Many people in Ribes left for the colonies to seek their fortune during the 19th and 20th century. The twn grew during the 19th century, thanks to the buildings that this small local bourgeoisie constructed when they returned.
The route of the so-called “Americanos” is traced down Carrer Major, which is the main street of the town.
This is the place where small noble’s homes could well strart off to discover the legacy from the Indies. Quite nerby there is the Redós of Sant Josep and Sant Pere, a refuge with a remarkable cloister, chapel, tower and patio.
The Plaça de la Font is an important monument commemorating the entry of piped water service. Drawing attention there, tourists can see the colorful mosaics of the fountain.
The other important square is Plaça de la Vila, having the house of Can Quima and the Town Hall, whose clock was manufactured thanks to a selfless donation from an overseas fortune.
The Carrer del Pi, a street home to its namesake century-hold pine tree, features a perfect example of the characteristic “Indian” façades on some of the houses: Can Maurici, Can Milà de Palou and Can Giralt.
Quite nearby there, there is the Palou neighborhood, where tourists can find accommodation in a typical house built by there “Americanos”.
The busting town center, the Plaça Marcer, features some buildings with a distinctly colonial flair. Alongside the square there is the Plaça de l’Eglésia, where the Sant Pere parish church, the Eglesía Nova, was built thanks to funds from the Indies, and whose twin towers rise high above the city.
Those are the main points of the city, and if tourists visit all of them, they will have a complete idea of what this place looked like back in time.