Discover Portbou: Memorial, Coast and GR 92

A specific historical site in Portbou is the Pasajes a Walter Benjamin Memorial. It is protected as a Bien Cultural de Interés Nacional in the Historic Site category. The memorial, created by sculptor Dani Karavan, is located in the cemetery of Portbou.

This site therefore combines a historical context with a clearly identified artistic design. The cemetery is also the specific location of the memorial, making its position within Portbou visible.

Culture

The Church of Santa Maria de Portbou is a large single-nave Neo-Gothic building. From 1878 onwards, it was built by the railway company to provide religious care for the railway employees living in the town.

Its size, single-nave layout and Neo-Gothic form shape the architectural description of the church. Its construction from 1878 onwards also links the building to the history of the railway company and the employees living in the town at that time.

Portbou International Railway Station was built in 1929. It has a large iron-and-glass canopy. For your arrival or onward journey, Portbou station is connected daily to France and Barcelona via the regional train lines R11 and RG1.

The station therefore brings together a building from the first half of the 20th century and a connection that is still used daily. The two regional train lines lead in different directions: R11 and RG1 connect Portbou with France and Barcelona.

The Dolmen del Coll de la Farella is located in Portbou.

The memorial, church, station and dolmen identify different historical and architectural sites in Portbou. Each of these places represents a distinct aspect of the town’s history and appearance.

Landscape

Portbou is situated in the rugged landscape of the Costa Brava. The coast consists of high, steep cliffs with coves in between.

Thus, pronounced differences in elevation along the coast meet smaller inlets between the cliffs. The landscape is consequently shaped both by the steep rock formations and by the coves between them.

Platja del Pi is a beach made up of pebbles and dark sand. It is secluded from the centre of Portbou.

The beach therefore differs from a uniform expanse of sand through its combination of pebbles and dark sand. Its secluded location is identified as a distinct feature of Platja del Pi.

Activities

If you hike the GR 92 coastal trail, its starting or ending point is in Portbou. The town is thus identified as the start or destination of this trail.

At the GR 92, Portbou therefore marks not merely a section, but the stated beginning or end of the coastal trail. This dual function as a starting and ending point is part of the description of the town along the trail.

You can go sailing and kayaking in the harbour of Portbou. Both activities take place on the water there.

The harbour is therefore the specifically named place for two different forms of movement on the water: sailing and kayaking.

Local life

Portbou’s Festa Major takes place in July. The festival includes live music and street performances. The programme also includes Sardanas and fireworks.

The programme combines musical and theatrical contributions with Sardanas and fireworks. July is the explicitly stated period for the Festa Major.

Portbou’s municipal market takes place every Tuesday. It offers fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, compotes and traditionally produced preserves.

The market thus brings together fresh goods such as fruit and vegetables with cheese and preserved products. The offerings mentioned include both compotes and traditionally produced preserves.

Other places

Other places for planning your trip are Bordils, Palau-Sator, Siurana, Juià, Maçanet De La Selva, Gerona, Celrà and Sant Pau De Seguries.

For the overview of the wider area: Girona.