How Sweet it is to be Reclined

We have moved up the coast to L’Escala and are staying at Camping Illa Mateua. This is just a short hop south from L’Estartit but is just beyond easy cycling distance. As promised in the reviews the staff here are super friendly. We found a good pitch close to an extensive forest and about 5 minutes from the beach.

Illa Mateua

Cove by Campsite

There is a rather scrambly dog walk above the cove..Cala Montgo… and beach which are just by the campsite.

Walk Above campsite

There is a good flower infested dog walk up a hill just behind the campsite.

Cove en route to L’Escala Harbour

On the first day we walked along the cliff top route from Cala Montgo to the harbour at L’Escala and had lunch overlooking the boats. There are great views from the cliff top across the Bay of Roses.

Colin and Friend

Colin made friends with a photographer and posed with him on the clifftop.;

Harbour at L’Escala

Lamp Fishing Boats

Windy Day

The second day was a bit windy, but still sunny.

Brass Band?

Band – Detail

In the afternoon we cycled along the L’Escala seafront. There is a series of brass sculptures and many restaurants along the esplanade.

Empuries

Just to the north of L’Escala there is a cycle and walking track which leads to Empuries, about a mile further along the coast. At Empuries there are the remnants of an ancient harbour and trading centre, founded by Greek traders in 700BC, and later taken over by the Romans. This is an impressive and extensive site with the Greek city to the south and a larger Roman city just to the north.

Nea Polis…The Greek City

Asklepius

This is Asklepius, the Greek god of medicine, standing guard over his therapeutic and religious centre – the Asklêpíeion.

The Forum

They have part reconstructed the forum, basing the dimensions of the pillars and other stonework on excavated originals.

Public Baths

Next to the public baths are Domus 1 and 2; two large houses at the front of the roman city. These have almost complete mosaic floors in several of the rooms.

Domus 1

Domus 1

Symposia

This is a mosaic and inscription on the floor of the Symposia, a house where the ‘Free Men’ of the city were invited for banquets. The inscription translates as ‘How Sweet it is to be Reclined’.

Asklepios

There is a small museum on the site with a good collection of artefacts and this statue of Asklepius. After a walk round this exhibition we pedalled back to base at high speed, with a force 5 wind behind us.

About Peter and Nia

Rambling about Europe with the Kray Twins (Colin and Penny).