Hello dear travel enthusiasts. I want to share with you a trip we made to a new town we had never visited before. This charming place is called Palamós, located on the Costa Brava coast, about 120 kilometers from Barcelona. While it might not be as popular as famous holiday destinations like Lloret, Marbella or Sitges, Palamós has still earned a well-deserved reputation.
In the past this was a small fishing village and it remains an important spot for fishing today. Every morning the large harbor fills with fishermen bringing their catches to sell at the local market. The harbor is bustling with stacked fishing nets and lined-up fishing boats. If you’re interested, you can even board some of these boats. Most of the fishing boats have their nets coiled up, ready for their early morning departures.
As we walked further, we discovered not just fishing boats but also yachts and catamarans docked in the harbor. After finishing our harbor tour, we headed towards the town center. Palamós also boasts a fishing museum, but unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived due to the midday break. At the museum’s entrance stood a massive anchor. The museum itself is housed in a beautiful building right by the harbor.
We parked our car in a free parking lot. Thankfully during winter, most parking areas here are free. However, finding parking in summer is nearly impossible and all spaces are paid.
Palamós has several beaches. We visited a wide, sandy beach with a walking path along the shore and play areas for children.
Strolling along the seaside promenade, it’s easy to tell that Palamós is a holiday town. Most of the buildings lining the seafront are hotels and apartments. However, being off-season, many of these places looked abandoned, with shutters closed and windows dark. This sense of waiting for the season to begin was palpable along the coast.
After exploring, we decided to have lunch at a restaurant with a sea view. The menu was multilingual, offering a variety of dishes. For example, paella was 17.90 euros and fideuà was 15.90 euros. My friend wanted to order paella, while I was leaning towards butifarra. The restaurant itself was cozy and we opted to sit on the terrace.
When our meals arrived, we were greeted by generous portions. I had butifarra, served with fries and vegetables. I paid an extra 3.50 euros for the vegetables because I didn’t want too many fries. My friend’s paella was enormous and looked incredibly filling. The meals were absolutely delicious.
For dessert we ordered Catalan cream. However, the sugar on top hadn’t fully caramelized, so it was slightly different from the classic recipe. Nevertheless, it was delicious. After finishing our meal, we set off to explore the old part of the town.
We headed towards one of Palamós most significant historical landmarks, the Church of Santa Maria. This Gothic church, built in the 14th-15th century, can be seen from almost anywhere in the town and is one of its iconic symbols. The church doors are beautifully adorned with intricate carvings. Inside, we admired the stained-glass windows and soaked in the tranquil atmosphere. It was very impressive.
After visiting the church, we continued wandering through the narrow streets. Along the way, we came across a viewpoint overlooking the harbor. From here, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the town’s harbor and the bay. There are also signs near the terrace providing information about the town’s history, written in Catalan, Spanish, French, English and German.
As we strolled through the streets, we noticed several interesting details. At the end of one street, we stumbled upon a charming courtyard, completely by chance. It’s the kind of town that surprises you with hidden gems like this.
We wrapped up our visit to Palamós and returned to our car. The town was very peaceful and serene, especially in the winter months. Interestingly, the parking meters were turned off for the season and powered by solar panels. A delightful little detail.
That concludes our trip for today. Sending love to all. 🤗
