Ruins of Empuries

Just a short drive from the seaside town of L’Escala, this vast complex of Greek and Roman ruins is the most important archaeological site in Spain. It’s also one of my favourite cultural sights on the Costa Brava. Laid out close to the coast, with the hazy blue Pyrenees in the distance, this was originally a Greek settlement back in the sixth century BC and you can still see the areas where they had their market (Empuries is named after the Greek word for market – ‘emporion’) and temples. The Romans subsequently made it their own and in the Roman section there are amazingly intact mosaics and the remains of the forum and amphitheatre, as well as Roman villas. The Museum inside the complex gives good explanations of the history of the place and also has reproductions of some of the most precious vases and statues which were rescued from the site but are now housed in museums in Barcelona and Girona.