Where is Tossa de Mar?
The modestly sized town of Tossa de Mar lies on the coast of Catalonia, the eastern part of Spain. To understand where Tossa de Mar is located, it is enough to trace a glance north from the administrative center of the autonomous society. The city is located 90 kilometers from Barcelona. The nearest town, Lloret is 10km from Tossa de Mar, and it is closer to the French border than Barcelona - 85km.
It's not easy for curious tourists to get here. The nearest major highway passes by Blanes. You can either take the winding road along the rocky Mediterranean coast or the sea route from Lloret.
The town itself is set in a small bay surrounded, like many of Spain's seaside resorts, by a chain of majestic mountains generously covered in greenery. This is why the city attracts romantics and underwater enthusiasts. The population of Tossa de Mar is about 6 thousand people. And in the "high season" the number of people here doubles or even triples due to the influx of tourists.
A little bit of history about Tossa de Mar
Although the town is small, its history goes back centuries. The first settlers have been here since the Neolithic period. In the first century BC, an Iberian settlement was formed. At the beginning of the last century in the city limits were found the remains of an ancient Roman villa, dated approximately I century AD. Further excavations showed that this area was the site of the prosperous city of Turissa. It is therefore difficult to say when Tossa de Mar was founded. After the invasion of the barbarians, it was part of the kingdom of the Goths, and from the VIII century here ruled the Arabs. It was not until the twelfth century that the city passed to the Duchy of Barcelona.
At about the same time, the Vila Vella fortress appeared on the territory of the city. It was built as a defense against the pirates of North Africa. Unfortunately, to this day it has not preserved its integrity, but what remains attracts tourists like a magnet. In 1917, a lighthouse was erected on the site of one of the four towers of the fortress, which was destroyed.
A significant period in the life of the city dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when the main production of corks for Spain's elite wines was concentrated here.
The 1950s were a turning point in the town's history. At that time the movie "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman" starring Ava Gardner was filmed in Tossa de Mar. It was thanks to the actress and the sensational movie to the city came to fame, pulled tourists. Everyone wanted to sunbathe on the amazing beaches of the city, which so admired the actress. Since then and until today, tourism - the main article of profit of the city, which has become a rich seaside resort. In gratitude for this, the locals erected a monument to Ava Gardner in the fortress.
