The Village of L'Ampolla
L'Ampolla is a quaint and gorgeous seaside village that truly epitomizes the best of the Costa Daurada and the Tarragona Provence. The village is small and totally walkable. The village center is the promenade along the waterfront where the marina extends into the bay. But don't miss a meander through the narrow side streets or a stroll around the traffic circles to discover lovely little shops and eateries known to the locals. For up-to-date information click the link here to get to L'Ampolla's tourist office website for things to do and see. https://ampollaturisme.com/en/
Beaches & Coves
L'Ampolla is a fabulous destination to enjoy a restful vacation by the sea. L'Ampolla is well known in the area for it's wonderful beaches. There are 8 beaches within the village limits - 3 sandy beaches, 3 pebble beaches, and 2 secluded coves. The best, well-groomed beach is Platja Avellanes, it is less than 100 yards from our Apartment. Our favorite beach is a hike north along the high cliffs path to Platja Cap Roig. The views along the hike are spectacular! You can also get there by car for a quick dip. If swimming in a pool is more your thing, then check out Bama Beach Club. For 5 euros you can enjoy a swim in their 2 large pools. The attached restaurant and bar is also good for a convenient refreshment. https://www.bamabeachclub.com/home/
Nature Parks &
the Ebro River Delta
The Olles Lagoon occupies 54 hectares and is the smallest lagoon in the Ebro Delta National Park. It is connected to the Bay of Fangar through paddy fields and dunes and is just a few minutes from the beach. The Olles Lagoon is one of the richest and most diverse areas in the Ebro Delta. This lagoon appears to be one of the Ebro's oldest estuaries; it is currently home to a large nesting population of aquatic birds such as the flamingo, mallard, night heron, kingfisher and black-winged stilt. The path to the lagoon begins at the where the mile long beach promenade from the center of town ends to the south. It is a gorgeous walk to take! Here is the link to information on some of the wonderful hikes and walking path you can take from L'Ampolla. https://ampollaturisme.com/en/natural-routes-lampolla/
Village History
L'Ampolla is the offspring of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the lively River Ebro. Currents of sea and river, playing with the sand and waves, formed a huge lake, which eventually took the shape of a 'bottle' (Ampolla in Catalan); a name that was then given to the small fishing village that sprang up close to the mouth of this river.
The town's origins date back to the time of the Iberian tribes. Historians have identified L'Ampolla as being the Hellenic city known as Lebedontia, populated by the Iber tribe known as the Edentants or Erdets. Remains of Roman and Pre-Roman occupation in the form of coins, amphoras and antefixes (baked clay images in the shape of a woman) have confirmed that the roots of the village go right back to these times.
L'Ampolla's history is closely linked to fishing and sea trade. In fact, in the middle of the 16th century, Pope Adrian VI embarked from the town on a voyage to Rome. During the last third of the 19th century, progress began to be made along the Spanish coast and L'Ampolla came within the scope of influence of the large Catalan cities. In 1867 the L'Ampolla railway station was built and the first train began operating on 8 May in the same year.
In its early days, L'Ampolla was a stopping point along the Camí Ral (royal path) from Tarragona to Valencia. Historical documents from the 16th century tell of a number of fishermen's families living around the site of the town. Towards the end of the 19th century, the town's beaches began to become popular for bathing; to such an extent that a special bather's train was put into operation linking Tortosa with L'Ampolla.
Food & Shopping
L'Ampolla is a picturesque and charming village with about 3,600 residents, so with the exception of the 2 Spar grocery stores you will not find a McDonald’s or a Starbucks or any other chain store here, only unique locally owned shops, restaurants, and bars. The locals are friendly and welcoming. With the bounty of rice from the Delta, citrus from Valencia, wine and olives from the hill towns, local Spanish ham and cheese and L’Ampolla being a seafaring fishing village the indigenous gastronomy of the area is stunningly good and fresh! If you are a fan of mussels and oysters then the Gulf of St. Jordi offers some of the best and freshest in the world! We are just beginning to explore all of L’Ampolla’s offerings. In addition to the wonderful traditional fare there are pizzerias, patisseries, gelato shops, and cafés. We even have an Irish Pub and a fantastic Uruguayan Steak House. There are also many lovely little shops to discover. We will post our new discoveries here as we make them.
