subject: Empuries For An Archaeological Site To Visit From Your Barcelona Holiday Accommodation [print this page] If you are a history buff searching for a unique experience, book your Barcelona holiday accommodation in L'Escala. In addition to the history found here this little village of some 6,000 inhabitants is situated on the northern end of the Bay of Roses, which has some of the most beautiful and unspoilt beaches anywhere.
L'Escala is a small holiday resort in Catalonia near the French border and besides its beaches it has an abundance of history, museums, monuments and a nature park filled with wild birds. Of all these, the town is most famous for the ancient ruins of Empuries. You won't be short of something to do in the older centre of town with its character representative of a typical Spanish working town. It will be a joy to stroll along its narrow streets while looking at the shops, bars, cafe, and restaurants that are prolific here.
Now down to the purpose of this expedition and that is to see Empuries. This is the only archaeological site where you can see Greek and Roman coastal trading centres sequestered in one place. Not only can you visit the site but there is a museum displaying artefacts retrieved from the excavations. When you're finished you can go for a dip in the warm Mediterranean Sea.
It cost 3 Euros for entrance to the site but that also includes the museum which in itself is worth the trip. If you brought your car with you, there is plenty of free parking near the site. With all this and a cafe nearby you can spend the day exploring this ancient site: you will find it amazing at what they have uncovered in the way of structures. For starters there is the water purification system, erotic vessels to drink from in the museum and the massive Roman walls. There is one thing that would make this visit even more enjoyable and that's the tape players you can hire describing what you see in English from your Barcelona holiday accommodation.
If you need more history take a short walk along the sea front to the medieval village of Sant Marti d'Empuries. Its history can be traced back to the Bronze Age from remains of settlements found in the area.
Before you head out on a journey to your holiday home you might do a little research on Empuries to appreciate what you are about to see. For example: did you know that the earliest settlers in this area traded with civilizations like the Etruscans, Phoenicians and the Greeks which were during the time period covering the 7th and 6th century BC? There were two sections to this early settlement, the first was built by the Greeks and named Palaia Polis; at a later date they also built a new section named Nea Polis or new town. When you arrive at the site the new town is what you will see. The Greeks named this settlement Emporion which when translated means market. What other kind of name would you expect for a trading centre?
