Costa Brava

A rocky stretch of coves in northern Catalonia, where whitewashed fishing villages and pine-fringed bays are linked by coastal paths, and Tossa's old town and Dalí's home in Cadaqués each have their own charm.

The Costa Brava ("Wild Coast") lies in the province of Girona in Catalonia, Spain, running some 200 km from Blanes, north of Barcelona, to Portbou on the French border. Countless coves and whitewashed fishing villages are scattered among its rocky shores and pine woods, the inland Empordà plain preserves medieval stone villages, and the far north is Dalí's home turf. It's easiest to plan in three sections. The central stretch centres on Palafrugell and Begur, with the coves of Calella, Llafranc, Tamariu and Aiguablava linked by coastal footpaths, and Pals, Peratallada and Púbol Castle inland. The south has the old town of Tossa de Mar and the gardens of Lloret. The north offers the Medes Islands, the ruins of Empúries, the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Cadaqués, Dalí's house at Portlligat and Cap de Creus. The best times are May–Jun and Sep–Oct, when the sea is already warm and crowds are thinner. Jul–Aug is Europe's peak holiday season: beaches are packed, parking is hard, and you'll need to arrive early or book ahead for popular coves and the Dalí museums. In winter the Tramontana wind blows hard in the north and many beach restaurants close. Getting there: Girona and Barcelona airports are the gateways, and high-speed trains run from Barcelona to Figueres (about 1 hour). Sarfa/Moventis buses connect the coastal towns, but driving gives you the most flexibility. Base yourself in Palafrugell or Begur for 3–5 days, plus a day trip north to Cadaqués and Figueres.

Top sights

• Calella de Palafrugell – A fishing village of white fishermen's houses, stone-arched arcades and small sandy coves, often called the most beautiful seaside village…
• Pals – A well-preserved medieval stone village with Gothic lanes, a bell tower and city walls, where a viewpoint looks out over rice paddies and t…
• Vila Vella, Tossa de Mar – A medieval walled town with towers on a headland overlooking the beach. It is the only fully preserved fortified medieval town on the Catal…
• Dalí Theatre-Museum – A surrealist museum designed by Dalí himself, with a red facade topped by giant eggs and his tomb under a glass dome. It holds the world's…
• Cadaqués – A white fishing village cut off by mountains, with blue doors and white walls reflected in the bay. Picasso, Dalí and other artists once li…
• Salvador Dalí House, Portlligat – The labyrinthine fishermen's cottage where Dalí and Gala lived for more than 40 years, with white walls topped by giant eggs, a polar bear…
• Llafranc & Far de Sant Sebastià – Llafranc is a small half-moon bay with a marina. From the 1857 Far de Sant Sebastià lighthouse on the headland, you can look out over the w…
• Cap Roig Botanical Garden – Terraced gardens on red cliffs, with Mediterranean plants, sculptures and a castle-style villa overlooking the sea. The gardens host an int…
• Camí de Ronda (Calella–Llafranc–Tamariu) – The old coastal path customs officers once used to patrol for smugglers. It runs through pine woods, rocky headlands and small coves, and t…
• Tamariu – A small fishing cove surrounded by pine woods, with crystal-clear water and a few seafood restaurants by the beach. It is the quietest beac…
• Begur & Castell de Begur – The castle ruins on the hilltop overlook the entire coast. The town keeps mansions in the Indiano style, built by emigrants who returned fr…
• Cala d'Aiguablava – A small cove of white sand and bright blue water. Its name means 'blue water', and it is one of the most photographed beaches on the Costa…
• Sa Tuna – An old fishing village below Begur, with stone cottages packed against a pebble cove. It is good for snorkelling and for walks along the co…
• Platja de Castell – A natural long sandy beach saved by a 1994 local referendum. It is ringed by pine woods with no hotel development, and the headland holds a…
• Port de Palamós & Museu de la Pesca – A working fishing port famous for Palamós red prawns. The fishing museum tells the story of Mediterranean fishing, and in the evening you c…
• Peratallada – A medieval village where the moat is carved straight into the rock. Stone lanes, arched bridges and a castle make it feel frozen in time, a…
• Jardins de Santa Clotilde – An Italian-style terraced garden on the cliffs at Lloret de Mar, with cypresses, ivy-covered steps and a bronze mermaid statue facing the M…
• Medes Islands – A marine reserve off L'Estartit, one of the best diving spots in the Mediterranean. Glass-bottom boats show groupers and coral.
• Empúries – A colonial city founded by the Greeks around the 6th century BC, later a Roman town. The seaside ruins include mosaic floors and temple rem…
• L'Escala – A fishing town famous for salted anchovies. The old town has many seaside restaurants and is within walking distance of the Empúries ruins.
• Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park – The second-largest wetland in Catalonia, home to white storks, flamingos and hundreds of bird species. Boardwalks and bird hides are suitab…
• Cap de Creus – The easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, with wind-eroded rocks in strange shapes that inspired Dalí's surreal paintings. The sunris…
• Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes – A Romanesque Benedictine monastery built on a hillside 500 metres above sea level, overlooking Port de la Selva and the coast of Cap de Cre…
• Gala Dalí Castle, Púbol – A medieval castle that Dalí bought for his wife Gala. She lived alone here and is buried in the crypt. It is the third stop on the Dalí Tri…
• Besalú – A medieval town inland from Girona. Its seven-arched bridge with a bent line spans the Fluvià river, and the old town gates, Jewish bathhou…
• Girona Cathedral – Girona's cathedral has the widest Gothic nave in Europe. The baroque staircase outside is a filming location for Game of Thrones.
• Girona – An old city with colourful houses along the Onyar river, medieval walls and a Jewish quarter. It is a filming location for Game of Thrones.
• Dalí Theatre-Museum – A museum designed by Dalí himself, where he is buried. Its roof is topped with giant eggs and its walls are covered with bread rolls. It is…
• Marimurtra Botanical Garden, Blanes – A Mediterranean botanical garden on the cliffs at the southern end of the Costa Brava. The Linnaeus pavilion and the seaside paths overlook…

Where to eat

• Els Tinars – A long-established, Michelin-starred farmhouse restaurant serving traditional Catalan cuisine, with seafood from the Pa…
• Toc al Mar – A fisherman's-hut-style restaurant on the sand of Aiguablava beach, known for wild fish grilled over oak charcoal and w…
• Compartir Cadaqués – A sharing-style modern Mediterranean restaurant in Cadaqués, opened by a team of former elBulli chefs and very popular…
• Casamar – The restaurant of a family-run hotel on a hilltop above Llafranc beach, serving traditional Mediterranean cooking with…
• La Gruta L'Escala – 'Market bistro' cooking in an old stone house in L'Escala's old town, blending French tradition with Mediterranean ingr…
• Can Rafa Seafood Restaurant – A family seafood restaurant on Cadaqués' seafront promenade. Its seafood comes from Cap de Creus, and its seafood rice…

Itineraries

• Costa Brava & Dalí Triangle – Head north from Tossa along the rocky coast to Cadaqués, exploring fishing villages, medieval towns, and Dalí's heritag…
• Barcelona and Catalonia: 7 Days with Day Trips – Four classic days in the city, plus three day trips to Montserrat, Girona and Figueres, and the Roman city of Tarragona