A village shaped by time
The earliest historical record of Palau-sator is a reference to the Church of St Pere and ‘Sa Tor’ (‘its tower’), dating back to 994. Access to the walled town was through the main gate, above which the 20m Torre de les Hores still towers today, and from the top of which one can enjoy views of the Baix Empordà comarca (county) far into the distance.
The Torre de les Hores
The tower was constructed in the 10th and 11th centuries and was part of the original castle, and, as is the case with the ones in Peratallada and Pals, this watchtower owes its name to the clock that stands out on its façade, where this legend is also inscribed: “Només compto les hores serenes” (I only count the serene hours). Very apt in this tranquil village!
Inside the medieval walls
Within the medieval enclosure are the remains of the castle, including a cylindrical tower with loopholes for firing arrows. The houses within the walls were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. Just outside the walls are two rather striking fountains that still serve as drinking fountains.
Churches, fountains and rural life
Also just outside the walls is the 13th-century parish church of Sant Pere de Palau-sator. It is mostly Romanesque in style, although different parts were added to the original edifice over the centuries, especially in the 16th and 17th centuries. A short distance from the church, you’ll find the Museu Rural. (No translation required there!)
In April of 2017, the historical complex of the nucleus of the village was declared by the Catalan Ministry of Culture a Cultural Asset of National Interest.
Nearby, and also part of the municipality of Palau-sator, are some tiny villages that might be of interest if you are into your churches and monasteries. The monastery of Sant Pau in Fontclara dates back to the 11th century, there is a tenth-century church in Sant Julià de Boada and another from the 16th century in Sant Feliu de Boada.
Feeling hungry?
If you are planning to visit both villages on the same day with a lunch break in between, may we suggest that you plan your dining for Palau-sator? While in Peratallada, we found that the ‘service’ at the three places we tried was very unfriendly and extremely slow, even though we were there at a time when the village was not very busy. Possibly, the locals are just jaded with the volume of tourists they receive, or maybe they were just having a bad day, but all on the same day??
By total contrast, in Palau-sator the welcome was far friendlier, and the service was efficient and with a smile. We had a nice beer in the very cool bar of the Museu Rural, and, without going into detail here, we can definitely recommend Can Saló right next door as a place to have a lovely lunch!
Seeing it all by train
One option you might consider if you would like to take in all three medieval villages of Pals, Peratallada and Palau-sator is to take the tourist ‘train’ known as the Xiulet de Pals. As its name would suggest, it begins in Pals (so you can dump the car there), and it takes you through Sant Julià de Boada to Peratallada, where it makes its first stop to allow you to stroll around the town, then to Palau-sator for its second stop before returning to Pals via Fontclara. The whole tour takes about 2 hours and is available in Catalan, Spanish, French and English at a cost of €10 per adult and €5 per child.