📖 At The Sun Places, luxury is also written.
That's why we have created this Josep Pla and the Costa Brava route, a journey through the settings that inspired the best chronicler of the Empordà.
Stay in our Luxury Accommodation on the Costa Brava and follow in the footsteps of the writer who said: "I am from here, from this country, from this coast, from this wind".
Josep Pla and the Costa Brava are inseparable. The great Catalan prose writer (1897-1981) dedicated thousands of pages to describing the light, the sea, the people and the customs of the Empordà.
With his keen, close and humorous gaze, he portrayed like no other the life of fishermen, peasants, the bourgeoisie and holidaymakers.
For lovers of good literature, travelling through the landscapes that Pla described is a unique experience. And for luxury travellers, doing so with a private guide and with time to enjoy every corner is true luxury.
But Pla was not alone. Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso and the charismatic Gitano de la Costa Brava (Manuel Bisbe) were part of that generation that turned this territory into a legend. This article is also a small tribute to them.
Today we take you to discover Josep Pla and the Costa Brava, with everything you need to live it as a cultured and exclusive traveller.
🌍 What does Josep Pla and the Costa Brava represent for the region and for The Sun Places?
Josep Pla and the Costa Brava represent the value of a unhurried gaze and love for detail.
For the Empordà, the work of Josep Pla is an intangible treasure that has enhanced its landscape, its people and its history.
For Catalonia, he is the most important writer of the 20th century in the Catalan language, and his legacy is a hallmark of cultural identity.
And for The Sun Places, Josep Pla and the Costa Brava embody the luxury of culture and time: the luxury of reading a paragraph from the "Grey Notebook" in the very place where it was written, of sitting in a century-old bar that Pla frequented, of contemplating a sunset from the viewpoint he described.
Our Luxury Accommodation on the Costa Brava are located in the heart of this literary route, and we can arrange private visits to the Foundation, guided tours of Pla's settings and dinners at the restaurants the writer mentioned in his works.
We are committed to cultural, relaxed and exclusive tourism.
🏠 Fundació Josep Pla in Llofriu: the heart of Josep Pla and the Costa Brava
The Fundació Josep Pla is located in the writer's family farmhouse, in the small village of Llofriu, a few kilometres from Palafrugell.
This is the place where Josep Pla wrote most of his work. The farmhouse preserves its original furniture, his personal library, his notebooks and some everyday objects that bring us closer to his private life.
The visit is an immersion into the writer's universe. You can tour the house at your own pace or with an audioguide, but for a luxury experience we recommend a private visit with an expert who explains the historical and literary context.
The Fundació Josep Pla also organises temporary exhibitions, conferences and activities related to Pla's work and Catalan literature.
It is essential to book in advance, especially in high season.
📚 Luxury literary experience at the Foundation with The Sun Places
From our Luxury Accommodation on the Costa Brava, we organise an exclusive visit for you:
- Priority entry to the Fundació Josep Pla with a special schedule (before or after public hours)
- Private guide specialised in Pla's work (historian or philologist)
- Access to documentary archives and the writer's personal library (upon request)
- Reading of fragments from the "Grey Notebook" in the very room where they were written
- Coffee or a glass of wine in the farmhouse garden, as Pla used to do after writing
🏞️ Palafrugell, Llafranc and Calella: the landscapes of Josep Pla and the literary Costa Brava
Pla deeply loved the landscape of the Baix Empordà. His descriptions of the coves, cliffs, pine forests and white villages are so precise that today, when you travel through them, it seems as if the writer is guiding us.
In Palafrugell, the writer strolled along Carrer Major and the weekly market (on Sundays). From the church of Sant Martí, you get views he mentioned in several chronicles.
In Llafranc, Pla used to sit on the seafront promenade and have a coffee at the port bar. From the Sant Sebastià Lighthouse, he described "the widest horizon in the world".
In Calella de Palafrugell, the writer bathed at Port Bo beach and ate fresh fish at the beach bars. The sunset light in this cove inspired some of his most lyrical pages.
He also mentioned Tamariu as a place of absolute peace, and Begur as a town with "a stately air".
We invite you to read our guides on Llafranc and its beaches, Calella de Palafrugell and its coves and Tamariu and its cove.
🚶♂️ Private literary tour of Pla's settings with The Sun Places
- Private guide specialised in the figure of Josep Pla for a half-day or full-day tour
- Customised itinerary: Palafrugell (market, Carrer Major, church), Llafranc (port, lighthouse), Calella (Port Bo, seafront promenade)
- Reading of fragments from Pla's works in the places he described
- Stop for a coffee or a glass of wine in the bars the writer frequented
- Luxury private transfer between towns
🎨 Tribute to a generation: Josep Pla, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso and the Gitano de la Costa Brava
The Costa Brava we know today cannot be understood without the mark of a chosen few. Josep Pla described it with words. Salvador Dalí painted it with dreams. Pablo Picasso visited it and was enchanted. And Manuel Bisbe, the charismatic Gitano de la Costa Brava, put music and joy into the nights of Llafranc.
