Travel Guide Sant Carles De La Ràpita

Founded more than 1,000 years ago by the Moors, who built a fortress near the mouth of the river, this city of 14,611 inhabitants (2018) flourished in the second half of the 18th century when Charles III of Spain decided to make the bay of Els Alfacs one of the largest commercial ports in the western Mediterranean. A project that did not survive the death of the king, as evidenced by the unfinished buildings of the Glorieta and the Església Nova, which did not prevent the city from becoming an important fishing port and a major tourist attraction in the region. At the end of each day, the return of the fishing boats that unpack their fish is a real spectacle. You can stop here to visit its emblematic places: its maritime passig, the market square, the Guardiola viewpoint and its watchtower, the best point to admire the panoramic view of the Delta Natural Park, its fish market and fishing port, or the Ràpita lighthouse (about one kilometer south of the city). In terms of gastronomy, between tradition and modernity, Sant Carles has some very good typical restaurants: it is even sometimes called "the gastronomic capital of the Terres de l'Ebre". You can't miss the famous Ràpita shrimp(Llagostins), the city's flagship product. For more information on the area, visit the tourist office (Parc del Garb) and www.turismelarapita.com