Our first stop after embarking in Barcelona was just 140 kilometers (87 miles) up the Costa Brava coast at the Port of Palamós. After a full sail-away departure from Barcelona, we cruised slowly and leisurely up the northeast Spanish coast overnight, arriving the next morning.
Palamós is best known as one of Catalonia’s most important fishing villages, and by extension, one of the best seafood destinations on the Costa Brava. It’s especially famous for Gamba de Palamós, Palamós prawns, considered one of Spain’s finest seafood delicacies. I can personally attest to that: I feasted on a plate of Gamba de Palamós and baby clams in a light red tomato sauce for lunch, delicate and beautifully simple. A side of tomato bread and a glass of white wine is all a girl could ask for.
But let’s back up. That lunch came at the end of a morning that started very differently.
🚲 E-Bike Tour to Pals
We started the day on a Windstar ship excursion called “Biking to Pals.” About 15 of our shipmates joined us on the dock right next to the ship, where we met our e-bike tour operator. After picking out helmets, complete with fun vintage cap covers, our operator walked us through how the e-bikes worked and gave the usual safety briefing.
Our two young guides led us out of Palamós along the seashore, stopping first at one of their favorite beaches, Platja de Castell, with shimmering water, a deep protected cove, and a small island guarding the entrance. After a brief stop for photos, we headed up and over the hills, through a small town, and out into the farmland just inland of the Costa Brava coast.
🌾 Local Scenery
We rode through wheat fields, cornfields, hay fields, olive groves, and rice paddies, and along an old rail line once used to haul cork out of the region’s cork oak groves. We passed dairy farms and rolling hills dotted with the occasional estate home.
Cycling through and around the towns of La Fosca, Llafranc, and Calella de Palafrugell, we covered about 18 kilometers in total, navigating a handful of traffic circles carefully as we passed through town centers. The ride itself was relaxing, and the e-bike assist was genuinely appreciated against the strong coastal winds.
After a few stops, we arrived at our destination: Pals. Once we turned our bikes and helmets back over to the tour operator, our bike guide became our walking guide through the medieval town, and what a town it turned out to be. This was the most beautifully restored medieval town I have ever visited. The walls, buildings, and streets were all in near-perfect condition.
🏰 Discovering Pals
Pals was built on a small hill overlooking the plain, positioned to protect it from the low-lying wetlands that surrounded it before 889 AD. During the Middle Ages, a small village grew up around the castle on the hill, anchored by the Torre de les Hores (Tower of the Hours) and the Church of Sant Pere, all enclosed within thick stone walls.
Over the centuries the castle itself was dismantled, its stones repurposed by locals to reinforce the town walls and enlarge the church. Today the Tower of the Hours is the only major remnant of the original castle still standing.
Modern Pals is known for its farmland, particularly Arròs de Pals, one of Catalonia’s most celebrated rice varieties. By the early 20th century, the old town had fallen into disrepair, but a local physician worked to restore both the buildings and the residences, eventually making Pals one of the finest-restored medieval villages in all of Spain.
Walking through the ancient streets today, past boutique shops owned by locals who use these buildings as summer homes, I couldn’t help but think of the thousands of people who once walked these same streets, often simply fighting to survive. The Church of Sant Pere was small but beautiful, kept just as meticulously as the rest of the town. Thanks to the restoration work, the Gothic walls, arches, and stone houses feel like a living museum of lives lived long ago. From the town walls, rice fields stretch out toward the Mediterranean for miles.
The bike trip was a wonderful way to get outside, get some exercise, and actually see the land and villages rather than just pass through them. Pals was a genuine must-see, though I wish we’d had more time there to browse the shops and linger over lunch before heading back to the bus for the return to Palamós.
🦐 An Afternoon in Palamós
Our coach ride back to the small cruise pier in Palamós took only about 25 minutes. Bob and I headed straight into town for lunch, catching the shuttle that ran every ten minutes to the edge of town.
Hungry, we climbed the steps into the old town to scope out the boutique restaurants, most offering their own take on the local seafood. After looking over a few menus, we settled on L’Encís Tavern, which had a solid menu and comfortable seating. Once seated, we couldn’t help but chuckle at the Frank Sinatra playing over the sound system. I ordered the famed Gamba de Palamós; Bob went with razor clams in wine sauce. Both were excellent.
After lunch, we walked the town’s beachfront boulevard, taking photos, picking up a couple of hats and souvenirs, and finding a gelato shop for our afternoon dessert, because that’s simply what we do in Europe.
This was our first introduction to the Costa Brava, and it charmed us completely. I wish we’d had more time to explore the coastline further, but there are more adventures ahead. We’ve just been notified that tomorrow’s scheduled stop at Sanary-sur-Mer, France has been changed to Toulon due to expected high winds. The good news is our planned excursions are staying the same. We’ll still be visiting glamorous St. Tropez, famous for its jet-set beach scene and legendary yacht-lined harbor, and the pastel canal town of Port Grimaud, often called the Venice of Provence. An unexpected turn, but one we’re looking forward to exploring.
📋 Practical Notes
- Port: Palamós, Costa Brava, Spain, 140 km (87 mi) north of Barcelona
- Excursion: “Biking to Pals” e-bike tour, ~18 km round trip, booked through Windstar
- Must-try: Gamba de Palamós (Palamós prawns), try it at least once while in town
- Lunch pick: L’Encís Tavern, Palamós, good menu, comfortable seating
- Don’t miss: Platja de Castell beach stop en route to Pals
- Pals: allow more time than the tour gives you, worth a longer visit for shopping and a proper lunch
- Getting into town from the pier: shuttle runs every 10 minutes
Next stop: Toulon, France, a last-minute change from Sanary-sur-Mer due to expected high winds. Excursions remain the same: St. Tropez and Port Grimaud.
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