Follow the palm trees
Ever since the discovery of the ‘New World’, immigrants from all over Europe have made their way across the Atlantic in search of a better life. Many left hardship behind, such as mass migration during the 1840s, when the insect parasite phylloxera devastated Catalunya’s profitable grapevines. Some found success in their new lands and stayed to build business empires. But for others, the roots tying them to their home country were too strong to ignore.
The term ‘indians’ refers to those who emigrated from Catalunya to mostly Latin American countries, especially in the first half of the 19th century. Their influence can still be felt today, thanks to the architectural and cultural contributions of those who came back. Many shared their good fortune with the community and transformed their ancestral homes to incorporate the colonial style, typified by an abundance of arches, interior gardens, and frescoes depicting exotic overseas landscapes. These are commonly known as the cases d’Indians.
The architectural legacy of the returning emigrants can be found in port towns all along the coast, and across Catalunya various city councils have joined together to create a network—the Xarxa de Municipis Indians—which is an excellent source of information and guide to visiting this cultural heritage.
Torredembarra
The southernmost town on the route was home to many successful businessmen and philanthropists who made their fortunes in the Americas. Their influence is most evident on the street named in honour of Antoni Roig, a famous local who returned to Torredembarra determined to help those he left behind. His greatest legacy was a school originally designed to help the poor and uneducated. Another name remembered in the town is Pere Badia, a successful merchant who made his fortune in 18th-century New Orleans. Following orders left in his will, the Pere Badia Charity Hospital was constructed in 1824, and still serves the community today as a care home for the elderly.
What to visit
Walk along Carrer de Antoni Roig, where many colonial-style mansions boast large front doors, high ceilings and lush gardens, before passing by Roig’s school on Alt de Sant Pere, which can be recognised by the Masonic stars carved into the facade. Pere Badia’s hospital can be found on the street named after its founder; a single-storey stone building with a Baroque-style chapel and cloistered courtyard, filled with exotic vegetation.
Where to stay
Neighbouring town Calafell boasts its own collection of colonial treasures. Stay at the Hotel Antiga (from €75) a beautifully renovated colonial mansion built by a returning sea captain in 1870.
Getting there
From Barcelona Sants, take the Renfe R. Expres train towards Tortosa, approximately 50 minutes. €7 or T-10 (6 Zones)
Sant Pere de Ribes
Going north, the next major town on the route, Sant Pere, is brimming with a wealth of well-preserved Indies-inspired architecture and impressive Modernista features, mostly funded by money made in the Americas and sent back by wealthy expatriates based in Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and Brazil.
What to visit
The ornate, terracotta and beige clock tower of the town hall in Plaça de la Vila, and the colourful mosaic–coated fountain in the Plaça de la Font, built to commemorate the introduction of pipe water in the town. Another focal point of the town, the Església Nova in Plaça de l’Església, boasts imposing twin towers that stand above all else around. Carrer del Pi (named after a century-old pine tree), is also full of characteristically ‘Indian’ facades that once housed prosperous merchants.
Where to stay
One of the late 19th-century mansions on Carrer de Palou has been converted into the luxury Palou Boutique Hotel (from €60).
Getting there
Take the Monbus E-14, which leaves from Ronda de la Universitat 33, direct to Sant Pere de Ribes. Approximately one hour. €4.20 or T-10 (3 zones).
Blanes
Many of the region’s emigrants set sail from the Costa Brava. Around 180 sailboats were constructed in the port of Blanes between 1816 and 1875, many of which ferried residents to seek fortune in the West, and the town went on to boast many elaborate facades and interior murals of American vistas to prove their success. The town’s best remembered prodigal son is Agustí Vilaret, a Blanes-born entrepreneur who travelled to Cuba, Puerto Rico and Argentina and made a mint in sugar production. In 1865, Vilaret returned from a 30-year stay in the Antilles and founded one of the first ever producers of cava, Mont-Ferrant.
What to visit
Walk along the seaside promenade, Passeig de Dintre, and you will see a number of colonial-style terraced townhouses, such as Can Massó (no.2) or Ca L’Andreu (no.34), easily identified by their ornate balconies. Another eye-catching building is the triple-tier lemon cheesecake facade of the Escola de la Salut (Santa Bàrbara 1), a school that was founded with the help of contributions sent back from generous ex-residents in Havana, Montevideo and Buenos Aires. Agustí Villaret’s original vineyard can also be visited just outside of the town.
Getting there
Take the Renfe R1 train from Sants to Blanes, approximately 90 minutes. €7.60 or T-10 (6 zones).
