Costa Brava’s oldest city: Greco-Roman Empúries

The site of one of Spain’s earliest cities is Empúries, an ancient settlement found in Catalonia on the Costa Brava coastline, seamlessly meeting the Mediterranean Sea at the southern curve of the Gulf of Roses, northeast of Girona.

Translating as ‘market’, the city of Empúries was founded in 575 BC by Greek colonists and was once a bustling town complete with a surprisingly sophisticated set up - temples, factories, waste management, habitation and palaces for the Greek aristocracy. Empúries became a thriving trading hub, with the Greeks sailing north and south of the Mediterranean coastline, bringing spoils from their explorations to Empúries apparently in harmony for at least 300 years.

This all changed when Roman general Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio arrived at Empúries by boat with his troops during the Second Punic War, and Romanisation occurred here on the Iberian Peninsula, eventually renaming the site Emporiae. As ports sprung up in Tarragona and Barcelona, the need for Emporiae gradually faded.

Today, exploring the site of Empúries, with the warm Mediterranean breeze blowing and the sea visible, it’s easy to imagine the once thriving town. There’s a fascinating mix of both Greek and Roman ruins remaining, including some well-preserved details like the beautiful mosaic flooring of a wealthy Roman homeowner’s dwelling and the Greek statue of Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine who looks out the sea as if visualising the conquest of the oncoming Romans. An ancient Roman gate scenically frames a sea view and the remains of shops, baths and forum are all ready to examine.

To gain further insight, drop into the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia at Empúries, to get to grips with the hybrid Greco-Roman town, and the significance of Roman historical development in the Iberian Peninsula and beyond. You can also examine exhibitions such as the ‘Treasure of the Empúries’. There are also plenty of spots to simply sit and imagine live as it once was here at Empúries, over 2,500 years ago.