Costa Brava

Understand

Costa Brava has been a holiday destination since the 1960s. Some regions, like Lloret de Mar, are more popular with foreign tourists, while others, like Begur, cater more to locals. The region starts in Blanes and goes for over 200 km (120 mi) to the French border. It can be divided in 3 subregions, which match with the coastal area of the administrative counties (comarques): Alt Empordà, Baix Empordà and La Selva. There is a lot of history in the region dating back 2600 years with the ruins of Iberian villages, then Greek outposts and Roman cities. In mediaeval times the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes was built. In the early 2000s many Russians acquired villas around Costa Brava, inflating restaurant prices, and bringing many expensive cars to the region.

What's inside

Alt Empordà county (Comarca de l'Alt Empordà)

1 Portbou, is a small coastal town just south of the French border. Wedged between steep Pyrenean slopes and a sheltered bay, it combines rugged scenery with a pebbly urban beach and a compact port. Once a quiet fishing village, Portbou became an important rail frontier in the late 19th century and still functions as a key cross‑border station. 2 Colera is a small coastal village , in the comarca of Alt Empordà, between Portbou and Llançà near the French border. Sheltered in a quiet bay where the Albera mountains meet the Mediterranean, it offers uncrowded pebble beaches, clear waters and a laid‑back atmosphere even in high season. 3 Llançà is an important fishing port and tourist centre, and is a pre-stage in the Catalan Way of St. James, which formally starts in El Port de la Selva, 4 El Port de la Selva is a small fishing town, in the comarca of Alt Empordà, on the rugged coast of Cap de Creus. Set around a natural bay and working harbour, it mixes whitewashed houses, a long town beach and a relaxed seaside atmosphere. The area is popular for hiking, sailing and diving within the Cap de Creus Natural Park, and is dominated by the spectacular Romanesque monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes in the surrounding hills. It is a stage in the Catalan Way of St. James. 5 Cadaqués is a picturesque whitewashed fishing town , set in a wide bay on the Cap de Creus peninsula in Alt Empordà, Catalonia. Once relatively isolated behind coastal hills, it has preserved a compact historic centre of narrow cobbled streets and low houses clustered around the church of Santa Maria. The town is famous for its association with Salvador Dalí and other artists, and serves as a relaxed base for exploring the coves and landscapes of Cap de Creus Natural Park 6 Roses is on the coast at the northern end of the Gulf of Roses, and is an important fishing port and tourist centre. It is one of the main entry points to Cap de Creus Natural Park. 7 Peralada, has the Peralada castle, and grows excellent vines of D.O. Empordà . 8 Figueres has a wealth of history spanning many centuries that has been preserved and shown in several museums in the area and in the compact Old Town. Being the last major town before the Spanish/French border, it serves as a fantastic base to explore the upper Empordá region that is awash in great food, wines, and beaches that represent the Catalan culture. It houses the Dalí museum. 9 Empuriabrava, Castelló d'Empúries is home to one of the world's largest man-made marinas with channels cutting through the whole northern part of the urban area. Castelló d'Empúries has an historic old town and a basilica. 10 Torroella de Fluvià is a nice little village. It is documented since the 10th and 11th centuries as Torroella, Torricella and Torrezella and its church since 1279. 11 Sant Pere Pescador has a sandy, 7-km-long beach. 12 L'Escala is an important fishing port and tourist centre, and has a festival dedicated to its famous anchovies. Houses the Empuries open air museum with the rest of a Greek and a Roman outpost 5 centuries BC.

Baix Empordà county Comarca del Baix Empordà)

Getting there

By plane

Costa Brava's main airport is Girona - Costa Brava Airport GRO IATA. Ryanair operate flights to the airport from several destinations in Europe and Morocco all year. Other seasonal airlines include Thomson Airways and Transavia. Alternatively, you can fly into Barcelona El Prat Airport BCN IATA. Airport shuttles operate between Girona-Costa Brava airport and the majority of the resort cities, Barcelona and Girona city centre. There are several sports airfields

By train

There is only train service in the north part of Costa Brava between Figueres and Portbou In the southern part only Blanes has Train nservice A high speed line runs North (France)-South ( Barcelona-rest of Spain ) with stops in Girona and Figueres

By Bus

The main bus company covering Costa Brava is Sarfa, toll-free: 902 302 025 (domestic). (updated Jan 2026)

Getting around

If you want to explore a lot of the coastal cities then renting a car is your best option. There is regular bus service between the towns but nothing compares driving along and stopping where you like. Have in mind that is a rugged terrain, so most of the times walk or cycle is not a suitable option, except for close distances, and sometimes not even then. In summer there is plenty of organised tours. Check it in your hotel. They will provide bus, and a guide. An option to consider if you do not have a car.

