Sant Pere Pescador: holidays and nature on the Costa Brava
Sant Pere Pescador: holidays and nature on the Costa Brava
Sant Pere Pescador is located in the middle of the Gulf of Roses on the Costa Brava and has always been inhabited. Sant Pere Pescador is surrounded by a protected natural region mainly composed of marshlands. In the 10th century, Sant Pere Pescador still belonged to Sant Pere de Roda, a monastery. In the Middle Ages, a large part of the marshlands were dried out and orchards were planted there.The 1,800 inhabitants of Sant Pere Pescador make a living essentially from agriculture or tourism. Thanks to the flat, fertile fields, irrigated by many canals, it is ideal for growing sweet fruit. Apples are a very popular speciality here.
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Sant Pere Pescador, a natural region dominated by water
Tourists who choose to spend their holidays in Sant Pere Pescador consciously choose a holiday in this vast natural region, essentially made up of long sandy beaches, dunes, marshland and part of the River Fluvia.,
The many marshland areas in Sant Pere Pescador and its surroundings have been declared a protected nature reserve and named the Natural Park of the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà. Its rich flora and fauna consist mainly of different types of reeds and a great variety of birds, such as herons and swans.
The landscape in Sant Pere Pescador is also dominated by infinite fields of fruit trees, vast green areasand forests offering tourists many places to go hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and fishing. Caramany island is part of Sant Pere Pescador’s nature reserve, and a wide variety of birds such as ducks, moorhens and different sorts of herons nest there.
Some places of interest in Sant Pere Pescador
When walking in the centre of Sant Pere Pescador, you will come across some interesting buildings such as the parishchurch, Casa Caramany and San Sebastian Chapel.
Sant Pere Pescador’scurrent parish church was built in 1682 on the ruins of the old Romanesque church. The façade of the church faces west, and the main entrance is decorated with Corinthian style columns with a rose window above. The square bell-tower is above a platform where the summit becomes an octagonal tower with four half-arches which join in a cupola which has never been finished. On the inside of the church, the ceiling is supported by half-arches. The nave, the apse and the side chapels have windows. On both sides of the apse, there is a vestry. You can enter Sant Pere Pescador’s church free of charge.
Near the church and the north-eastern part of the town’s fortified walls, you will find Casa Caramany, which was probably built from the same materials as the medieval church of Sant Pere Pescador. The current structure contains elements dating from the 16th to the 19th century. On the south wall there are two 16th century windows, one of which is a simple arch. The main entrance on the east façade has a three-dimensional shield from Caramany dating back to 1883. The most beautiful part of this building is its 18th and 19th century north-east-facing tower. This monument is currently privately owned and cannot be visited.
San Sebastian Pescador Chapel, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, was built by the population to ask the patron saint for assistance against the epidemics caused by stagnant water and many mosquitos. The rectangular door in the façade is decorated with a cross and an inscription, almost completely erased by time. Above the door, you can see a small round window, and there is a small bell tower at the top of the façade, decorated with a sundial.
Sant Pere Pescador and its enormous beach, a perfect place for wind and water sports
Sant Pere Pescador is the only part of the Costa Brava coast with 3.7 miles (6 km) of virgin sand dunes and sandy beaches. Due to its great size, this beach offers ideal conditions for water sports. Kitesurfing is one of the favourite pastimes in Sant Pere Pescador, as well as windsurfing, sailing, catamaraning, kayaking and volleyball. The beach is accessible by car, bike and on foot of course. On site, you can use the showers and there are spaces reserved for sailing boats.