Route 66 is one of the most emblematic routes in the world. And it has inspired many movies, books, and even dreams of driving a motorbike across the US from the East to the West Coast. But here is what we have to say: there is this beautiful route across la Costa Brava called “Camí de Ronda” with small bays and landscapes that must be pretty close to what paradise might look like.
But what is the story behind this beautiful path? Why was it built and how old is it? These are some of the questions we answer in today’s post, including some recommendations if you are thinking about exploring this route.
Camí de Ronda: Why was it built?
We find the origins of this famous path more than a century ago, when it was initially built to connect the diverse coastal towns, beaches and small bays. This path also let the fishermen and sailors return to their ports of origin in case their ships were wrecked against the rocks of the coastline.
But its function changed in the 19th century…
In the nineteenth century the function of Camí de Ronda changed completely: it now was a path to help the Guardia Civil to control the coast. And it actually achieved a relevant importance in the twentieth century, specially after the Spanish Civil War to control smuggling, which became more frequent due to the harsh economic situation in Spain during this postwar period.
Why is it called “Camí de Ronda”?
So when it comes to the origin of the name “Camí de Ronda”, we find it in the activity developed by the Guardia Civil during those times: “Hacer la ronda”, which means doing the surveillance service along (in this case) the path to check that everything is fine.
After the postwar period, what happened with this path?
With the subsequent economic development of Spain after the postwar period, Camí de Ronda wasn’t a smuggling control area anymore. Specially when it lost that surveillance function from the moment that Spain entered the European Union (the common market made borders disappear). So Camí de Ronda turned into what it is today…
Camí de Ronda today
It is a beautiful path along the Costa Brava from which you can access beautiful beaches which wouldn’t be accessible by car. It is also a nice way to discover the country’s history, while walking near the sea (always watching out) under the pine trees that you will be grateful to run into, specially on sunny days.
A beautiful section of the Camí de Ronda: From la Fosca to Platja Castell
There are many beautiful sections of this path, but this is one of our favorites: a nice walk from La Fosca beach to Platja Castell. Besides beautiful small bays, you will also dive into the history of the country (you will run into the remains of an ancient settlement half way). And also, you will find (probably) the most instagrammed beach in la Costa Brava: Cala s’Alguer.
These are also some of our favorite sections of this path:
- Sant Feliu de Guíxols – s’Agaró (5 km. / 1 hour).
- Calella de Palafrugell – Llafranc (1,5 km. / 20 minutes).
- L’Escala – Sant Martí d’Empúries (5,2 km. 1 hour)
- From Cadaqués – Portlligat (1,15km / 20 minutes).
For detailed information on places to stay, where to eat or to get more information to plan your routes, you can check the official Camí de Ronda website.
