Tourist Pages

Tossa de Mar,  the roman "Turissa" is today an international well-known town and holiday resort on the "Costa Brava" in Catalonia, about 95 kilometres north of Barcelona and 100 kilometres south of the French border.

Contrary to popular belief that Tossa has traditionally been a fishing town, in mediaeval times and until the arrival of tourism, the local economy was mostly based on agricultural production, principally Grape vine and cork. There was a thriving export market of the latter (in the form of cork taps shipped to the Americas) during the 18th century and early 19th century.

Fishing has traditionally been a relatively minor contributor to the village's economy, although it has consistently provided an alternative source of income in times of economic crisis. A small fishing industry is still active as of 2005 and occupies a few members of local fishing families. Most of their captures are sold to local restaurants and in the fish markets in neighbouring Blanes and Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

During the 1920s and 1930s small contingents of Englishmen, Jewish Germans, and others started to arrive and ended up settling in Tossa. Amongst them there were a number of philosophers, writers, and painters, the likes of George Kars or Marc Chagall. A selection of paintings by these and other artists can be seen in the local museum.

Hollywood also arrived here in 1950, putting Tossa de Mar on the map with the shooting of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman starring James Mason and Ava Gardner. A statue of the actress was erected in the old town, the Vila Vella, in 1998.