Palafrugell

"Palafrugell es un municipio español de la comarca del Bajo Ampurdán en la provincia de Gerona, comunidad autónoma de Cataluña. Tiene algunas calas muy representativas de la Costa Brava y dispone de una tradición gastronómica extensa y de una riqueza cultural personificada en el escritor Josep Pla. Situado a los pies de les Gavarres, en la parte central y más característica de la Costa Brava, accidentado por la proximidad de las montañas de les Gavarres y por el macizo de Begur."

"Palafrugell (Catalan pronunciation: [pfrue]) is a municipality in the Mediterranean Costa Brava, located near Palamós in the comarca of Baix Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. With 22,365 inhabitants it is the largest city of its comarca. Several coastal and interior towns (Llafranc, Calella de Palafrugell, Tamariu and Llofriu) belong to this city. The combination of a good summer climate and beautiful beaches has been exploited for both domestic and international tourism. Tourists have come from a wide range of countries, especially the Netherlands, England, France, and more recently, the United States. It also serves as a summer holiday town for residents of cities such as Barcelona and Girona. This medieval town was once fortified but is no longer. Many narrow streets emanate from Plaça Nova -a large square with bars, restaurants and boutiques. The local government (Ajuntament) sponsors activities such as concerts and dances including the traditional Sardana. St. Martí's church was built in the late 11th century and is close to Plaça Nova. There is a new bus station belonging to Grup SARBUS whose local division is known as Sarfa. The station has a regular bus service, servicing the Costa Brava region (including Llafranc, Calella de Palafrugell, and Tamariu) as well as Barcelona. Palafrugell was reputed for its cork manufacturing in the 18th and 19th centuries. The largest factory was owned by the American company Armstrong and employed hundreds of locals. Its closing in the 1970s led to severe unemployment. The factory's tower still stands, and there is now a small museum commemorating the cork industry just below it."