Puig Castellet iberian settlement offers impressive views over the Lloret the Mar and the sea

Research and excavations that have taken place during the twentieth century on this promontory located on the urbanization of Roca Grossa allow us to ensure that the Puig Castellet mainly served as a place to watch out. So it must be, because the views over the Tordera river from its mouth  to Lloret de Mar are excellent, so that its inhabitants could warn other larger Iberian village located inside, Montbarbat, 6 kms away from the arrival of invaders.

Puig Castellet should be a little village inside a fortress like this drawing

This small walled city was not inhabited for a long time. It was created because of the insecurity before the Punic Wars between the Romans and Carthaginians along the coast, so we know it was occupied for a very delimited period of time: from 250 BC to 210 BC.

It was inhabited by vigilant warriors and their families. The remains we now find, subsoil excavated in the mid-twentieth century (especially between 1975 and 1986) show a pentagonal wall and defense towers, on a terrain about 650 m2, which contains eleven rectangular stays in which an area was dedicated to private affairs and the other to work. Each of these rooms is attached to the wall to make maximum use of space.

Puig Castellet iberian settlement, in Lloret de Mar, is well arranged to enjoy a historical visit

In addition to the homes, in the central area of ​​the enclosure you can distinguish communal areas as holes in the rock mass, to collect rainwater or to filter the water pumped out from the underground, septic waste, stores, ovens for baking bread or for pottery, etc.

The Iberians were the inhabitants who occupied the peninsula before the Roman arrived, at least from the s. VI BC. Divided into tribes, one that occupied what we now know as the Ampurdan region were indiketas, who, among other cultural hits, minted its own currency and maintained commercial ties with Greek and Phoenician peoples.

Ancient home and food store on the Puig Castellet iberian settlement, in Lloret de Mar, Costa Brava

The site of Puig de Castellet is part of the local thematic route “Iberian route,” one of the most interesting cultural routes along the Costa Brava.

Platja del Moll Grec, l'Escala, Girona, Costa Brava

And this is because, as the name suggests, on the right side of the beach are, still standing, part of the Greek harbor from I century BC, a stone wall built by the ancient inhabitants to protect the boats on the beach from the waves. This wall is fully accessible and visitors can walk through it. The environment is really lovely, as this beach is next to the coastal path that serves as a boardwalk that crosses the coves of l’Escala, with a pine forest just behind the beach, and typical dune formations that forms in a natural way in this area.

Old greek dock stone in Playa del Moll Grec, in l'Escala, Costa Brava, Spain

The Moll Grec beach is 400 meters long, 40 meters wide and is composed of fine sand. Beside the creek you will also find small islands which can be reached by swimming, given the small distance between the shore and these rocky outcrops. Often many fishermen take advantage of this great location to throw their fishing rods.

Little rocks in Platja del Moll Grec, an excellent place for children to explore and play

This beach, despite its unspoiled nature, offers all types of services you can expect from a great one. It has been awarded with the blue flag quality. Indeed, Moll Grec beach has showers, bins, snack bar, hire pedalos, kiosk, sunbed and a rescue and surveillance team in the summer months.

Playa del Moll Grec offers excellent facilities to the bathers

As mentioned, the beach is opposite the center of Sant Martí d’Empúries, which is about 200 meters north, and that was the first greek historical center, from ancient Phocaea, before the people who occupied the ruins of Empúries (which are in turn just a few meters south from our beach). Sant Martí d’Empúries is today a charming medieval village that has excellent restaurants, perfect to complement a great day at the beach and that are not far from it.

Sant Martí d'Empúries medieval village, just a few meters from Moll Grec beach

And just few meters south of Moll Grec you’ll find more beautiful beaches as the Portitxol, 400 meters far away, once you pass another beautiful one: the Muscleres Beach.

Therefore the Moll Grec beach is an excellent opportunity for a fun day with family,  a perfect place to enjoy not only a coastline with clear water of high quality, but also a cultural and natural environment of great importance in the history of the Ampurdan.

Night image of Platja del Moll Grec, with shape of the old harbor wall and, backwards, l'Escala