Torroella de Montgrí

A royal town at the foot of Montgrí massif

Torroella de Montgrí -l’Estartit, embodies the very essence of its county, the Baix Empordà.
Torroella de Montgrí is a former royal town located at the foot of the calcareous Montgrí Massif, surrounded by crop fields and vegetable gardens irrigated by the final stretches of the River Ter.

Torroella de Montgrí is a town with personality, and is an ideal place to spend an enjoyable stay at any time of the year. Visitors can picture the different periods of history that have left their mark on the town from architectural vestiges that make us travel back through time in the blink of an eye.

Itinerary through Torroella

A relaxing stroll around old Torroella will allow you to savour all the charm of this town. The whimsical layout of its narrow streets, the impressive medieval centre, the rich cultural life, the friendly shops and the affable character of the people will make you enjoy your stay with us all the more.

1. Mediterranean Museum

2. Cloister of the Agustine monastery

3. Plaça de la Vila

4. Mascort Foundation – Casa Galibern

5. Vila Casas Foundation – Palau Solterra

6. Carrer de l’Església and houses from the 16th and 17th centuries

7. Passeig de l’Església

9. Sant Genís Church

10. Santa Caterina Gateway

11. Torre de les bruixes “Witches Tower”

12. Plaça d’Albert de Quintana i Combis

Cultural Landscapes

The territory covered by the natural park offers a unique cultural landscape in Catalonia where you can see the interaction between man and the environment from the Palaeolithic period to the present day. The discovery of this magnificent land shows how varied the needs of human beings are in the environment that surrounds them. On the mountain there are remainsof prehistoric caves, traces of lime kilns, dry stone walls, shacks, troughs and stone chapels. Elements that tell you about the history of the people of the past and create a picture of the landscape of the Baix Empordà.

Montgrí Castle

Built between 1294-1301 by order of King James II, against the Count of Empúries, the castle, which only had the walls and towers built in a detached shaped square, stands as a strong identity symbol to the local municipality. From this viewpoint, which is one of the highest in Empordà, it offers a panoramic 360 degree view. North-west you can see the bay of Roses and Empúries, Canigou, the Pyrenees, Montseny, Gavarres and Baix Ter, the bay of Estartit, with the Medes Islands in the background.

It can be reached on foot from Torroella de Montgrí.

Route to the Montgrí Castle

St. Catherine's chapel

Located in the valley of Santa Caterina, in the middle of Montgrí, and founded in 1392 by three monks from the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat. Although the church today is quite different to the original, as it has undergone several renovations, it is still open to the public. The chapel is on the lower floor and on the upper floor there are rooms that were once occupied by the hermitage family. In the courtyard there is a well. This site celebrates an annual pilgrimage on November 25th in honour of Saint Catherine, who attributed to the salvation of the people of Torroella in the year of plague and famine, according to tradition this began in the seventeenth century.

Route Montplà and St. Catherine’s Chapel

Art, music & culture

An artistic municipality with a rhythmic pulse

Art, music and heritage place Torroella de Montgrí and l’Estartit among the major cultural destinations of Catalonia.

Our musical heritage comes from way back and we can be truly proud of this rich tradition. The town has a comprehensive annual programme of musical recitals, concerts and sardana dancing, as well as the prestigious summer Festival de Torroella.

It is also a town of painters, sculptors, writers and photographers, with a dynamic cultural scene that has attracted several private foundations and art galleries: Vila Casas Foundation, Mascort Foundation, Atrium Roca Sans and Traç d’Art (L’Estartit), and municipal spaces such as St Anthony’s Chapel in Torroella and the Municipal Exhibition Hall in L’Estartit.

Museum of the Mediterranean

Museum of the Mediterranean – Montgrí, Medes islands and Baix Ter Nature Park interpretation centre

The Museum of the Mediterranean opens its doors for you to discover and explore the Mediterranean area, taking the Montgrí Massif, the Baix Ter Plain and the Medes Islands as the starting point. A hands-on experience, inviting young and old alike to breathe in the aromas of the Mediterranean, listen to its sounds and its music, get in touch with its history and enjoy a panoramic audiovisual on the Mediterranean area today.

The Museum also houses the Interpretation Centre for the Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Nature Park. The Museum of the Mediterranean provides a clear example of our commitment to local culture. Since 2003, its aim is to interpret, disseminate and protect the natural and historic legacy of the Montgrí Massif, the Baix Ter and the Medes Islands.