Costa Brava

Overview of the coast

This is the best-known of Spain's coasts, featuring beautiful landscapes, beaches, coves, and cliffs along this 160-kilometre stretch of Catalan coastline running from the French border to Blanes. Highly touristy, it includes numerous seaside resorts such as Lloret de Mar, Roses, L'Escala, and San Feliu...

• Tourist interest: ★★ (worth seeing).

• Location: from the French border to Blanes.

• Main towns:

• Length: 160 km.

• Population:

• Website: http://fr.costabrava.org

History of the Costa Brava

Environment of the Costa Brava

Precautions

What to see

Among the wide range of options the Costa Brava offers, both along the coast and inland:

Besalú ★★
A well-preserved medieval town in the province of Girona, at the foot of the Pyrenees.

Blanes ★★
The southernmost seaside resort on the Costa Brava, with quite pretty beaches and a renowned botanical garden.

Cadaqués ★★★
This is the easternmost village on mainland Spain. With a certain charm, the place has long been a haven for celebrities, starting with Picasso and especially Dalí, whose home has been turned into a museum.

Cape Creus ★★★
This is the easternmost point of mainland Spain. The area, a natural park, offers stunning landscapes of rugged cliffs plunging into the sea, perfect for hiking. It’s on this peninsula that Cadaqués is located.

Empuriabrava ★
The seaside resort was entirely designed for boating, to the extent that its marina is one of the largest in the world.

Figueres ★★
This small town near the French border is known for housing the Dalí Museum (the painter was born and died here) and the largest fortress in Europe (Castell Sant Ferran).

Girona ★★
Just a few kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, Girona offers a very pretty old centre (cathedral, Jewish Quarter, ramparts) as well as clusters of colourful houses.

L'Escala ★
A seaside resort on the Costa Brava, south of the Bay of Roses.

Lloret de Mar ★
One of the main seaside resorts on the Costa Brava, very lively, primarily attracting a young crowd looking to party.

Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery ★★
This imposing Benedictine monastery perched in the heart of Cap de Creus enjoys a stunning panorama overlooking the sea and surrounding landscapes.

Palafrugell ★★
A small tourist town on the Costa Brava with a beautiful old centre. Nearby, Begur and Callela de Palafrugell are two charming coastal villages.

Palamós ★
A seaside resort on the Costa Brava, located to the north of a large bay.

Pals ★★
A charming medieval-style town just a few kilometres from the sea on the Estartit-Palafrugell route.

Roses ★
In its stunning bay and surrounded by two natural parks, the town (also called Roses) is a renowned resort.

San Feliu ★★
Officially called Sant Feliu de Guixols, the town is a seaside resort on the Costa Brava with a monastery and several historic buildings.

Tossa de Mar ★★
A stunning medieval old town that is also a seaside resort and fishing port.

What to do

Beaches and water activities

Other activities

Bars and nightlife

Climate and weather

Generally, the Costa Brava enjoys a temperate, mild Mediterranean climate, with dry, hot summers and moderate winters. However, this part of the coast also has numerous microclimates that depend on altitude and proximity to the sea.

Sea temperature throughout the year

Transport

Getting there

Getting around

Accommodation

Food

Further reading