1. Karting with the whole family
If you like a little bit of adrenaline on a family day, you can do your laps on the go kart racetrack. The operators of the facility have over 30 years of experience in organizing races and have a fabulous track full of curves and turns where they can put their driving skills to the test.
You can compete against your kids with different types of karts as if it were an authentic Formula 1 race. You can choose between different levels of difficulty.
In a first test round, you will familiarize yourself with the route layout before the flag of Catalonia falls at the official start of the race. Ultimately, the winner will climb the podium, raise the trophy and be rewarded with applause.
In addition to driving fun and competition, this activity gives your children values such as self-confidence, sportiness and winning – or losing ….
2. Enjoy nature in the MONTGRI NATURAL PARK
L’Escala has a huge nature reserve with an ecosystem of mountains, beaches, dunes, cliffs, islands and fresh air. It is called the Natural Park of Montgri, the Medes Islands and Baix Ter, which was declared a nature reserve in 2010 and covers approximately 8,000 hectares of unspoiled nature. The park near the city is open to everyone.
Here you can spend a day in close contact with nature: you and your children can enjoy a breathtaking view and natural surroundings. In addition to walking and cycling, you can also try to identify some of the dozen species of birds that live there. You could see the peregrine falcon, the owl or various seabirds and of course many storks.
3. Excursion to the Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes
The Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes was first mentioned in the 9th century. It is very close to Port de la Selva. This is in the Cap de Creus Natural Park.
According to legend, monks – who had fled Rome due to the Germanic threat and had brought relics of St. Peter with them – had moved to the Catalan coast. Foundations of a building from the 6th century, the function of which is not known, were found in older excavations.
The first documentary mention comes from the year 878. However, an independent Benedictine abbey under the direction of an abbot is not documented until 945. One can visit the monastery as if one lived in the times the “name of the rose“.
A wonderful day trip into the history of our time.
4. Visit to the Dali Museum in Figueres
The Dalí Theater Museum, opened in 1974, was built on the remains of the former Figueres Municipal Theater. Here you can follow Salvador Dalí’s (1904-1989) artistic career.
Important works can be admired here, such as: Port Alguer (1924), The Specter of Sex Appeal (1932), Soft Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon (1941), American Poem – The Athletes of the Cosmos (1943), Galarina (1944-45), The Bread Basket (1945), Atomic Leda (1949) and Galatea of the Spheres (1952).
Dali has created works and installations specifically for his theater museum, including the Mae West Hall, the Wind Palace, the monument to Francesc Pujols and the Rainy Cadillac. The Dalí Theater-Museum must be seen as a whole, as the great work of Salvador Dalí, he created it to give the visitor the unique experience of penetrating his fascinating world.
Afterwards, a tour through the typical Catalan town of Figueres with its medieval streets and squares, which invite you to linger, is worthwhile.
5. Explore the fishing village of Cadaques with your family
Cadaqués is located in the middle of the Cabo de Creus peninsula and is one of the most important towns on the Costa Brava. The Mediterranean-influenced historical center with its fishing flair is located on the Bay of Cadaqués.
He has inspired internationally known painters and artists for decades. Here is the former home of Salvador Dali, which you can also visit.
The journey by car is particularly impressive on the serpentine road with the permanent view towards Roses.
You can also travel here by excursion boat. The boat takes you from L’Escala to Cadaqués and back in the evening!
Dogs are allowed to travel on the ship!
6. Conquer the sea with an exciting boat ride
Would you like to spend an exciting day with your family and discover the hidden beaches of L’Escala? Then it’s time to head out to conquer the sea and tour the calm waters of the Mediterranean Sea by taking a boat ride along the coast.
Trips by boat to the Medes Islands (the boat has a glass floor where you can watch the fish) or a trip to Cap de Creus, to Cadaques or along the Costa Brava to discover the underwater caves of the coast – is definitely worth it !
7. The butterfly park in Castello d'Empúries
A beautiful destination is the butterfly park outside of Castelló d’Empúries. In two interconnected greenhouses not only hundreds of butterflies flutter here on 1000 square meters – the largest are palm-sized after all, but also the most diverse exotic bird species. If you fancy a trip to the evergreen tropical rainforest, Butterfly Park is the place for you.
8. Try water sports ...
If you are looking for water sports, you will be pleased to discover that there is a wide choice of beaches and the coast around L’Escala, including windsurfing, wakeboarding, water skiing, stand up paddle and kayaking. You can book different quality courses from the organizers – in the harbor or directly on the beaches!
9. Explore the area by bike
Cycling means seeing more things in less time while enjoying the pleasure of this relaxing activity in the sun! In case you haven’t brought your own bike, you can rent any type of bike here: mountain bikes, city bikes, bikes for children or teenagers, e-bikes …
There are many bike rental companies in town. We work with Scale Bikes … In July and August it is advisable to reserve the bikes if you want to make sure you get them.
Please contact us, we will be happy to help you!
10. The famous excavations of Sant Marti d'Empuries
Visit this ancient, by the Greeks in the 6th century BC. BC founded colony, which was later besieged by the Romans, which finally in the 1st century BC.
BC created their own settlement in the same place. This part of the Costa Brava, thanks to its important trade links, was strategically located until the 3rd century AD – when the city was abandoned and disappeared under the dunes.
This impressive archaeological treasure trove has remained hidden for centuries.
Excavations began in 1908 and continue to this day …
Four-legged friends are allowed into the huge outdoor area, only the museum on the site, so they have to stay outside.
If you visit the facility in summer, remember to take enough water with you.
11. Visit an extinct volcano!
Just an hour away from us is the Garrotxa region, between the towns of Olot and Santa Pau, which is known for its extinct volcanoes.
When you visit the Croscat volcano, you can go straight inside a volcano.
A few meters further you will find the Santa Margarida volcano in which a small chapel was built in the middle of the extinct volcano.
It last erupted some 11,000 years ago. The volcanoes are located at 769m above sea level.
12. How about Aquabrava Roses water park?
You and your family would like to go to a fun pool for a day to have fun on the giant slides and to enjoy the slides to the fullest?
You have come to the right place in the AQUABRAVA water park in Roses. The emotion is assured in the super slides like the black hole, the camel, the kamikaze and the playground TROPIC ISLAND.
Exciting slides, endless descents, rough rivers… Take speed in OCTOSPEED, an attraction with 8 timed overtaking lanes to get out at a fast and entertaining pace.
An attraction of 3.000 m2, unique in Europe, where children can experience their own adventure in complete safety.
Of course there are also: restaurants, bars, shops … all very well integrated in a shady place.
13. With the family in a small medieval town
If you want to visit a medieval city, a visit to Besalú is worthwhile.
The city can be visited via a medieval stone bridge, – the Pont de Besalú, which was built around 1315 – a well-preserved ancient monument that offers a beautiful view of Besalú.
On the bridge side in a medium-sized parking lot. You can park your car here and then walk across the bridge over the Fluvià river to reach the city.
Count Wilfried the Hairy had his seat here in Besalú in the 9th century in the county of the same name.
The entire place is probably known to many people without knowing it, because the film “Perfume – The Story of a Murderer” was filmed here and in other places in the area.
Before you cross the bridge, there is a restaurant on the left with excellent cake delicacies (at least that was the case in 2019!)!
It is not very far from Besalú to the volcanoes!
