What to see in Monells, town with “8 Catalan surnames” (Costa Brava)

A while ago, when I returned from a summer trip along the Costa Brava, a friend asked me, Have you visited Monells?, and I had to tell him no, that I would visit him on a new trip.

The truth is that I was about to visit it then, since that's what it was recommended to us during the visit to the nearby in peratalla, but that day's plan prevented us from getting close to young men.

I already knew that, in reality, attractiveness of Monells concentrated on one class…but what a square!

Monells, setting for “8 Catalan surnames” on the Costa Brava

And it turns out that one of the most successful Spanish films released after the summer of 2015, “8 Catalan surnames“, has the central square of Monells as a great protagonist.

Therefore, on the last trip that took me to Costa Brava, In the Girona province, Monells visit became a priority.

And it hasn't disappointed me at all.

When I saw the movie in the theater, I actually didn't know that the town that appeared was young men, and at first I got the feeling that the scenes were shot in the beautiful Peratallada.

But in the film significant corners appeared that did not seem to me to be in that town and I immediately knew that, in reality, the wedding "8 Catalan surnames" was carried out in young men.

What to see and do when visiting Monells in Girona

young men It is one of the towns that make up the municipal area of Cruilles, Monells and Sant Sadurní de l'Heura, the largest in extension Lower Ampurdán.

Of course, barely 1.200 people live in these three towns.

The first documents that speak of the existence of young men They date back to the 10th century, where there seems to have been a castle.

And regarding its name, it is thought that it is due to the existence of some mills in the course of the river that crosses the town.

when you get to young men, you must park your car in a small parking lot at the entrance.

From there you will take a short walk to reach the James I Square, the heart of this precious medieval corner of Ampurdán.

First you will cross under what would be a gate in the old wall, and you will find some arcaded passages with beautiful corners of a medieval atmosphere that invite you to be photographed.

you will arrive at the Main square with portico of Monells which, due to its layout, shows us the importance it must have had in the 13th century as a cereal market.

Although the walls are Romanesque in style, in the square you will be able to see some Gothic style buildings, and it will be easy for you to recognize the scenes from the aforementioned film. “8 Catalan surnames“, with the bars and the arcades.

Finally, I advise you to sit on one of the terraces and said bars in the square to enjoy this charming corner of the interior of the Costa Brava.

Photos of Monells in Costa Brava

Here you have more photos of Monells, beautiful medieval town to visit in the Lower Ampurdán, in the province of Gerona.

MAP: How to get to Monells

young men is located inside the Costa Brava, half an hour by car heading east from the city of Girona, already half an hour inland from Calella de Palagrugell, on the coast.