Sant Joan Castle, top of the mountain in Blanes, South Costa Brava, Spain

Just for that beautiful scenic view, which covers 360 degrees, worths the climb up the castle, easily accessible by car. From the old castle, documented in 1002, is preserved the defense tower, about 15 meters high by 8 meters outside diameter, and a fragment of the wall.

Views of Blanes from Sant Joan Castle. Sa Palomera rocks in front of the beach

Like many other castles on the coast at the time, the building was originally built as a defense, especially against attacks from the sea, and more specifically of the pirates. Already in the XIVth century also formed part of the set of castles and fortifications, built with the aim of defending Barcelona to the north, in order that they could communicate (by sound or smoke signals) to reach the city. This group of castles was called the Tordera line (referring to the river which crosses Blanes).

Sant Joan Tower, i Blanes, ancient witness against coastal piracy in the past

The tower has undergone many stories during its history. Before being rehabilitated in 1958, had served as military optical telegraph station during the XIXth century and even as a refuge in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Today, however, the castle shows itself in good condition for visitors.

View from the Castle of Sant Joan archs

The tower is visible from practically any point in Blanes, and road access also allows the beautiful views of the village, its beaches and the sea at our feet. The mountain itself is also home to the Sant Joan Hermitage, which for lack of space was built outside the fortifications, probably in the XIIIth century.

Sant Joan Hermitage, original from the XIIIth century, was built outside of the castle, due to lack of space

Peralada Castle, near Figueres, Costa Brava

During the French invasion and Ampurdán crusades, in 1285, at the same time when the battle took place in Formigues Islands, the castle was completely destroyed by the troops of Philip III of France and the town burned. In fact, the village still keeps the remains of the ancient castle in the center. Therefore, in the middle XIVth century, a new one was built, which has been renovated on several occasions.

Gardened cloister in Peralada Castle, Girona, Costa Brava

The castle has an impressive heritage. Inside you’ll find the Gothic church of Carme, in whose tympanum is a sculpture of the Madonna and Child surrounded by angels, and its magnificent cloister garden. On the capitals are carved a shield with the symbol of the population (a pear), and other Carmelite emblem.

Noble Peralada Rocabertí family army shield

The castle library is one of its main attractions. Since the castle was bought by owners on a high bibliophile inclination, the library has a collection comprising some 80,000 volumes, including 200 incunabula, very rare or exclusive 700 copies, 800 nobility titles, etc. The existing document archive, a collection drawn from IXth century is also very important. But certainly this library excels in the collection of works of the great spanish writer Cervantes, with more than 5,000 copies of the great Castilian author, including 1,000 different editions of The Quixote, in 33 languages.

Peralada Castle Library

Peralada Castle also hosts the Wine Museum, located partly in the cellars of the Carmelite convent: a large exhibition that showcases more than 750 objects related to the wine world, some from the XIVth century.

Big barrel exhibed in Wine Museum in Peralada Castle, Girona, Costa Brava

Finally, the Museum of Glass (which also contains a collection of ceramics) is the most important of its kind in Spain. It exhibits over 2500 pieces ranging from Pharaonic Egypt to the XIXth century, through Venice items, Silesia, Bohemia and La Granja de San Ildefonso (the glass factory of the King of Spain, Segovia). In ceramic materials the Museum exhibits, among other valuable pieces, lovely grave goods comprised not only lar polls but also buckles, pins, rings, spears, etc. coming from VIth century B.C. and that some former owners of the Castle found when working on the refurbishment of the gardens.

All these museums are visitable and you should also know that the Castle staff organizes guided tours throughout the year, in order to show the private interior rooms to the visitors.

Begur Castle, in Girona, Costa Brava, Spain

Although Iberian civilisation remains have been found on the same mountain, the origins of the castle dates back to the XIth century, when the feudal lord, Arnust of Begur, built this on one of the highest mountains of the village for the strategic position and the good views it provided. The building passed through different owners until King Pere IV the Ceremonious sells it to the Cruïlles family in 1360, which retains it until 1604, when Baron Carles de Vilademany Cruïlles sold it to city council of Begur, a very important fact, because it no longer returned to private hands again.

As can be seen, despite its charm and beauty, Begur Castle only keeps its foundations. Its current state is the result of its historical facts, a price that had to pay for its excellent strategic location.

Panomaric view got from Begur, in Girona, Costa Brava. Begur Castle is on the right side.

The castle has suffered during history three major destructions. The first one, during Catalan Civil War (1468), the second during the raid led by the French Duc de Noailles, in 1694. And the last and so far the final one, during the spanish War of the independence against the French, in 1810.

