The Costa Brava (rugged coast) is a 100 mile stretch of one of Europe’s most dramatic and breathtaking coastlines. Sheer rock cliffs rise above crystalline waters punctuated by tranquil coves and inlets where pine forests reach to the very edge of the sea. Modern tourist developments sit alongside traditional fishing villages, while just inland are medieval towns where centuries old castles have been converted into five star hotels.
The Costa Brava is the easternmost part of Girona province in the northeastern region of Catalonia. Girona is Spain’s wealthiest province per capita, with no shortage of appealing things to see, do and experience. While the area itself has been inhabited by man since pre-historic times, as a tourist destination, it is a comparatively recent discovery. At the beginning of the 20th century, wealthy families from Barcelona started coming to escape the summer heat of the city and bathe along the
shore. Following them were bohemians and artists like Picasso, Chagall and Dali, who all quickly fell under the spell of the coast’s charm.
Southern Costa Brava
Lloret de Mar, at the southern end of the Costa Brava, represents its more touristy side, where concrete high rises fill up with tribes of young people on spring break budgets out for drinks, dancing and killer tans. Tossa de Mar, a scenic drive up the coast from Lloret has considerably more charm and boasts the Museo Municipal with finds from ancient Roman villas and paintings by artists who stayed at Tossa, including Chagall. Further north is the Benedictine Monastery of Sant Feliu in Sant
Feliu de Guixols. Rebuilt after a ninth century sacking by the Moors and then set ablaze in a nineteenth century fit of church burning, its surviving walls, towers, Gothic church and Mozarabic Porta Ferrada still impress. Platja d’Aro, above Sant Feliu, is like a mini Lloret with an expansive beach and a vast assortment of holiday accommodations. Other beaches dot the coast up to the small resort of Sant Antoni de Calonge, which is connected by a coastal walk to Palamos, the main port serving Girona in the
Middle Ages and, today, the Costa Brava’s most important commercial fishing port. Castell, north of Palamos, offers a good version of what the Costa Brava looked like before development, where few apartments or hotels block the pristine shoreline and Iberian ruins dot the rocky promontory of Agulla at the northern end of the beach.
Mid Costa Brava
The heart of the Costa Brava is home to its most scenic beaches, coves and landscapes, scattered around which are charming medieval towns and castles. Palafrugel (Palace of Fruits) is a pretty whitewashed fishing village that exudes local charm. Its beaches are some of the most spectacular on the Costa Brava. At Cap de Sant Sebastia and Cap de Begur, cliffs abruptly meet the sea amid a series of sparkling coves shaded by lush green pines. Medieval villages are scattered along the slopes
of the Gavarres Mountains just inland of Begur, where zoning laws have kept sprawl at bay. In the striking medieval village of Pals, pretty cobblestone streets flanked by aristocratic houses beguile visitors while nearby La Bisbal has been famous for its pottery since the sixteenth century. Peratallada, west of Pals, is an enchanting town that will transport you back to the Middle Ages. And the ancient and massive Iberian stone works at Ullastret leave a stunning impression. Further north, Torroella de Montgri
retains its Renaissance charm while L’Estartit, with its velvety white sand beaches, is a popular diving and snorkeling spot.
Northern Costa Brava
L’Escala, on the beautiful Bay of Roses, can be a bit touristy, but the beach, nearby Greek ruins of Empuries and delicious local anchovies make it worth a trip. North of L’Escala is the Parc Naturel dels Aiguamolls, a protected parcel of land that has become a haven for migratory birds from Europe to South Africa. A network of foot and bike paths enable easy spotting of the flamingos, storks, ospreys and 300 plus other species of birds that flock here. While silence is valued at the Parc,
nearby Empuriabrava, the biggest marina town in Europe, delivers plentiful and noisy nightlife. Greek, Roman, medieval and modern all describe the bustling city of Roses at the northern end of the Bay of Roses. High rises dominate the shoreline, but the ruins of old Roses and the medieval church of Santa Maria are within easy reach. What is not within easy reach is a reservation at the world renowned restaurant, El Bulli, the culinary palace of the crown prince of molecular gastronomy, Ferran Adria (more
about Catalan cuisine at Catalan Cuisine). Inland of Roses is Figueres, the birthplace of Dali and home to the Teatre-Museo Dali, itself a Surrealist work of art. Cap de Creus, north of Roses, can also be considered a Surrealist work of art, albeit one made by nature. The 450 million year old rocky mineral formations of this cape have been scoured and eroded into the most extraordinary shapes by the fierce tramuntana winds that blow in the area. Above Cap de Creus is Cadaques, referred to as the ‘Saint
Tropez of Spain’ and considered the crown jewel of the Costa Brava. Its jumble of whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs is capped by the looming presence of the sixteenth century Church of Santa Maria. No high rises. No cars. Just the young, beautiful, wealthy and hip.
Girona
No visit to the Costa Brava is complete without seeing the capital city of Girona, which retains the magic of its historic past. Located at the confluence of four rivers midway between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, Girona is considered the Venice of Spain. It is a city of narrow cobblestone streets, vaulted passageways, winding steps and small squares dominated by what is certainly one of Europe’s most unique cathedrals, the Catedral de Santa Maria. It also boasts an excellent collection
of museums, including one regarding what was once the most important Jewish quarter in Spain, El Call. Vestiges of ancient Iberian and Roman walls are still visible in the cathedral square while galleries, boutiques and cafes are plentiful throughout the Old Quarter. And with 700 miles of surrounding mountain bike trails (Vias Verdes), Girona is one of Europe’s cycling capitals.
