The walk takes about 15-20 minutes, not accounting for greetings and photo stops. Avoid the midday sun, and consider walking in the morning or evening. This is a “MUST.” The Camino de Ronda runs along the coast, starting at the stairs of Llafranc (in front of the pharmacy). The only challenging part is the stairs, numbering more than 100. In fact, for the laziest among you, starting on the right side of the stairs means one step less! The exact count of steps (about 100) seems elusive because everyone ends up discounting themselves and some even go back down to start again!
If you have baby strollers, there are alternative paths to avoid the stairs. For everyone else, let’s embrace the challenge! After the stairs, you’ll reach a comfortable, wide, and practically even path—a perfect Instagram moment! (In fact, the walk is named after the photographer Miserachs, from before Instagram existed…).
It’s a picturesque route, and you’ll soon reach Calella de Palafrugell (they call it that because Llafranc, Calella, and Tamariu are “the beaches of Palafrugell,” all belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell). From Llafranc to Calella, it’s about 15-20 minutes one way, unless you stop a lot to say hello or take photos.
Try to do this walk at times when the sun is not very strong, ideally at sunrise or sunset. The locals of Llafranc, not very original, dedicate their evenings to walking along the Camino de Ronda, having an ice cream in Calella “because they are better there.” Surprisingly, those in Calella dedicate their sunsets to walking along the Camino de Ronda, having an ice cream in Llafranc “because they are better there.” Anyway, don’t try to understand them; they’ve been like this for years…
For the more restless, I recommend not stopping in Calella and going a little further to Cap Roig beach. The path begins to feature beautiful small stone tunnels. Going from Calella to the beach of Cap Roig (which, truthfully, belongs to Calella but is somewhat more distant than the residential center of Calella) can take about 20 minutes more on foot.
For those who enjoy walking or even gently jogging while savoring the landscape, the Llafranc/Cap Roig/Llafranc option, first thing in the morning (not in the afternoon, as it is too crowded for jogging), is a very good option, with the added bonus of a swim when you arrive at Cap Roig beach. But, please, don’t mention this to others; we don’t want it to become too popular! And, no worries, it is a very manageable path for all ages, from baby strollers to grandparents. The only challenge is the stairs, but that can be avoided!
