Exploring Sant Feliu de Guíxols

In the 1920s, the wealthy industrialist Josep Ensesa i Gubert decided to commission a luxury development on the promontory at S’Agaró just north of Sant Feliu. He entrusted the project to the Noucentista architect Rafael Masó, resulting in a stunning group of some 60 structures, including luxury villas, restaurants, and the famous Hostal de la Gavina hotel. For the centenary of the project in 2024, the Camí de Ronda coastal path was spruced up, with information panels explaining the history of the architecture and the glamorous celebrities who made it their playground in the 1950s and 60s. Start at La Taverna del Mar on the beach and follow the coastal path north. Masó’s Neoclassical Mirador and Loggia de Senya Blanca (completed by Francesc Folguera) are among the Costa Brava’s most breathtaking sights, in perfect harmony with the rugged landscape and the sea. When you reach the beach at Sa Conca, cut inland and complete the loop of the development, peering into the gardens of the sumptuous villas below.

The most striking buildings in the town of Sant Feliu belong to the complex around the Monestir de Sant Feliu, a Benedictine monastery dating from the 10th century (see above), that together with the Baroque Antic Hospital house the town’s Museu d’Història, Placa de Monestir s/n (tel. 97-282-15-75). This free museum hosts a range of permanent and temporary exhibitions, including exhibits on the history of the monastery and the cork industry that brought wealth to Sant Feliu in the 19th century. Check the website for opening hours which vary through the year; it is always closed on Mondays. Also part of the monastery complex, the beautifully stark Romanesque church of Mare de Déu dels Àngels remains an active parish church, filled with a millennium of religious art.