Pla and Dalí were friends. The writer dedicated entire pages to the surrealist genius, and Salvador Dalí illustrated some of his books. Both shared a love for the Empordà and a unique perspective on the world.
Pablo Picasso spent seasons in Cadaqués and other coastal towns, fascinated by the light and beauty of the landscape.
The Gitano de la Costa Brava, Manuel Bisbe, was the entertainer at the Hotel Llafranc, where he organised memorable parties for artists, writers and celebrities. He opened champagne bottles with a machete and created an atmosphere of glamour and fun that attracted the jet set of the era.
This generation of artists and bohemians put the Costa Brava on the world map. At The Sun Places, we want to pay them a small tribute.
Because their legacy is also ours: that of a territory full of art, history and authenticity.
If you are interested in this period, don't miss our guides on Cadaqués and the legacy of Salvador Dalí and the story of the Gitano de la Costa Brava in our article on Llafranc and its beaches.
🍽️ Where Josep Pla ate?: gastronomy on the literary Costa Brava
Pla was a great gastronome. In his chronicles, he speaks with passion about suquet de peix, Palamós prawn, snails, botifarra and bread with tomato.
In Llafranc, he used to eat at the Restaurant Hotel Llafranc (then called "Casa Fermín"), where photographs of celebrities still hang on the walls.
In Palafrugell, he frequented Can Salvi and La Barceloneta, two century-old establishments that still serve traditional cuisine.
In Calella, he liked the beach bar La Llagosta, famous for its hearty rice dishes.
Today you can follow his gastronomic footsteps and enjoy the same flavours he praised.
For a luxury experience, we recommend booking at Celler de Can Roca or Compartir, two temples of haute cuisine that reinterpret traditional Empordà dishes.
And don't miss our guide on Gastronomy of the Costa Brava.
🏛️ Other literary places near the Josep Pla and the Costa Brava route
Beyond the settings directly linked to Josep Pla, the Costa Brava has inspired other great writers and artists. We suggest some complementary visits:
- A walk through Girona: the monumental city that appears in many travel chronicles and which Pla often visited.
🏌️♂️ Luxury can also be active: golf, spa and nature near the literary route
To complete your literary experience, the surroundings of Josep Pla and the Costa Brava offer other luxury activities:
Golf in the Empordà:
- Empordà Golf Club (Gualta): 10 minutes away. Two 18-hole courses. Green fee from €100.
- Golf Platja de Pals (Pals): 8 minutes away. 9-hole course with sea views.
Luxury spas:
- Thalasso Centre Palamós: marine treatments.
- Spa at Hotel Peralada: thalassotherapy with seawater pools.
Nature:
🗓️ Perfect plan with The Sun Places to discover Josep Pla and the Costa Brava
Would you like to follow in the footsteps of the great chronicler and the artists who forged the legend of the Costa Brava? We propose a 3-day itinerary of literary and cultural luxury:
Day 1 (Arrival and Llofriu):
- Afternoon: Private visit to the Fundació Josep Pla in Llofriu (with expert guide).
- Dinner at a restaurant in Palafrugell or Llafranc recommended by our concierge.
Day 2 (Literary route through Palafrugell, Llafranc and Calella):
- Morning: Private tour of Pla's settings: Palafrugell market, Carrer Major, Sant Martí church, Llafranc port, Sant Sebastià Lighthouse.
- Lunch at the Hotel Llafranc restaurant (where Josep Pla ate and where the Gitano de la Costa Brava reigned).
- Dinner at a luxury beach bar on Calella beach.
Day 3 (Nature, art and farewell):
- Farewell lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant (Les Moles or Bo.Tic).
- Luggage collection and transfer to the airport.
📌 Practical tips for enjoying Josep Pla and the Costa Brava in style
- Book your accommodation with The Sun Places at least 2 months in advance in high season.
- The Fundació Josep Pla is open from Tuesday to Sunday, but opening hours may vary. We will manage your visit for you.
- If you are a reader of Josep Pla, bring your copy of the "Grey Notebook" or "Guide to the Costa Brava" to read fragments on site; if not, we invite you to discover this figure ahead of his time, but with a very current perspective.
- The best time for this literary route is spring and autumn (mild climate, fewer tourists).
- Take advantage of The Sun Places concierge services to organise private visits, restaurant reservations and transfers.
📞 Contact The Sun Places and let us organise your luxury getaway to Josep Pla and the Costa Brava.
We advise you on the best accommodation, cultural and gastronomic experiences so you can experience the Empordà with the gaze of the great chronicler and the soul of the artists.
If you liked this article, we invite you to discover other incredible destinations with The Sun Places: Luxury Apartments in Barcelona, Luxury Accommodation on the Costa Brava, Luxury Apartments in Seville, Luxury Apartments in Cádiz, Luxury Apartments in Puerto Banús, Luxury Accommodation in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Luxury Apartments in Córdoba.
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