Travel Journal
|
|
Then and Now: Sant Feliu de Guixols
A Special Place in Spain
July 2025
By Dawn Lille
|
In 1492 Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand unified a group of territories and kingdoms that occupied the Iberian Peninsula in southwest Europe – each with its own traditions, a few with their own language, many influenced by the previous Arab occupation. They became the regions of the newly united Spain. Catalonia in the northeast, the largest region both in land and population, borders the Mediterranean Sea on the east and France in the north. Before 1492, it had long existed as an independent country with Catalan, a romance language similar to Spanish, French and Provencal, as its dominant tongue. During the Franco dictatorship (1939-1974) the Catalan language, literature and traditions were prohibited and the country’s seat of power was moved from Barcelona to Madrid, which is in another region. But what is often referred to as the Catalan DNA – independence, pride, conservatism – held on. Today, with Catalan the first language taught in all schools in the region, they are still talking about seceding from Spain, even though many leaders of the independence movement have spent time in exile or jail. |
Beach Located in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Costa Brava in Spain)
Photo Credit: Angel Toldra, 1910 |
Sant Feliu de Guixols is on the sea, roughly 60 kilometers north of Barcelona and halfway to the French border. It has a population of 23,000 and occupies 6.3 square miles. Its 6.2 miles of coastline is on the Costa Brava, which runs from Barcelona to France, and it is embedded in this coast.
View from Dawn's Balcony Looking Towards France
Photo Credit: Anita Olsson Perez de Lucia |
The blue of the sea, the lush pine, oak and cork trees, the cacti and the wild pinkish rocks of various sizes and shapes that often go right down to the water are part of the environment. The contrasts in the surrounding scenery include beaches, harbors, caves and flat green areas. The main port of Sant Feliu, which occupies the northern cove of town, is one of the best-known harbors on the coast, connecting it to its seafaring origins of fishing and boat building on a bay surrounded by cliffs; later, the cork industry took hold. Today, tourism is a major economic driver. The town’s name goes back to Saint Felix of Girona, and it was a settlement as early as 5 B.C. The word “guixols” is translated by some as “rocks,” but no one is quite sure. The Benedictine Monastery was the center and controlling power of town until the 19th century. Today, there remains a series of church buildings (dating from the 9th to the end of the 18th century) with a large gothic bell tower. The three horseshoe arches of the Porta Ferrada (10th century) are the symbol of the town. Originally there was a stream separating the church area from the town that began to emerge, but this was filled in. Visitors now find historical signage delineating the older buildings, both at the base of town and those higher up, including a community laundry with its six large tubs, one for each day of the week.
|
|
The center of Sant Feliu is on the Mediterranean, with the Passeig del Mar, a wide seafront promenade separating what was once a medieval town from the sea. There were fisherman’s cottages, then mansions and now a few added apartment buildings. There are several notable examples of the Spanish style of modernism. These houses, financed by the Indianas (those who traveled to America, made money, and returned to spend it lavishly), were influenced by Art Nouveau and used early 20th century iron and ceramic techniques. Casa Constancia and Casa Patxi are examples. The main street or rambla runs parallel to this, along with several other carless pedestrian passages.
Sant Feliu is not only strongly Catalan, which is really a concept of cultural identity, it is old-fashioned Spain in many respects. Everything, except for restaurants and pharmacies, closes at 1:30 p.m. daily and does not open before 5:00. Traffic is wild at the beginning because locals, who rarely eat breakfast and eat a light supper after the mid-day meal, are starving and racing home. In the late afternoon, young mothers with children and members of the older populace may be seen strolling through town or drinking coffee at one of the cafes. Supper begins at 8:30 p.m. The barbershop is run by the man whose father was the barber before him. A small grocery featuring produce from local growers is attached to a store that is the largest supplier of alcohol in the region. Aside from hundreds of different wines and spirits, it contains several large barrels filled with local wines. You can bring your own liter bottle, fill it up, and take it home. The business is now run by the third generation of Jordis (the most popular male name in Catalonia).
|
|
Dancing the Sardona
|
They observe many of the older traditions of Catalonia with enthusiasm. The Sardana, their national dance, which managed to survive under Franco, is performed in many towns, all of which have their own dance group and cobla, a special ensemble of musicians that includes the plaviol, (a one-handed flute), a tambor (drum), reed and brass instruments, and a bagpipe. Performed in a circle, the dance has eleven parts, each related to the special music that must be heard before the dance can begin. The basic pattern of stepping and crossing, followed by a tapping of one foot that develops into a light bounce, moves alternatively left and right. The order of steps and variations is mathematical, led by a designated leader, and must follow the music. A popular tale: The devil came to Catalonia to do business. After observing the sardana, he mused that if they could be so serious when having fun, doing business with them would be impossible! Sant Feliu hosts many competitions as well as times when anyone can join in. I would never dare!
