Porqueres brings together a seasonal lake with a changing water level, a travertine landscape, archaeological heritage and art. When planning your trip, it is worth noting the difference between Platja d’Espolla and Les Estunes: the water level can change at the former, while forest and travertine deposits shape the landscape at the latter. Other highlights include the Dolmen de Porqueres, the sculptures in Bosc de Can Ginebreda and memories of a former train connection with Girona.
Forest and water: distinct nature themes
Les Estunes is a woodland area on travertine deposits. Large fissures, caves and passageways shape the landscape. The area is designated a geotope and is included in the PEIM. Visitors can walk along two forest trails, following the signs there. This makes it possible to explore Les Estunes both by way of its forest trails and through its distinctive geological features.
Platja d’Espolla offers a different focus. The intermittent lake is part of the Banyoles groundwater system and can be full or empty depending on the season. It is therefore a body of water whose condition can change over the course of the year. Triops cancriformes is the best-known aquatic species at Platja d’Espolla and is protected in Catalonia. Alongside the changing water level, a protected species is also part of this nature theme.
The municipality of Porqueres includes a large part of the Estany de Banyoles basin and several smaller ponds. The area around L’Estany also offers various ways to spend time outdoors: walking, wildlife watching, fishing and running. If you would like to include a route with a specified distance in your plans, consider the 6.5 km Volta a l’Estany de Banyoles route. It starts at the Centre BTT Porqueres and runs mostly along the cycle path around the lake.
Archaeology, art and railway history
The Dolmen de Porqueres is the only dolmen currently known in the municipality. Its original burial mound is still visible. Together, these details give the archaeological site a clear local identity: the dolmen is not only named, but also linked to a still-recognisable element of its original structure.
A very different focus awaits in Bosc de Can Ginebreda. The woodland area covers 40,000 square metres and features more than 100 erotic sculptures by artist Xicu Cabanyes. The area and number of works give a sense of the scale of this art collection. Unlike the dolmen, the focus here is not on archaeological heritage, but on an extensive collection of sculptures.
The Estudi Taller Carles Fontserè adds areas for painting, archives, a library and a desk to the cultural attractions. It also includes personal belongings, photographs and artworks. The restoration of the old Baixador de Mata and the reconstruction of a passenger carriage recall another kind of history: both relate to the train connection with Girona, which operated from 1926 to 1956. Porqueres thus brings together archaeological, artistic and technical history, without presenting them as the same kind of place or experience.
Market and travel highlights
Porqueres’s weekly market offers vegetables, fruit, artisan-made sausages and cheese. It adds local products to the nature and culture highlights. Market information may change, so check the latest details before visiting.
There are several interests to choose from when deciding what to focus on during your visit: the seasonally changing body of water at Platja d’Espolla, the travertine formations at Les Estunes, the dolmen, the sculptures or the railway history. If you mainly want to spend time by the lake, you can compare walks, wildlife watching, fishing and running with the clearly specified route. This lets you explore Porqueres according to the themes that interest you, rather than treating its different natural and cultural sites as a single experience.
Discover more destinations: Pujarnol, Santa Llogaia D'àlguema, Agullana, Bordils, Forallac, Garrigàs, La Jonquera, Besalú
For the main travel overview: Girona.
