Costa Brava: the 10 Best Places to Visit

What to do and see on the Costa Brava in Spain? At first glance we thought it was a place that was far too touristy, but we were surprised by the diversity of its landscapes, from crystal clear coves to charming villages. We take you to discover the Costa Brava, the pearl of the Catalan coast, and its must-sees.

With the health crisis, we had to fall back on a destination closer to home (Arcachon) to take the car and not have any unpleasant surprises of flights cancelled at the last minute like we had for Florida and Sardinia in 2020. We took the car at the end of September to go on a road-trip to the Costa Brava.

C’est la destination idéale pour passer des vacances dans la péninsule ibérique à quelques kilomètres de la frontière  française et de sa sublime côte vermeille. Voici nos incontournables pour des vacances en Espagne sur la Costa Brava.

1- Cadaqués and Port Lligat house Salvador Dalí.

The Cadaqués village is a beautiful white village with picturesque lanes and cobbled streets. Just the road to get there is atypical, long and narrow, up and down, and will blow you away. Beware of the crowds, it is better to get there early because in September the car park was jammed and it was difficult to find a place.

Once you have parked at the large paying car park, you can wander around this sloping village and discover this artists' place, which is mainly focused on the Dali museum. There is a calmness in the streets.

A little higher up, don't miss the other small village of Port Lligat it is here that you can visit the amazing house-museum of Salvador Dali Casa-Museo or walk along the fishermen's port. A little further north, stop at the white fishing village of Selva and the small port of Selva for windsurfing and the beach of Tamariu.

Lire ici notre article complet sur le village de Cadaques en Espagne

2- The calmness of Roses

Roses or Rosas, a Catalan town that surprised us with its large, endless bay and its relaxing, farniente setting! It is not for nothing that many French retirees come here to rest. We liked its large seafront promenade. There is no need to say Roses has all the makings of a seaside resort where you can relax by the sea, browse the shops or simply enjoy an ice cream on the waterfront. Discover where to sleep and what to do in Roses here

🏝️ Où Dormir à Roses : notre sélection Coup de Coeur

•  50 metres from the beach 60m². apartment in Calella de Palafrugell sea view 128€ per night for 2/4 or 6 persons
• Chambres modernes et spacieuses à l’Hotel Alga 4 stars 93€ per night for 2
• Au centre de Roses, accès gratuit salle de sport et piscine hydromassage à l’hôtel Marina 3 étoiles  86€ per night for 2
• Well located in Roses with its sea view the Prestige Mar y Sol is ideal for couples 82€ per night for 2
• Sud de Roses à l’hôtel Maritim 4 étoles with breakfast and dinner included 124€ per night for 2

3- Empuriabrava, an air of Florida

Empuriabrava surprised us with its originality. A real marina that makesEmpuriabrava THE largest marina in Europe. Multitudes of dwellings stretch around the canals, each with its own mooring point to tie up their boat.

On se sent un peu comme à Miami ou Venise, vous pouvez faire un tour des canaux en petit bateau électrique sans se perdre grâce à un système d’alarme dès que vous vous éloignez du périmètre. Prix de la balade en bateau entre 45€ et 50€ de l’heure. Nous avons passé une nuit au village de Castello d’Empuries au coeur des remparts. Si vous avez le temps pour visit Figueres et surtout le théâtre musée Dali qui est l’un des plus visités. Faites aussi un détour au château Saint-Fernand.

Restaurant : We recommend Bakkhos Café-Pizzeria for its delicious Argentinean cuisine.

4- Castello de Empuries

The small Spanish city of Castello de Empuries takes us back in time with its medieval appearance, especially with the parish church of Santa Maria, which makes it one of the few Gothic cathedrals in the region.

The alleys are colourful and you can even come across an old wash house (beautiful at night) and step back in time.

5- Medieval village of Pals

Pals est l’un des villages favoris quand on visite la Costa Brava. Il est marqué par le style gothique, parfaitement conservé et permet de découvrir l’histoire du Baix Empordà.

 

Pals is the typical medieval town of its fortified medieval towns with castles, Romanesque churches and monasteries dating back to the 9th century to find the first written documents that speak of this town, the period to which its castle belongs.

 

Don't miss in Pals -> Visit :

• • Musée – Casa de Cultura Ca la Pruna. Une maison fortifiée du 15ème siècle
  • The fortified walls and its four towers. 
  • The panoramic view of Josep Pla. 
  • Pals Castle 
  • L’église de Sant Pere
  • The main square.

