Mercat Municipal de l'Escala
L'Escala is famous across Catalonia for one thing above all else: its anchovies, salted and cured in the old artisanal way in the town's workshops. The covered municipal market is the best place in the region to buy them directly from producers, alongside seasonal vegetables, local olive oil and Empordà cheeses.
What to buy and from whom
Look for the stalls of Anxoves de l'Escala — the denomination that protects the traditional product — where you can taste before you buy. The anchovies come packed in salt (for the purist, requiring home rinsing) or filleted in olive oil in glass jars, which travel well as gifts. Prices are far lower than in Barcelona delis.
The vegetable stalls in summer overflow with Empordà tomatoes, the flat, ridged variety called tomàquet de penjar that Catalans rub on bread for pa amb tomàquet. A bottle of local Oli de l'Empordà extra-virgin olive oil alongside a rope of these tomatoes is the perfect self-catering haul.
Around the market and town
After shopping, walk five minutes to the Greek and Roman ruins of Empúries — one of the most significant archaeological sites in Spain, where you can stand on a 2,500-year-old mosaic floor overlooking the same bay the Greek colonists first saw. Entry is €6 and the site is rarely crowded.
L'Escala's own beach, Platja de l'Escala, is a long sandy arc backed by pine trees rather than apartment blocks, and calm enough for children. The combination of archaeology, market and beach makes this a perfect full-day excursion.
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