P e r a l a d a
           

Northeast of Figueres, the small medieval town of Peralada lies in rural area in the midst of an area of grape cultivation. South of the town flows the Llobregat, which flows into the Muga.

In many ways Peralada is well known because of its golf course, its exclusive casino and the stands that offer a taste of the well-known Catalan Cava.

On the other hand, fewer know of its rich cultural heritage as the centre of an old jurisdiction and county. It an ideal destination for those who want to know more about our region. The Centre Cultural de Domenéc shows the cloister of the former monastery Sant Doménec de Peralada from the 12th and 13th century as centre of its exhibition. The monastery robbed cloister shows many Biblical scenes as well as representations of animals on the columns. The landmark of Peralada is the castle Castel de Peralada, a manor house with two important tin towers and a park with wonderful old trees. This former residence of the counts of Peralada was constructed in the 14th century and was converted at the end of the 16th century into a palace for Francesc Jofre de Rocaberti. Along with the palace, Philipp III also bestowed the title of the Count of Peralada. Today the castle is in private hands and is not opened to the public. A portion of the castle is accessible for those who visit the elegant casino. The castle park is opened in July and August for the world-famous “Festival Internacional de Música de Peralada”. The palace is connected with the gothic buildings on the other side of the road by a bridge.

    
  In the midst of the old local centre are many small romantic spots  
   
     
       
On the other side of the road is the entrance to the Convent del Carme and the Museo del Castillo de Peralada. In this monastery, built in the 14th Century in the gothic style, is one of the most important Catalan art collections, the collection Suqué–Mateu. The tour is a “must see” for those interested in the history and beauty of the Alt Empordà.

tracery windows of the gothic chapel in the Convent del Carme

    
   
Cloister, Convent del Carme   Library, Convent del Carme   Glass museum
           
A guided tour of the museum begins with the impressing library, to which include other large archives that are not shown. Visible are 80,000 volumes of mostly ancient books dating back to the 9th century, although there are some 20th century books, and an extraordinary collection of about 1000 published copies of the Don Quixote, in over one hundred languages. The visit includes the gothic monastic church with its cloister and a collection of sculptures, mostly from the monastery Sant Pere de Rodes and from Besalù.
Very impressive is the Museo del Vitrio, a dream collection of 2.500 glass works of art, presented in glass showcases. The walls are decorated with approximately 1000 Spanish ceramics, mainly plates from the 14th to the 19th Century.
The wine museum (Museo del Vi) in the medieval wine cellar is the final stop on the tour. Guided tours are offered Tuesday to Saturday 10, 11 and 12 o'clock and 16.30, 17, 30, 18, 30 o'clock; Sunday 10, 11, 12 o'clock

It is worthwhile to continue from Peralada and add a stop at Vilabertran, on the road toward Figueres. The small village is home to the former Augustine convent Santa Maria de Vilabertran, one of the most important and best-preserved roman monastery facilities in Catalonia. From time to time local artists show their works in the monastery; at other times travelling art collections are exhibited.
CapCreus online, the Web-newspaper of the  Costa Brava: www.cbrava.com