BENVINGUT A LA PÀGINA WEB DE CASA RURAL EL TORN
BUSQUES UNA CASA RURAL PER L’EMPORDÀ? PERFECTE, JA l’HAS TROBAT.
Environment/Activities
Do you know Garriguella?
Garriguella is a small village in the Emporda region at the slops of the Albera massif, just when the plain meets the mountain. It is surrounded by 3 nature reserves: the Albera (massif), the Cap de Creus (headland) and the Aiguamolls de l’ Empordà (wetlands). It is a village with a firmly rooted agricultural tradition, specifically dedicated to olive and grape production, the village has withstood the test of time retaining its historic structure without any major industrial or residential developments. The town is well connected by road and has all the basic amenities such as shops, the butchers, the fishmonger, the chemist, CAP (GP Surgery), restaurants and much more. There are also 4 wineries and the village’s olive oil producer.
Garriguella is the ideal place for those who enjoy walking and hiking, you will find all the charm of the Empordà from landscapes of vineyards on the plain to olive groves, oak groves and pine forest in the mountains. The town also hosts the Albera Tortoise Breeding Centre, a species that was on the verge of disappearing and thanks to the Centre is being reintroduced, don’t miss it.
And the Empordà and the Costa Brava?
The Alt Empordà is found at the extreme North-East of the peninsula, where the Pyrenees plunge into the Mediterranean Sea, a region with a character marked by the strength of the northerly wind, the Tramuntana. It has a variety of landscapes ranging from mountain peaks over a thousand meters in height a few kilometers from the sea, to extensive fine sandy beaches and countless small bays (some easily accessible and others virtually hidden and only accessible by the sea), a large plain mainly dedicated to agriculture and a wide area of wetlands on the flattest zone.
Historically it is a land of people passing through, where the first humans in the Paleolithic time left their first traces and later where the Greeks settled followed by the Roman settlement in Empúries and Roses. We should also highlight the most universal figure of the Empordà, Salvador Dalí who has contributed his unique approach to understanding art to make this land known by everyone.
Places of Interest:
Beaches (10 minutes)
Cadaqués (35 minutes)
Port de la Selva (20 minutes)
Colliure (45 minutes)
Casino – Peralada (5 minutes)
Figueres (10 minutes)
Old Town and Jewish quarter of Girona (45 minutes)
Mountain biking routes
Populations
Wineries
Nature
Albera (5 minutes)
Albera is a natural reserve of national interest, it is the main easternmost prolongation of the Pyrenees, it runs from the neck of Perthus to the Portbou coast, about 25 miles in total, with several peaks over 1000 meters in height. Its ridge marks the border, but far from being a separation, this mountain is the link between Roussillon and Empordà.
The landscape is very varied, from alpine meadows, fir and beech on the higher areas to oaks, holm-oak, cork oaks, pines and scrub as we approached the plain. The land is crossed by numerous paths and trails, many of them marked as long-distance (GR) making it ideal for hiking. It should also be noted that Albera is the place within Catalonia with the highest concentration of dolmens and menhirs, you can also find numerous Romanesque churches and monasteries.
Cap de Creus (20 minutes)
Cap de Creus is the collapse of the Pyrenees into the Mediterranean Sea. It was declared a Maritime and Terrestrial Nature Reserve in 1996 and is placed in the most Eastern part of country. It consists of a beautiful and unique landscaped in both its terrestrial and its maritime part both marked by the Tramuntana (strong wind) that has shaped the coast, especially the north slope, to become a unique and spectacular place with steep cliffs and narrow bays. The seabed is beautiful and with a very rich variety of wildlife. The land is characterised by its local and endemic flora, and just like in Albera there is a high concentration of dolmens and menhirs which are easy to visit using many roads and trails.
