Empúries

The Empúries Marathon (Catalan: Marató d'Empúries) is a long-distance run (42.195 km) which takes place in Empúries, the ancient Greek and Roman colony, next Sant Martí d'Empúries and L'Escala in Girona (Catalonia). The first edition of the marathon was held in 2003 to mark the collaboration of the City of L'Escala with the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona 2004. Organized by the L'Escala Town Council and with the support of the Catalan Athletics Federation, the Empúries Marathon is held annually in the month of April or May, along with two additional athletics races: the half-marathon and 10,000-meter race. With over 1,847 athletes for the three tests in 2013 edition, the start and finish are performed at the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia-Empúries, and, just before the race started, the runners cross the ancient Greek city of Empúries to the starting position.

Anchovy and Salt Museum is a museum in the town of L'Escala, Catalonia, Spain. It was opened in 2006 as an institution dedicated to displaying the cultural heritage of the village. The permanent exhibition shows the history of fishing from the 16th century to the present day, especially the salted anchovy, an industry which, over the centuries, has been driving force of the town and has made it famous around the world. The museum also organises the Salt Festival, an event that takes place on the third Saturday in September each year.

L'Escala (Catalan pronunciation: [ləsˈkalə]) is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Empordà in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the Costa Brava, located between the southern end of the Gulf of Roses and Cala (bay) Montgó. It is an important fishing port and tourist centre, and has a festival dedicated to its famous anchovies. The GE-513 road runs inland from the town. The Alfolí de la Sal, also known as the Pòsit Vell, is a seventeenth-century warehouse formerly used to store the salt necessary to preserve fish landed at the port: it is now a protected historic-artistic monument. The ruins of Empúries are located on the territory of the municipality, with Phoenician and Roman remains dating from 580 BC. L'Escala is the village of Víctor Català (pseudonym of Caterina Albert, 1869-1966) a famous novelist. The GR 92 long distance footpath, which roughly follows the length of the Mediterranean coast of Spain, passes through L'Escala on its stage between Sant Martí d'Empúries and Torroella de Montgrí.

Bellcaire d'Empordà (Catalan pronunciation: [ˌbeʎˈkajɾə ðəmpuɾˈða]) is a municipality in the comarca of Baix Empordà, in Catalonia, Spain. The municipality covers an area of 12.68 square kilometres (4.90 sq mi) and the population in 2014 was 650.

Sant Pere Pescador is a municipality in the comarca of Alt Empordà, Girona, Catalonia, Spain, is a small town in the Bay of Roses on the river Fluvià, on the coastline of the Costa Brava. The town has the benefit of a sandy 7 km long beach. The first reference to the town dates from 974 when it was owned by the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes part of the County of Empúries. The castle of Sant Pere dates from the 14th century. The surrounding marshes were drained in the 17th and 18th centuries, making the area an important agricultural centre. There are several orchards in the area. Tourism has become more important. Nearby is the Natural Park Aiguamolls de l’Empordà

The Fluvià (Catalan pronunciation: [fluβiˈa]; Spanish: Fluviá) is a river in Catalonia. It rises in the Serralada Transversal, passes through Olot and Besalú, and flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Sant Pere Pescador. The ancient city of Empúries was founded near the mouth of the Fluvià, when it was 6 km south of its present location.

Empordà (Catalan: [əmpuɾˈða]; Spanish: Ampurdán [ampuɾˈðan]) is a natural and historical region of Catalonia, Spain, divided since 1936 into two comarques, Alt Empordà and Baix Empordà. The city of Figueres, an important urban and economic center of the Empordà, was designated the capital of Alt Empordà, while La Bisbal d'Empordà, following a more geographic and historical criteria, became the capital of Baix Empordà. Empordà has been the cradle for many pictoric schools, with surrealism standing out, including artists such as Salvador Dalí, Angel Planells, Joan Massanet and Evarist Vallès.

The Montgrí (Catalan pronunciation: [muŋˈɡɾi]) is a small mountain range in Catalonia, on the north bank of the Ter river. It is part of the Catalan Coastal Range and its highest point is 311 m.

The Gulf of Roses (Catalan: Golf de Roses [ˈɡolv ðə ˈrɔzəs]) is the most northeastern bay on the Catalan coast of Spain. The bay is 16 kilometres (10 mi) wide and is formed by the valley of the Fluvià river but also contains the estuaries of the Manol and the Muga rivers. These rivers drain the southern flanks of the eastern end of the Pyrenees and Alberes. The area is often affected by the severe Tramuntana wind. The bay contains the resorts of Roses, Castelló d'Empúries/Empuriabrava, Sant Pere Pescador, Empúries and L'Escala. The bay was originally settled by the Greeks, who created a trading post at Empúries which became a Roman town before being abandoned after Viking and Muslim pirate raids along the coast. The area was the domain of the Count of Empúries. The area was malarial swamp for much of the Middle Ages. Irrigation schemes led to much of the former marshland becoming farmland. Tourism caused further encroachment, in particular the 1960s resort of Empúriabrava, which includes canals and moorings for detached villas. An important wintering spot for traveling birds, the marsh has now been designated the Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà. To the north overlooking the Bay lies the Parc Natural del Cap de Creus. The bay was also home to the Catalan restaurant El Bulli.

Ullà (Catalan pronunciation: [uˈʎa]) is a village in the province of Girona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.

The Montgrí Castle (Catalan: Castell del Montgrí) is a historical edifice in Torroella de Montgrí, Catalonia, Spain, built between 1294 and 1301. Its reason to be was the existing conflict between the counts of Empúries - who ruled over most of the area around the town - and the counts of Barcelona, the most powerful of Catalonia at that time, who also had great power over the Mediterranean. In order to control the moves of the counts of Empuriés, the court of Barcelona commanded Bernat de Llabià, the governor of the Royal town of Torroella de Montgrí, to supervise the building of a fortress on top of the Montgrí Massif. Work started in 1294 but the fortress was never completed as is obvious today. After those days, the fortress has lost its strategic value but has instead become a symbol of the region. The GR 92 long distance footpath, which roughly follows the length of the Mediterranean coast of Spain, passes the castle on its stage between Sant Martí d'Empúries and Torroella de Montgrí.

The Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà is a natural park in Catalonia, Spain. It forms part of the Bay of Roses and, like the Ebro Delta, was a malarial swampland. The marshland lies between the Rivers Fluvià and Muga. It is the second largest wetland in Catalonia at over 4,800 hectares and was established in 1983.During the 19th century, much of the marsh was drained as canals were created and the land converted to agriculture. However, virgin marsh and dunes remained and was given Natural Park status in the 1980s after a campaign to save the area from development. The park accommodates 327 different species. Great spotted cuckoo, spoonbill, nightingale, collared pratincole and stone-curlew are among its many birds. The park offers seven hides and one tower for bird watchers. They are connected through a plain dirt track which allows wheelchairs. The GR 92 long distance footpath, which roughly follows the length of the Mediterranean coast of Spain, passes through the park and has a staging point at the El Cortalet pond. Stage 4 links northwards to Roses, a distance of 16.3 kilometres (10.1 mi), whilst stage 5 links southwards to Sant Martí d'Empúries, a distance of 20.2 kilometres (12.6 mi).