Begur: the most charming town on the Costa Brava

Among the towns of the Costa Brava, Begur is considered as one of those who owns more charm. Its extensive monumental heritage and its privileged environment of wonderful beaches and coves linked by coastal paths confirm this.

If a charming town is characterized by having a historic center with narrow streets and typical houses, as well as buildings that testify to its past splendor, Begur has it all. It is no coincidence that this villa of the Lower Ampurdán, in the province of Gironareceive thousands of visitors each year. So that you get to know it better, we are going to show you the monuments that make it a charming town. It will serve as a complement to our previous article on its paradisiacal beaches.

The historic center of Begur

Formed by narrow streets and framed by traditional houses, we recommend that you walk through it to get to know it better. So you can get to the viewpoint of Carmen Amaya, from which you have wonderful views of the entire town. You must also climb up to the remains of his castle, which dominates the town from a promontory and which already appears documented in the XNUMXth century.

To climb up to it you have to walk through the medieval street of the Castle, tortuous, stepped and with houses adapted to its unique orography. Through it the feudal lord would go up to his possessions and the neighbors, as a sign of respect, had to offer him a glass of water. It is one of the places that make this Girona town a charming town.

To the Middle Ages and the Renaissance belong, equally, the defensive towers that are still scattered around the town. Its function was to protect the coast from pirate attacks. Specifically, four are preserved: the Pella y Forgàs tower, the San Ramón tower, the Can Marqués tower and the Hermanac de Can Pi tower. In worse condition are those of Mas Mauri de Vall and Mas d'En Pinc. The latter, moreover, is located in a farmhouse that we will talk about later because the aforementioned dancer Carmen Amaya lived there.

Also, you have to approach the town square, authentic nerve center of Begur. From the viewpoint that we have mentioned before, it will only take you five minutes on foot. But, if you go down from the castle, we advise you to go to the repaired holy street, where you will see a staircase painted in bright colors that appears in almost all the photos of the town present on Instagram.

In the Plaza de la Villa you will find bars and restaurants with comfortable terraces. But also two important monuments in the town: the Town Hall and the church of San Pere or San Pedro, which we will talk about below.

The church of San Pere and Santa Reparada

It is a temple late-gothic from the XNUMXth century that also has Renaissance elements. However, it was built on a previous one of which there is already news in the XIII. Likewise, at the end of the XNUMXth century it was extended with the nave that you can see to the north. The main façade, very austere, has a doorway with a pediment decorated with stone spheres and a niche. For its part, the bell tower is topped by a belfry.

Inside, the vault is ribbed with pointed arches and decorated with saints carved in bas-relief. For its part, the presbytery is adorned with mural paintings. Furthermore, since the XNUMXth century it has housed relics of holy repaired, which is also worshiped in the temple.

As a curiosity, we will tell you that none of what we have told you is the most photographed of this temple. The place that tourists look for the most and that contributes to making Begur a charming town is the so-called It's Pedrís Llarg. It is a long continuous stone bench that runs along the side façade and that has been a meeting point for the people of Beguren since time immemorial.

On the other hand, the religious heritage of the Catalan town is completed by the San Ramon chapel. It was built in the XNUMXth century following the popular baroque canons, although it underwent extensive transformation after the Civil War. The great arch of its façade and the bell tower finished in a belfry stand out.

You will find it at the base of the castle next to a lookout which offers you spectacular views of the Costa Brava, specifically, Cap de Creus and the beaches of Pals and Sa Riera, but also the Montgrí mountain.

Indian houses

Everything we have shown you so far contributes to making Begur one of the most charming towns on the Costa Brava. But the set of Indian houses that you can see in its streets. As you know, these are constructions carried out by the natives of the town who, emigrated to America, returned enriched. It was a common phenomenon in many areas of Spain. For example, in a place as far away from Catalonia as Asturias These buildings also abound.

In the town of Girona there are several of these houses that rival each other in beauty and architectural originality, since many of them are part of modernism and eclecticism late XNUMXth century and early XNUMXth century. We are going to talk to you about the most outstanding among these constructions.

The old casino and the Town Hall

We group these two constructions because they are not houses, but places for the public commissioned by Indians. The casino was built in 1870 and is noted for its large windows, rough stone exterior, and molded doors.

As for the building Town Hall, was built in 1902 and, although it was never a house for Indians, it has many architectural features of the aesthetics of these houses. Classical elements were recovered for the façade, but inside there is decoration with floral sgraffito, wooden ceilings, painted coffers and plaster figures.

Can Sora, Can Pi and Mas Térmens

In turn, we group these three residences because they were all due to emigrants who returned from Cuba. Likewise, they all respond to the typical features of Indian buildings, although it is true that each one of them has its own peculiar features. In fact, this type of architecture is a synthesis of many styles, which are even combined in the same construction. However, all of them are part of the canons of modernism and eclecticism that we mentioned before.

Can Sora It is one of the most beautiful Indian houses in Begur. Its construction dates from 1870 and was due to the Cama Martí family. It has two floors and two facades, but the most beautiful is the one with arched arcades on the ground floor. Likewise, on the interior walls of these there are paintings that evoke American landscapes.

For his part, he built Can Pi the Pi y Carreras family and preserves one of the distinctive features of this type of construction when they are on streets and not on private properties: the orchard in its southern part. And refering to More Termens, was due to a commission from Santiago Mauri Carreras. It stands out for its fluted pilasters and its balconies with exquisite railings. Where appropriate, it has a ground floor and first floor.

Mas Carreras and Pere Roger's House

We also include them under the same heading because, in our opinion, they are the two houses of Indianos most beautiful of the town and that best contribute to making this a charming town. The first was built by order of Josep Carreras y Frigola, who took advantage of a defensive tower from the XNUMXth century. However, it would be demolished at the end of the XNUMXth century. Also noteworthy are its continuous balconies with ironwork and its balustrade with a classical air at the top.

Maybe it's even prettier Peter Roger's house. In it, its rear façade stands out above all, with a double gallery of arches facing the garden. Likewise, inside the arches of the upper floor there are fresco paintings that recreate seascapes and that have been restored a few years ago.

Anyway, we could mention many other Indian houses in Begur. By way of example, we will cite that of Ramón Silvestre, that of Vicente Ferrer, that of Señor Puig or that of Paco Font, which is considered the last of its kind to be built in the town.

But such was the importance of these Begurenses who returned from America that in the locality the Interpretation Center of the Indians of Catalonia. It is an immersive museum that recovers the adventures of these characters and their importance in the Catalan economy when they return to their land. Likewise, the town celebrates every year the Indian Fair. It takes place the first week of September and includes numerous seasonal activities.

Carmen Amaya's farmhouse

We finish our tour of the monuments and places that make Begur one of the most charming towns on the Costa Brava by talking to you about the Mas d'En Pinc farmhouse, which belonged to the dancer Carmen amaya, who spent his last years there. Subsequently, it was acquired by the City Council to install the documentary collection of the Ses Negres Marine Reserve.

This entity has created an interactive space in the farmhouse that is responsible for disseminating the value of this natural space, but also the history of the area. In fact, as we have already told you before, the farmhouse includes one of the XNUMXth century defensive towers that the town of Girona has and that you can also see.

In conclusion, we have shown you the main monuments that, together with the beaches, make Begur one most charming towns on the Costa Brava. Not surprisingly, this part of Girona It is one of the most beautiful of all Catalonia. Dare to discover it.