Palafrugell
The indians from Palafrugell spread themselves far and wide, from Chile, Argentina and Cuba, to Guatemala and New York. This municipality, made up of the inland town of Palafrugell and the adjacent traditional fishing village, Calella de Palafrugell, still bears many marks of the material and cultural wealth that the migrants brought back, and is historically connected to the musical tradition of habaneras.
What to visit
Take in numerous extravagant mansions along Carrer D’Irene Rocas in Palafrugell, such as Can Bassa (no.1), which now serves as a social and cultural centre. Inside, you can even see inscriptions such as ‘Adéu Catalunya’ carved by migrants before their impending journeys. The churches in the district also bear the mark of colonial influence, such as the Església Parroquial de Sant Martí (Caritat 68), which houses a silver-coated altar, or the miniature chapel and lighthouse of Santuari de Sant Sebastià i Far in the adjacent town of Llafranc (Pg. de Pau Casals 64), perched on a cliff, 168m above the water below, and boasting spectacular sea views.
Where to stay
Casa Calella (from €105, casacalella.com) is a small house-hotel in the old town of Calella de Palafrugell whose 19th century indiano architecture has been lovingly restored.
Getting there
Take the Sarfa bus from Estació del Nord. Approximately two hours. €18.50.
Begur
Many of the towns on the route commemorate the heritage of the indians with an annual festival, including Torredembarra and Sant Pere (both the second weekend in September). But perhaps the biggest is the annual Fira d’Indians (firaindians.com) in Begur, the hilltop town close to Palafrugell, which takes place during the first weekend of September. The festival pays heritage to the many Begur inhabitants who primarily settled in Cuba and Puerto Rico after the local coral farming trade failed in the mid-19th century.
What to visit
The ornate influence of Begur’s indians is evident in many buildings about town. Carrer de Bonaventura Carreras, just off Plaça de la Vila, has several mansions, each one accompanied by an explanatory plaque. It is worth seeking out Casa de Pere Roger (Bonaventura Carreras 20) and Casa del Senyor Puig (Av. de l’Onze de Setembre 1), both beautiful Caribbean-style villas with porticoed terraces. Have a peek inside the porch of another magisterial mansion, Can Sora (Av. de l’Onze de Setembre 5), and you will be pleasantly surprised to see some well-conserved original frescoes of American landscapes, a reminder of the lifestyle the returning voyagers left behind.
Where to stay
There are two hotels housed in beautifully converted mansions in Begur: the Hotel-Spa Classic (from €110, hotelclassicbegur.com), built in 1857, and the Hotel Aiguaclara (from €85, hotelaiguaclara.com), which is located in Casa Bonaventura Caner i Bataller.
Getting there
Take the Sarfa bus from Estació del Nord. Approximately two and a half hours. €19.50.
Habaneras
The habanera is a musical genre that originated in 19th-century Cuba, where a diverse society of immigrants produced a mix of Latin rhythm with African and European influences. The indians then brought it back to Spain. The songs they sang were full of nostalgic memories of the Americas, and typically performed in a pub or tavern in front of an eager audience. They always follow the same slow pattern of 60 beats per minute, and were originally sung a cappella, although today they are usually accompanied by guitars and accordions.
The habaneras tradition is particularly important along the Costa Brava, where an annual festival is held on the beach of Calella de Palafrugell every July. Another lasting tradition associated with the musical performances is ‘cremat’, a hot rum drink made with coffee, sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon.
Famous songs: La Bella Lola, La Gavina, La Pimienta, El Meu Avi
Famous Fortunes
Joan Güell i Ferrer
Born in Torredembarra in 1800, Güell i Ferrer was a famous industrialist, politician and economist who moved to Cuba in 1818 and amassed a fortune through his Havana-based import-export company. When Güell returned home, he settled in Barcelona and established the first cotton factory in Spain. A statue of him stands at the crossing of Gran Via and Rambla de Catalunya, and his son, Eusebi, went on to commission many architectural masterpieces by Gaudí.
Miquel Biada Bunyol
Born in Mataró in 1789, Bunyol moved to Venezuela in 1808, where he worked as a merchant before becoming involved in the Venezuelan War of Independence. He was captured by insurgents and sent back to Catalunya, but later travelled to Cuba, where he made a fortune exporting cigars. Bunyol returned home and was responsible for the construction of the first railway line on the Iberian Peninsula between Barcelona and Mataró, which was inaugurated on 28th October, 1848.
Facundo Bacardí
Facundo Bacardí i Massó was born in 1814 in Sitges, and followed his older brother to Santiago de Cuba. There, Bacardí began experimenting with different ways of distilling rum, which, until then, had been a crude local beverage. The road to success is never smooth, however, and Bacardí had to overcome several crises, including earthquakes, bankruptcy and a cholera epidemic. Nevertheless, Bacardí went on to become one of the world’s most recognisable brands.