Where to sleep?
Nous avons dormi à Torroella de Montgri dans un hôtel de charme idéal pour les locations de vacances si vous aimez la tranquillité à la campagne avec piscine d’eau de mer, sauna et grande chambre. Le super déjeuner était gargantuesque. On recommande : Moli del Mig

6- Medieval village of Peratallada

Located in the municipality of Forallac, not far from Girona, you should definitely stop by the old town Peratallada to visit:
– Église San Esteban un édifice roman du XIIIe siècle à trois nefs
– Le château-palais remontent à l’année 1065,même si des vestiges prouvent l’appartenance à l’empire romain
– Plaza de las Volte on adore ses arcades tout comme la Plaza del Castillo

Peratallada est un petit village à l’arrière-pays de 200 âmes ce qui en fait tout son charme et donc incontournable.

7- Begur village like in Cuba

During your stay in the Costa Brava, we advise you to visit the Begur village with its old stone architecture and its attractions that allow you to take in the sights. The village is nestled in the hills and everything is within walking distance from the car parks below.

We advise you to go to the heights of the fortress of the 11th century medieval city to admire the panoramic view. The climb is accessible, but the wind quickly kicks up the dust. However, it is worth the diversions because the view is grandiose, you can even see the sea in the distance. An orientation table allows us to identify the different villages we have visited.

You have to get lost in Begur, go through the narrow streets, see the colourful Cuban houses. Yes, you can feel the Cuban atmosphere in this village, partly due to the return of the "Americanos" from the 16th century, who went to live in Cuba after the Begur vine disease and you can see their return to the village! The colonial style houses, the frescos and the gastronomy.
We recommend the Bar Havana restaurant to taste typical Cuban dishes.

This ancient fortified village is located near beautiful coves and beaches of the Mediterranean Sea like Sa Tuna with its crystal clear turquoise waters It reminded us of the beautiful beaches of Fuerteventura during our road trip to fuerteventura it is a pity that the parking is not free and that the weather did not allow us to enjoy this cove. Also do not miss the natural park of the area.

8- Tamariu Beach

This beach takes its name from the tamarisk pines that line each side of the bay. The coves of Tamariu The beaches are so beautiful that we recommend swimming and walking along the path. You can admire the fish at the edge of the coves. Tamariu is one of the most beautiful beaches of our road trip.

9- Calella de Palafrugell and Cami da Ronda

This beautiful fishing village Calella de Palafrugell is our must-see destination on the Costa Brava. With its white houses, narrow streets, fishermen's boats and small harbours, Calella de Palafrugell is a place where you can enjoy the good life and swim in its crystal clear waters. The ideal place to do water sports with direct access to the beach: kayaking, SUP. We were able to inflate our Stand Up Paddle and discover the most beautiful places and small coves.

Folk-Travel's advice: follow the Cami da Ronda path qui longe la côte vers le Sud. Vous passez sous des tunnels, découvrez des criques incroyables et des rochers au milieu de l’eau sorti de nulle part ! Tout est à couper le souffle ! C’est incroyable toutes ces calanques au bord de mer avec les falaises qui plongent dans l’eau. De. plus ces sentiers sont facilement praticables il y est tellement appréciable de s’y balader.

10- Les Criques de Platja d’Aro

Here you can see that tourism is the heart of the city with its many branded shops, its 17-storey buildings but Platja d'Aro is worth a visit with its large sandy beaches et plus haut que ce soit par le sentier ou en paddle les criques comme Cala Sa Cova ou Cala del Pi sont à voir absolument. Ici on a pu admirer les fonds marins qui regorgent de faune aquatique.  Si vous aimez la vie nocturne c’est bien à Platja d’Aro que vous aurez le choix d’animations.

As you can see, the main reason for coming to the Costa Brava is to enjoy its large sandy beach, the sun and the Spanish way of life!

The Spanish coast is a real gem, especially the Costa Brava, and it's just a stone's throw from the Pyrenees! During our previous adventures, we saw how much the Canary Islands regorgent de paysages inoubliables de toutes beautés. Nous vous conseillons aussi de faire de la plongée sous-marine à Tossa de Mar comme Lloret de Mar. La prochaine fois nous descendrons jusqu’à la Costa Dorada pour vous partager d’autres endroits fabuleux.

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