The current state of the castle, with the top decorated with beautiful merlons, is a delicate restoration work carried out during the XXth century. The entrances have also been conditioned so that it is now possible to visit even for people with limited mobility or moving in a wheelchair. There are no interior places to visit on the castle.

From the top of Begur Castle you'll have some help to identify the geographical Ampurdán points around

The view is absolutely outstanding. At the summit visitors will also find a beautiful sculpted ceramic map on which they will identify the different points of the landscape visible from this beautiful Ampurdán scenic view: the Medas islands, the bay of Roses, the Pyrenees (mountain of Canigó), Palamós, Sa Riera…

From the Begur Castle you get excellent views of Sa Riera beach, Medes Islands and the Bay of Roses

Benedormiens Castle, in Castell d'Aro, Girona Costa Brava

Viewing the arrangement of the houses and the streets adjacent to Benedormiens Castle you can easily understand the central point that the castle is for the village. Both Carrer Major and the Plaça de la Constitució, like the other central arteries come together into the castle. In fact this was the center from which grew the population around.

The origin of castle dates back to 1041. We therefore are speaking of a millenary fortification. At that time, in the middle of feudal centuries, nobles and knights agreed to deliver the lands located in the mountains of Vall d’Aro to the Benedictine monks of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, so that this territory would be protected from the Muslim influence, still present at that time in northern Catalonia.

Benedormiens Castle, near Platja d'Aro, has been during the last years restored

The Castle suffered in 1462, during the so-called Remença War (and civil Catalan conflict for agricultural reasons), a fire. Also in 1879 an accidental explosion damaged the structure again, now completely restored.

Benedormiens Castle entrance, in Castell d'Aro, Costa Brava

Today the castle is a cultural center that welcomes traditional and avant-garde art exhibitions mainly from Platja d’Aro, around 5 halls whose names refer to historical figures related to the building. In these exhibitions important works have been shown, like those of well-known artists as Modest Cuixart, Lorenzo Quinn, or Pitxot a friend of Salvador Dalí.

Benedormiens Castile is in Castell d'Aro center, next to Platja d'Aro

Because of its high cultural and patrimononial richness, the Castell d’Aro little village is since 1996 considered as a Heritage of Cultural Interest by the Generalitat de Catalunya, the government of Catalonia.

Dalí and Gala on Púbol Castle gardens

It is well known the critical role that Dalí’s wife, Gala, had on his work as a muse from the moment he met her in 1929.

In 1969 Dalí purchased an XIth century castle as a gift for Gala. At the time of purchase the castle, in La Pera, was indeed in a quite painful situation. Púbol Castle is a medieval building that saw its heyday between the XVth and XVIIth centuries, as the home of the barony of Púbol.

Púbol Castle, in la Pera, Costa Brava, Spain

The castle is composed of three floors around a central courtyard. Outside, a beautiful garden reminds us of some of the main symbols of the Dali universe. After its he bought it, Dalí and Gala began a series of reforms of great artistic value. The final result was the preservation of the original medieval atmosphere of the rooms but with a romantic ornamentation typical of Dali surrealistic world.

Gala throne

The death of Gala, June 10th 1982, marked a turning point in the career of the great genius. Gala was buried in the crypt of the castle. Between 1982 et 1984, Dalí decided to set up his workshop in the castle. Finally he died in 1989 in Figueres.

Elephant statue, on the Púbol Castle gardens

Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation currently manages the artistic legacy of the great painter and, since 1996, the Púbol Castle is open to all visitors. The piano, the elephant statue, the Cadillac, the private placements of Gala and Dali, the crypt, and many more private places of Dalí’s life, are the main attractions you’ll find through your visit, which will delight experts and non-experts on Dalí’s work.

Torroella de Montgrí Castle

It was built between 1294 and 1304 by King James II on the mountain of the same name. It was built by the County of Barcelona as a back court against Empúries County, led by the Earl of Ponce. However, the interiors of the building were not completed due to the Barcelona County final rule on Empúries. Externally the castle preserves a finished look.

Way up to the Montgrí Castle, from Torroella de Montgrí village

The walls are 13 meters high, and the style of fortification is on the same style imported from the East after the First Cross war, with a square perimeter of 31 meters, four cylindrical towers at the corners (accessible to visitors), moat and a cistern.

Cova del Duc cave offers impressive views over the sea

In 1988 it was undertaken an ambitious restoration project that returned the splendor of the castle, which can be visited free by those who are able to walk through the Montgrí Mountains on the peek, starting from Torroella village (about 1 hour). In the same way, it’s also very interesting to visit the Cross of Santa Caterina (a waypoint), the Chapel of Santa Caterina and the Cueva del Duc (Cau del Duc Cave), a natural cave which was inhabited by humans in ancient times and that offers wonderful views of the south coast.