Activitats esportives
Golfers
will be able to choose between 6 golf courses in the region. If you prefer water sports, you are fortunate as there is kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, kite-surfing, fishing, not to mention snorkeling and diving that will allow you to enjoy the breathtaking seabed of Cap de Creus. Also the more adventurous can try skydiving in the Empuriabrava sky-dive centre or balloon trips. You will find information for the practice of these activities in the house, whether you want to enjoy the region by yourselves or as an organised group. You won’t be bored!
Gastronomía
Trobareu una àmplia gama de restaurats de tot tipus tant a Garriguella com els pobles dels voltants
Cultura
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí, for many a genius for his understanding of art and the uniqueness of his work, he is probably the most universal Empordan figure. If you are interested in his paintings, you can visit the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, his birthplace, which is about 15 minutes from Garriguella. You can also visit the house-museum in Port Lligat, Cadaqués, about 30 minutes from El Torn, where Dalí had his residence, or you can visit the Castle of Púbol, in Pera, about 40 minutes from Garriguella where the genius retired for the last years of his life. You will be amazed!
La Història
The Romanesque
Alt Empordà is one of the Catalan regions with the most presence of Romanesque architecture and art. You can visit impressive monasteries, such as St. Peter of Rhodes, with spectacular views of the coast of Cap de Creus, or Sant Quirze of Colera, in Albera’s heart, both about 15 minutes from El Torn. There are many small churches and chapels, both on the plain and in the Albera Massif where there is a high concentration of Romanesque architecture and examples of art.
Megalithic monuments.
The location of the Empordà historically has seen lots of different types of people passing through, it is relevant for being an area where ancient man established himself, proof of this is that it is the Catalan region where there is the highest concentration of megalithic monuments, particularly in the Albera massif and the Rhodes massif and the Cap de Creus zone, all of which are very close to the house. You will find all kinds of monuments, dolmens, menhirs, engravings, and so on. By visiting them you will discover these first human constructions and at the same time you will enjoy nature and the magnificent Empordan landscapes.
Other places of Cultural Interest:
Ruins of Empúries (30 minutes)
Medieval town of Castelló d´Empúries (10 minutes)
Medieval town of Peralada (5 minutes)
Medieval town of Pals (40 minutes)
Medieval town of Besalú (40 minutes)
Figueres Toys Museum (10 minutes)
Rutes BTT i Cicloturisme
And sports?
You can practice many sports in Alt Emporda, particularly those in relation to nature and outdoor sports. Hiking and mountain biking lovers will find plenty of roads and trails for all skill levels, many of them marked because the GR-11 that crosses the Pyrenees goes through Garriguella. The village is also part of the Itinerània roads and trails network. Cyclists will find roads with little traffic to enjoy tranquility.
Poblacions d’interès
Cadaqués
Colliure
Empúries
Castelló d´Empúries
Peralada
Pals
Besalú
Visites a Cellers
Winery visits
We would like to offer you visits to DO Empordà wineries, we can recommend some wineries in Garriguella itself or other wineries in the area of you choice where you will be able to enjoy the visit and taste the wines.
For those who want to increase their knowledge further, there is the possibility of organising group tours that include visits to 1, 2 or more wineries. The tour can include visits to the most representative places of the Empordà being able to customise the tour to your taste and convenience. Another way to get to know the area!
Natura
Empordà wetlands (10 minutes)
The Empordà wetlands Nature Reserve is located between the mouths of the rivers Muga and Fluvia. It consists of a large area of lakes, ponds, meadows and marshes. The wetland has a great ecological interest, not only for the wildlife that lives there all year round but for the migratory birds which stop there in the autumn when travelling south for the winter and stop again in spring when they come back north. The park has several observatories enabling you to observe birds and other wildlife in their natural environment.
Other places of Natural Interest:
Medes Islands & Montgri Nature Park (40 minutes)
Garrotxa Volcanic Area Nature Park (40 minutes)
Salines-Bassegoda National Interest Natural Area (30 minutes)
Banyoles Lake (40 minutes)
Adreça: Plaça de l’Església, 4, 17780 Garriguella, Girona Telèfon: 972 55 21 37
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