October

By the beginning of October the tourist season is over and things have more or less got back to normal.

For all of us living here it’s relief that most visitors have gone back home. But even with fewer tourists there is one big drawback. October is one of the wettest months in the calendar…

Want to know what the weather will do on the Costa Brava? Here’s the 25 day forecast.

With autumn here it’s time to check we have enough heating oil, make sure firewood is chopped and and the chimney is clean. It won’t be long before the the cold strikes.

But before then we’ll have a ton of leaves covering the garden and – for us at least – millions and millions of acorns.

In the hills you may see wild boars, sometimes running down the street. No doubt they’re here for their fill of acorns but, boy, can they run!

What’s on in October

While the summer may be nothing but a distant memory, that doesn’t mean there is nothing going on in the Costa Brava.

There are still a number of food and drink related events. While these focus primarily on local specialities, the Oktoberfest in Platja d’Aro is a chance to dust off your lederhosen and go and drink beer while listening to oompah music if it so takes your fancy.

Here’s the rundown of the big events for October.

National Day of Spain

Each year 12th October is a public holiday throughput Spain to coincide with the country’s national holiday. Many Catalans don’t feel much love for Spain though and so some businesses make a point of not closing on this day.

So don’t expect to see much in the way of celebration on the Costa Brava but do expect many businesses to be closed on this date.

L’Escala: Anchovy Tapas Trail/Anchovy Festival

L’Escala continues to celebrate its famous anchovies with dozens of bars and restaurants in the town offering anchovy based tapas. It all culminates in the Anchovy Festival on the morning of the first Sunday in October.

The Golden Anchovy prize is awarded to the person or company who has done the most to promote the anchovy industry throughout the year. Afterwards there is a Habaneras concert down on the beach in the old town and you get to taste the famous anchovies.

Sant Feliu de Guíxols: Ganxotapes

The autumn edition of Ganxotapes runs for a month until mid November. During this period you can get a drink and a tapa for around €2.50 with restaurants competing to produce the best tapa dish based on votes from the public.

Torroella de Montgrí: Cooking apple gastronomy

If you’ve ever visited Torroella, or simply driven by, you’ll know that the town is surrounded by acres and acres of orchards.

The town celebrates its apples throughout October with a gastronomic campaign centred around cooking apples. A number of restaurants offer apple based dishes and there are also events to showcase dishes prepared with apples. Follow the link above for details.

Platja d’Aro: Oktoberfest

Beer lovers will want to head for Plaça del Mil·lenari in the centre of Platja d’Aro during the first two weekends of October.

There you can sample some of the 30 different beers as part of the annual Oktoberfest. The beers include a number of hand-crafted varieties. You can also grab a bite to eat to help soak up the alcohol while listening to music from brass bands and orchestras to give an authentically Germanic experience.

Llagostera: Mushroom fair & gastronomy

With the October rainfall come all sorts of fungi in Girona’s forests. If you go for a walk at weekends you’ll trip over people with baskets full of various mushrooms.

Catalonia has dozens of edible mushrooms, although plenty that are not. But if you want to enjoy mushrooms with the hard work done for you, head for the old part of Llagostera on a weekend close to 12th October. There you’ll find the annual mushroom fair with baskets and baskets of them and food trucks offering various mushroom dishes. A number of restaurants also take part in Llagostera’s mushroom gastronomy campaign. Check the website for up to date details.

Palafrugell: Es Niu

Es Niu, or “the nest”, is a traditional stew from Palafrugell originally made from cod tripe, boiled egg, fish broth and potato.

Fishermen later added cuttlefish, then cork harvesters would cook it with game and sausage and eat it on Mondays. It takes five hours or so to cook and so generally not available on regular restaurant menus. Since 1998 several restaurants in Palafrugell have offered it during October and November, although information isn’t published very far in advance.

Girona: Fires de Sant Narcís

Girona celebrates the day of its main patron saint on 29th October with a ten day festival. Running from the last Friday of October to the first Sunday of November, the Fires de Sant Narcís include more than 200 events at various venues around the city. As well as simple food and drink these include concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions, parades, a funfair, trade fair and human towers.