa Tuna does have a handful of snack bars at least.
There are three more coves at Fornells that are particularly popular for scuba diving before we finally come to the truly beautiful Cala Aiguablava, the southernmost of the Begur beaches. Again, the water is crystal clear, and the sand is finer than on the other coves. Unsurprisingly, there are a number of companies, easily found online, that offer diving excursions and boat hire here.
It’s clear that when it comes to beautiful coves, Begur is not lacking, but if you prefer your beaches longer and wider, then with easy reach you also have Platja del Racó and the adjoining Platja de Pals, which together stretch for 8km all the way to L’Estartit, so there’s something for everyone!
So, now that you know how much there is to do and see in and around Begur, you’ll be wondering how to get there. If you don’t have your own wheels, fret not, there are plenty of public transport options. The town itself is connected all year round to the nearby towns of Palamós, Platja d’Aro, Palafrugell and Pals, as well as to Barcelona and Girona, by the Sarfa-Moventis bus company.
During the summer season, from 15 June to 11 September, they also provide a special Bus Platges Begur service from the centre of town down to the beaches of Sa Riera, Aiguablava, Fornells, and Sa Tuna. For more general tourist info, check out the visit Begur website of the town’s Tourist Office.
“Begur al dia” App
In early 2024, a new app for smartphones was launched to help publicize the local businesses and trade in Begur and provide information about the most prominent places in the town and the activities that visitors can enjoy in the area. Of course, if you’ve just read this blog, then you probably have all the information you need already, but just in case, the app is available for both Android and Apple smartphones, and you can download it via the following links:
Begur al dia for Android
Begur al dia for Apple
