Puerto de Selva

Interesting personalities are the Catalan writer Josep Maria de Segarra, who was inspired by the very beautiful scenic environment. Works inspired here are The Ballad of Luard, translated as The Ballad of the Mariner or The Sailor, and another being rem i Cançons Sailing or Songs of Remo and Sailing).

The town is only 33km from Figueres, the capital of Alt Emporda and 70 km from the provincial capital, Girona. The town is one of the largest in the area, occupying an area of 41.49 km ² extending from the "rec den Feliu" to the beach and inland to Llança, Vilajuïga, Pau, Palau-saverdera, Roses and Cadaques.

Within this environment is a rich landscape which combines the blue of the Mediterranean Sea, the greenery of the vineyards and mountains carved by the passage of time. Notable peaks are the San Salvador heights at 671 m, Puig and Queralbs at 621 m that form the Sierra de Rodes mountain range.

The Serra de Rodes, buttress up against the Pyrenees, and the town nestles in the space formed by the folding of the metamorphic rocks. The morphology of the region consists of steep cliffs and a coast line resultant from the erosive action of wind and sea. The coastline is made of abundant articulated picturesque coves, caves and high steep promontories, and islands that rise above a platform abraded by the wind.

The first historical references of the town are those that relate to a document written in 974 AD which mentions a donation the "Armi dicunt quod porto-Rhodes to the monastery Gausfred dEmpuries.

In the early eighteenth century there are documents that speak of the development of a core of independent houses, nearby villages and fisherman who lived in the forests line next to the sea. The construction of the first church was started in 1752.

These houses were the base for the fishermen and their fishing equipment and the small village nucleus grew until in 1787 it became independent of Selva de Mar by a decree granted by the Royal Villa Carlos III.

Along with fishing, the mid-nineteenth century saw important trade export from oil and wine. A plague of pests and blight called phylloxera attacked the crops during the second half of the nineteenth century, which led to a significant decline in the economy and forced many families to emigrate.

After this disaster, farming resumed only in the valleys and lower areas of the mountains and farming activity diminished even more in the 60s leaving the fishing as the main resource for the people.

Recent History

From the 60s to the present, tourism has become the most important activity for El Port de la Selva. Tourism began in the early 20s when a group of intellectuals discovered the village.

The serene beauty of the population and their unmatched charm became one of the reasons tourists spoke so ardently of the Port de la Selva, resulting in a veritable flood of tourists in a few short years. The local population saw the tourists as a salvation and in order to accommodate the visitors, did everything they could in a short time and built over 500 homes.

Puerto de la Selva in Catalan was registered in 1981 as a municipality belonging to the Spanish region of Alt Emporda in the province of Gerona. The Port is situated on the north coast of Cabo de Creus, Costa Brava.

The village is an important Port with various economic sectors; worthy of mention is the honourable fishing tradition, and more importantly “Tourism”.

The Port also has historic maritime architecture and of special mention is the Church of Santa Maria de les Neus, which is of great beauty and faces the bay. Other places of interest is the dolmen of Lladro dels Taula and the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes.

This architectural site is formed by the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, Verdera Castle and the church of Santa Creu de Rodes along with the ruins of the medieval village that surrounds it. Other locations of medieval origin is the church of Sant Baldiri Taballera, located within the Cabo de Creus Massif, along the GR11, about 5 km from the town.

Scattered throughout the territory, we see remnants of folk architecture, showing a highly humanized landscape, and many items of interest like the furnace of Canavall valdes, the Mill Canavall, a former grain mill, or the oven of the Corral de Almeda, Valdes.

Sporting activities

El Port de la Selva offers activities for both summer and winter.

On the one hand we have the opportunity to enjoy the many alternatives that the sea offers us: the bay of Port de la Selva, skiing, diving, swimming or paddling in a sea that is mostly calm and you can practice sailing, swimming, canoeing amongst the offerings.

Windsurfing is popular as the wind blows toward the coast and boat excursions will help you discover the wonderful hidden places of the Cape Creus. Boat rentals or cruises are available in different bays.

Other popular sporting spots, El Port de la Selva presents an ideal spot for the practice of mountain biking with over 30 km of forest and other signposted roads. Paragliding is practiced from the area of Sant Salvador, where there are several exit areas around the castle and a landing zone at Playa de la Ribera del Port de la Selva.

Beaches
This small corner of the Cap de Creus has some of the best beaches in Catalonia, many of which are highlighted by the Generalitat of Catalonia. The quality its waters and beaches is renowned. There are beaches for all tastes from sandy to rock with the crystal waters in common. The area is perfect for any sea activity.

In recent years, the Government has created a program for monitoring and reporting of the status of beaches including the four municipal beaches, the beach at Port de la Vall, of Tamariu, the Port de la Selva and the Pas.

The latter two were awarded the prestigious European blue flag in 1997. It should be mentioned in particular the Playa del Pas has numerous awards for being the best beach in Catalonia.

Points of Interest.

El Port de la Selva offers tranquil walks and you can stroll to the seaside, the harbour or the yacht club. You can follow the road in the direction of Llança or the path towards the coves siguindo and the Tamariu In town you can visit the church of Santa Maria de les Neus, or view the Gothic sculpture from the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, and stroll along the streets parallel to the sea.

Within the town of Valle de Santa Creu is the Church of San Fructuoso, and explore the narrow streets or the path that climbs to the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, that majestically presides over the environment.

There is a strong Cultural heritage that covers prehistory to the present and there are quality monuments from the medieval period.

The megalithic period has expression in 15 Dolmens, the Mores Dolmens Altes, beside the road up from Port de la Selva to Monesterio Sant Pere de Rodes, the paradolmen of Pallera, right next to the link road with commentary Vilajuïga road to Sant Pere de Rodes.

A cultural jewel is the National Monument the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, declared a “Cultural Asset of National Interest” in 1997 by the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia.

During the early influx of foreign tourists the mix of languages was so great that on the towns streets you hardly heard anyone speak Catalan. This influx has also led to major new housing developments giving a new face to the people and their surroundings.

Today, El Port de la Selva has hotels, hostels and some camps, capable of accommodating the growing number of tourist travellers to the town who visit mainly during the summer months. Although the town has grown it still retains the original charm of its residents and the original small fishing village.

Demographics
The change to a municipality happened between 1900 and 2006 and population has grown considerably from 1900 to present.