Llofriu brings together a historic town centre, literary traces and routes that reveal different sides of the village. During your stay, you can combine its architectural history and connection to Josep Pla with routes towards Les Gavarres. Each of the destinations and routes mentioned has its own character, from the town centre and cemetery to paths through the landscape.
Town Centre and Architectural History
The old town grew up around the church of Sant Fruitós. The present-day church was built in the mid-18th century; some surviving houses date from the 17th and 18th centuries, though most are from the 19th century. These different building periods offer a glimpse of how the town centre developed, without reducing its buildings to a single era.
Can Bassa was built in 1889 in a popular neoclassical style and is now the Centre Cultural Bassa-Rocas. This centre is also a stop on the Ruta dels Indians in Palafrugell, linking the building to another cultural route in the area.
Josep Pla and the Cemetery
The Ruta Josep Pla a Llofriu explores the writer’s connection to the village through his literature, his autobiographical reality and the fictional portrayal in El campanaret. The Llofriu section begins in the old town and ends at the Cementiri de Llofriu, where the writer is buried. The route thus leads from the town centre to a place that also holds special significance for Josep Pla’s memory.
The cemetery was inaugurated in 1895 and is modest in size, with a predominantly rural character. It was the burial place Josep Pla requested. In front of his grave is a double burial niche; on its back, facing Mas Pla, two passages from El quadern gris can be read. Mas Pla is the Pla family’s ancestral farmhouse. The farmhouse dates from the 17th or 18th century and was extensively remodelled in the 19th century.
Cultural Routes and Different Stops
Another route connected with the village’s history is the Ruta dels americanos. It begins in Llofriu, passes through Palafrugell and Calella, and ends at the Santuari de Sant Sebastià. By connecting several places, its route distinguishes it clearly from the Ruta Josep Pla: one explores the literary connection with Llofriu, while the other passes through several stops on its way to the sanctuary.
The Festa de la Pela del Suro de Llofriu has a focus of its own. The festival offers a chance to see cork stripping, as well as entertainment, cultural and gastronomic activities. The specific programme may vary.
Routes Towards Les Gavarres
For a stay focused on the landscape and walking routes, consider the connections to the Les Gavarres massif. The Camí de les Poues links Llofriu with the massif and continues to Fonteta. It is also the former route connecting Llofriu to Peralta and is 1.6 kilometres long. The Camí vell de Sobirà also connects Llofriu with Les Gavarres; it is one kilometre long. At 1.6 kilometres, the Camí de les Poues is 600 metres longer than the one-kilometre Camí vell de Sobirà.
Another destination is the Font de la Teula, below Puig de Pedra Blanca. The spot has a small clearing with benches and a stone table. From the Cementiri de Llofriu, the spring can be reached on foot or by bicycle via a path leading to the Dolmen de la Vinya Gran and Puig d’en Torroella. As trail conditions can change, check them before setting out.
The Camí de Llofriu a Fitor is 1.2 kilometres long. It crosses the Torrent de les Murtes, passes Can Po and crosses the Riera Grossa. It then continues along the right bank until it leaves the municipality. This sequence of waypoints adds a route with clearly named landmarks to the shorter connections to Les Gavarres.
Discover more destinations: Tamariu, Calella De Palafrugell, Llafranc.
Back to the main travel guide: Palafrugell.
