In Girona’s Costa Brava, several places are no longer independent municipalities after a series of administrative changes over the past decades, according to L'Empordà.
The area remains one of Catalonia’s best-known coastal regions, stretching from Blanes to Portbou. It continues to draw visitors for its coves, villages and beaches, with 27 beaches in the province receiving Blue Flag recognition in 2025 for environmental and service standards.
Some of the best-known examples are Castell d'Empordà and Fonteta. Castell d'Empordà disappeared from the Spanish census in 1981 and became a population entity within La Bisbal d'Empordà in 1972. Fonteta merged with Vulpellac and Peratallada in 1977 to form Forallac in Baix Empordà.
Other former municipalities include Sant Joan de Palamós, which joined Palamós in 1942, and Casavells, which ceased to be independent in 1969 and became part of Corçà in Baix Empordà. Cassà de Pelràs and Matajudaica also became part of Corçà, and now form a medieval complex.
The article also notes that Peratallada is often mistaken for a municipality, but it is actually a village within Forallac. Castell d'Empordà has older roots too, with origins linked to Roman times and a castle built in the 14th century.
Administrative changes are not limited to the Costa Brava. In La Selva, Sant Julià del Llor i Bonmatí separated from Amer in 1983. More recently, Lluçanès was created in 2023 through the segregation of municipalities mainly from Osona and Berguedà, and in July the Catalan Parliament approved the incorporation of Aiguafreda into Osona, which had previously been part of Vallès Oriental. For more Catalonia-wide local updates, see our news page.
