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Culture & Festivals:
On days off - which are all called “festas” (literally parties) - Catalans really do love to party and there are many traditional celebrations throughout the year usually involving dressing up, dancing in the streets, and letting off fireworks. L’Escala has kept alive many popular traditions and celebrations. These events were not maintained solely for the tourists, they are customs that are strongly rooted among its inhabitants.
Sardanas are the local dance. It is one of the few national dances that is actually danced by the townspeople themselves rather than by a group. An orchestra known as a "Cobla" accompanies the dancing. The participants stand in circles and by listening to the cues given by the music know what step they should be dancing at any given time. Sardanas look deceptively easy to dance! The dances take place every Wednesday evening at 10pm during the summer at the beach at Riell's and spontaneously groups of people form into circles. Everybody is invited to participate in the dancing.
The Landing of the Three Kings - 5th January. The Three Kings arrive by sea are eagerly met by the local children. The Kings disembark onto the main beach and then ride through the town on horseback. That night the children all go to bed hoping that when they wake up in the morning the Three Kings will have left them some gifts. However, if the child has not behaved well during the year he may find he has been left a lump of (edible) coal!
Dia de Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day) is celebrated on April 23rd. Sant Jordi is the patron saint of Cataluña and the day is celebrated throughout the autonomous region. The legend has it that when the famous dragon was slain, a rose grew from its blood. To celebrate the victory over the dragon Catalan men give the woman they love a red rose on Sant Jordi's day. In return women buy their loved ones a book. Over recent years the Catalan custom of buying books on Sant Jordi's day has become fairly international and in many countries of the world April 23rd is known as "International Book Day".
Triumirat Mediterrà is a market that is held in L'Escala in June. What makes it special is the fact that the whole market is "set" in 30BC . Traders are dressed in Greek or Roman dress, the Tavernae sells drinks that would have been available at that time and all products must be compatible with the era. During the days leading up to the market there are plenty of related activities and many restaurants offer a special Roman meal, serving similar food to that which the Romans at that time would have eaten. On the day of the market activities include several gladiator fights and an auction of slaves.
La nit de San Joan on June 23rd is a night when people build bonfires and have firework displays. Families and friends get together for a special meal traditionally accompanied by "cava" (champagne) and "coca", a type of cake.
Festa del Carme on July 16th is the day on which the town pays homage to its senior citizens. There is a boat parade which brings many of the town's "elders" to the beach from where they are accompanied by their grandchildren or other relations to the church for a celebratory mass, followed by more festivities lasting all day.
Gegants Giants and Capgrossos originate from the Corpus Christi processions. Nowadays many Catalan towns have "giants" which are brought out on high days and holidays. There is an annual "giant" meeting in early September every year in which all the local "giants" come to L'Escala for the day and parade around the town.
During the "Festa Major" from the 2 to the 6 of September the Sardana, the traditional dance of Catalonia, is enjoyed with a special passion, and there is a fabulous fireworks display over the sea set to music. Other interesting festivities are the Festa de la Sal, annually in October where the visitor can see the traditions related to the fishing industry. Another is the Festa de l'Anxova where everyone will be able to taste the internationally acclaimed anchovies of L’Escala. At the Museo de Sal you can also learn about the history of the anchovy fishing industry for which the town is world famous.
Local Food & Drink
In Cataluña people enjoy life to the full, breaking from work for a leisurely four course lunch with wine - their main meal of the day, enjoyed with family and friends, followed by a siesta. They cannot understand the mentality of workers who take a sandwich to eat at their desks! Why would you settle for a sandwich, when you can eat and drink like this for only €9.00 per head?
The choice of restaurants in L'Escala caters for all tastes, covering traditional and European recipes in the menu's. There are many authentic Catalan Restaurants, Tapas Bars, Fish Restaurants, Pizza's and Pasta's, and Chinese Restaurants.
Look out for some of the traditional dishes available made from local produce such as olive oil, fish, vegetables and meat. Arroz negro - made with rice and squid ink, suquet - made with fish and potatoes. L'Escala is famous for its excellent fish and anchovies.
Another gastronomic pleasure is 'tapas'. Whether at mid-day or in the evening, you will be unable to resist trying the many delicacies such as cheeses and hams, tiny earthenware dishes of sizzling 'aperitivos' of seafood, fish, meats. The quality and variety of food on offer is truly remarkable, from fried fish, shellfish and other kinds of seafood such as octopus or squid, stews, sausages, cold-cuts and cheeses, to baked or fried vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms, salads, asparagus, stuffed eggs and omelets. It's the chance to dip into so many tastes, as well as the visual spread of tapas that make them universally appealing.
Catalan wines were exported by the Phoenicians to places as distant as Egypt, and in the 14th century were described as strong, dense and highly alcoholic. Dry whites and powerful reds, known as “vi negre” (black wine) in Catalan, on account of the colour of their grapes, are the norm along with sparkling Cava.
It was in Catalonia that this sparkling wine was first produced and during the 20th century the Catalan wine industry became a leader in the adoption of modern wine-making techniques and the planting of international grape varieties.
There are eight major wine-producing regions in Cataluña: Allela and Empordá in the north-east, Costers de Segre in the north-west; and Penedés, Tarragona, Priorat, Terra Alta and Conca de Barberá¡ to the south of Barcelona. These regions are administered by the Catalan Institute of Wine. The quality of Catalan wines has improved dramatically since 1975, as a result of carefully studied changes in technique, technology and selection.
Cava is named after the cellars in which the wine is made, and is sparkling wine produced by the methode champenoise, mostly in the Penedés region. Although made by the French process, cava differs from Champagne in that it is the product of not one but several different grape varieties, grown in a sunnier and warmer climate. The difference in price between Champagne and cava reflects the cost of the grapes and is not a gauge of the difference of quality. Good cava is often just as good as most champagne, but cheaper.
The headquarters of the cava industry is Sant Sadurí d'Anoia, half an hour south of Barcelona, home to Freixenet and Cordoníu (which alone produces 60 million bottles a year), as well as dozens of smaller producers. Perelada, North of L´Escala is another area producing high quality cavas and wines. Most open their cavas to visitors for tours and tastings.
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