If Girona were a band we’d be talking about one of the decade’s class acts, with the Costa Brava as the leader and vocalist, the Pyrenees, the powerful drummer, together with the spectacular guitar solos by its Gastronomy, creating a perfect melody that is creating ever greater expectation. More and more people are choosing Girona as a tourist destination because the range of options is spectacular: the sea, the mountains, the mediaeval towns, its first-rate gastronomy and superb climate are strong arguments that attract thousands of visitors every year. Today Inspira’t would like to suggest adding another reason to these choices: Music!
We’ll stop first in Calella de Palafrugell and visit the Cap Roig botanical gardens, an area located by the sea that offers nature and peace and quiet, and boasts a castle dating back to the 20th century. The Cap Roig Festival is probably the flagship festival on the Costa Brava, as it has been attracting leading artists on the international stage for over 15 years. The UK newspaper The Independent rated it as one of the ten best summer festivals in the world in 2007! Among many other attractions, Sting and his rhythmic bass guitar, Liam Gallagher, the former Oasis vocalist, Maluma’s Latin beat and Diana Krall’s jazz all played there in 2019. It’s still too early to find out which artists will be performing in 2020, but the repertoire is sure to be spectacular again!
We’ll go a little further south and come to Sant Feliu de Guíxols. For over 60 years, this coastal town has staged the Porta Ferrada Festival, an event for top artists chiefly from Catalonia and Spain, although internationally renowned performers are also included in the line-up. In addition to the concerts, this festival devotes part of its schedule to comedy, with shows by, for example, Andreu Buenafuente and David Broncano (two presenters of leading late-night TV shows in Spain).
Last year we had the opportunity to enjoy Manolo Garcia, Manuel Carrasco, Melendi and international artists such as God Save The Queen, the Queen tribute band, and New Order from the UK.
The main stage is located beside the sea, making it ideal for a cool and pleasant summer evening.
We’ll change area and go to Torroella de Montgrí and L’Estartit, two of the favourite destinations for visitors to the Costa Brava. This particular part of Empordà features two festivals that take place in July and August (both organised by the association Joventuts Musicals de Torroella de Montgrí). The first one we’ll mention is the Torroella Festival, one of the latest events on the summer schedule that devotes its entire programme to classical music. Artists such as Joaquín Achúcarro and the Cosmos Quartet will bring us the best classical music in the tiny squares and streets of Torroella de Montgrí.
Now let’s move from Torroella to L’Estartit and from classical to jazz! The L’Estartit Jazz Festival has one of the best stages to be found anywhere, as the stands are set up below a cliff with views of the Medes Islands, L’Estartit and Pals. In the evening, the best jazz and the lights reflected on the calm waters of the Costa Brava create a very romantic atmosphere.
We’ll now go to Peralada, a small town in the county of Alt Empordà renowned for its long winemaking tradition and a beautiful castle with more than 1,000 years of history. The stage for the Peralada Castle Festival is set within its walls. The programme is highly varied, combining dance, music, drama and even a circus! Artists such as Jessie J, Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Best of Pink Martini and Gustavo Dudamel (the conductor of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra) featured in last year’s programme. The range of gastronomy, the wine list and the pleasant temperature will complement the festival’s cast of stars, all of them waiting just for you.
These are some of the most important festivals in the province held during the summer months. However, they aren’t the only ones, as you can also go to the concerts held among the ruins of the Roman Forum of Empúries or the Cadaqués Music Festival, among many others. Music reaches every little town on the Costa Brava and in the Pyrenees, at festivals and during local festivities, so you have another good reason to pick Girona as your holiday destination!
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Many thanks and see you soon,
INSPIRA’T