The town hosts many festivals, including one on environmental cinema and, since the summer of 1962, the International Festival of Porta Ferrada, filled with music, dance and theater. But the most interesting are those associated with the still present Spanish Catalan customs.
On the eve of Twelfth Night (January 5), the Three Kings, otherwise known as Los Reyes Magos, arrive in town on horseback, often coming off a boat. They distribute candy and accept letters from the children containing their wishes for gifts, which they receive the next day. The whole town comes out for a parade and holiday party. |
|
In the local festivals of many Catalan towns are the parades of the giants (gegants) and big heads (capgrossos), large figures carried by people. They represent popular archetypes, representative animals or historical figures of local importance, such as the giants of the city of Barcelona who represent King Jaume I and Queen Violant of Hungary. (turismoencatalunya.es) |
Gegantes
|
The procession of gegants (giant dolls) dates to the Middle Ages and can be seen in the smallest Catalan towns. Although there are religious connections, many connect them to pagan times prior to harvest, when there was a need for fertility. The gegant, ten to twelve feet tall, with a very large head, can represent demons, angels, royalty, common archetypes and even animals. It weighs thirty to fifty kilograms and is manipulated from inside by a geganter or carrier, who must be a strong man and can only act for five to ten minutes. In the parade, which occurs in June on Corpus Christi Day, he is accompanied by musicians, who play Catalan instruments, family members, and his replacement. There are also giant heads, capgrossos, many of which are caricatures and cover the entire body of the carrier. 
Giant Heads
|
The Dia de Sant Jordi, in April, celebrates Saint George, the patron saint of Catalonia. Here one gives a book or a rose, or both, to friends and family and the rambla is filled with purveyors of both. The Festa Major, a time set aside to celebrate the town and its patron saint in early August, is filled with amusement rides, food stands, and fireworks. La Diada, the national day of Catalonia, includes a ceremony in front of City Hall with the mayor.
|
It is possible to swim, dive, waterski, sail, and participate in any water sport. Some locals make a point of swimming all year, wearing body suits when it is cold. Biking is rated among the best in the world and the Vuelta de Catalonia went through town this year and is expected to do so next year. The Greenway (for bikers) is on the path of the former railroad north to Girona. Hiking is ideal and the Cami de Ronda, the clearly defined official coastal path, assists in this undertaking. Recognizing the Costa Brava as a unique and beautiful region, painted by Picasso, Dali, Derain, Matisse and others, there are guides to the clearly marked trails on the GR 92. This route can be picked up in the large harbor of Sant Feliu and leads to the beach of Sant Pol, flanked by restaurants and several old buildings. At the end of the beach is the border with S’Agaro, a group of chalets and a luxury hotel created in the 1920s and 30s by the very wealthy. Due to the size and costs of these homes, most are owned by foreigners, many of them Russian and Ukrainian. The cami continues along the water, with breathtaking views.
There is a museum in town devoted to local history and a collection of paintings, the Espai Thyson, supported by the Baroness Thyson, widow of Baron Thyson, the patron of the Thyson Museum in Madrid. (She is a former Miss Spain, and her first husband was Les Barker, the Tarzan of American movies). There is sometimes an art sale alongside the weekly Sunday market. The local theater supports a strong amateur group, and the large music school showcases its students. |
Sant Feliu de Guixols
Photo Credit: Anita Olsson Perez de Lucia |
Those who live in Sant Feliu develop strong ties to this enveloping place, with its strong commitment to preserving the environment, the beauty that comes with it, and the way in which it supports its citizens. They do not have to look far for a sanctuary.
The Casta Brava: Sant Feliu de Guixols
Photo Credit: Anita Olsson Perez de Lucia
Photo Credit: Anita Olsson Perez de Lucia
Dawn Lille, Ph.D., trained in ballet, modern dance and Laban analysis, and has worked in dance and theater as a performer, choreographer, director, teacher and writer. She taught at Brooklyn, Barnard and City College/CUNY, where she wrote and headed a graduate program in dance, and at Juilliard. Dawn’s many publications include articles in journals and encyclopedias, chapters in eight collections, and two books. Her interest in the social ramification of the arts was seen in the 1996 exhibit “Classic Black: Black Dancers in Ballet Prior to DTH,” which she researched and curated.