Camí de Ronda (Seashore path)

The Cami de Ronda is a path that runs the whole Costa Brava, and usually is the nearest path to the sea, no matter if it is a beach or a cliff. Is quite difficult at some points and all the time goes : "down to the beach, up to a cliff, and so on". Many times it joins the GR92. It provides access to many hidden Coves and beaches. Usually it has breathtaking views over the sea.

Parking

In the summer parking is a big problem. The closer you are to the beach the bigger the problem. A lot of beaches have paid parking, which usually is a daily fee between €5 and €10. The small villages used to have a parking at the entrance of the town. Many touristic villages has "blue zones" which means is a paid parking. You have to look for the parking meter or check if your parking app is supported in the zone. Unfortunately there are no standardizations on the apps so is easy to end with more than 5 parking apps installed.

See

Beaches and coves The Dali Museum in Figueres. Medieval ruins in Tossa de Mar, with some very well-preserved medieval ruins -- including walls and towers which protected the town between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries. Traditional fishing cities like Blanes and Lloret de Mar and towns like Cadaqués, Tossa de Mar and Pals that have become important destinations for internal Spanish tourism. Visit Region Natural Parks. See #Other destinations

Small coastal villages

These are generally small-sized villages located on the coast that, despite the tourism boom, have managed to maintain their character as coastal towns closely connected to the sea. They have a resident population and the sea constitutes a fundamental element in the landscape's harmony and the maintenance of maritime activities and infrastructure, such as the presence of fisherman's huts, fishing cabins, bathing huts, fishing fleets, or elements characteristic of maritime culture. The best villages in this category are, in Alt Empordà: Portbou, Colera, Llançà, El Port de la Selva, and Cadaqués, and in Baix Empordà: Palafrugell and Palamós.

Charming villages

These are small villages located in a rural environment, known for the harmony of their overall layout, both in terms of the built-up area and their relationship with the natural surroundings. The main common characteristic is the absence of contaminating elements that would disrupt the aesthetic quality of the whole. The best villages in this category are, in Baix Empordà: Peratallada, Ullastret, Pals, and Monells.

Do

Gamble at the casinos in Lloret de Mar Hiking the GR 92 which runs all the costa Brava or the Camí de ronda which runs parallel to the sea.

Leisure centres

These are villages on the coast characterized by a high degree of specialization in tourism. Their primary economic activity and reason for existence is tourism; they offer a wide range of accommodations and concentrate a large number of entertainment-related activities such as water parks, restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs. The best villages are, in Alt Empordà county, Roses, and Empuriabrava, in Baix Empordà county there are L'Estartit, Palamós, Sant Antoni de Calonge, and Platja d'Aro, and in Selva county, there is Lloret de Mar.

Golf

Golf Peralada in Peralada Torremirona golf club near Figueres Empordà Golf in Torroella de Montgrí Golf de Pals in Pals Club Golf d'Aro in Platja d'Aro Golf Costa Brava in Sta. Cristina d'Aro near Platja d'Aro

Eat

The Costa Brava region has some renowned restaurants, including Miramar in Llançà with 2 Michelin stars, and la Llar in Empuriabrava and Els Brancs in Roses with one star each. You can also find plenty of touristic restaurants with seafood and paella and traditional restaurants with Catalan cuisine in all the towns and cities. Typical food products in Costa Brava

Palamós shrimps L’Escala Anchovies Pals rice Butifarra del Perol - typical sausage Ampurdán olive oil Ampurdán wine Typical dishes from Costa Brava

Pa amb tomàquet i anchoves de L’Escala. Bread with tomato and L’Escala Anchovies. Arroz negro caldoso. Black rice Escalivada. Grilled aubergine, pepper and onion. Canelons. Pasta filled with meat. Grilled fresh shrimps from Palamos. Fesols amb botifarra de perol. Beans with Perol sausage.

Drink

Any coastal town or city in the Costa Brava have almost a bar near the beach to relax and take a drink. Lloret de Mar is well known because of its discos and nightlife, but you can take a drink quietly on many bars near to the beach. There is a Denomination of Origin for wine called, DO Empordà that encompasses most of the Costa Brava region and in the last 15-20 years, the wines have increased greatly in quality to the point of being quite recommendable. While you can hire guides, if you have a car, you can also easily make a tour of the cellars using a handy English language book that's available called, Vinologue [1]

Sleep

All the cities and towns in the Costa Brava have camping areas and hotels for tourist accommodation. One of the biggest areas for those arriving by caravan is between Sant Pere Pescador and L'Escala which during the summer has more Dutch and British license plates than Spanish.

Stay safe

The Costa Brava is generally a safe destination, but visitors should be aware of a few coastal and petty-crime risks common to Catalonia and Spain’s Mediterranean shores. On beaches, it is important to respect the Spanish flag system: green means conditions are safe, yellow advises caution due to waves, currents or jellyfish, and red prohibits swimming because of dangerous sea or weather conditions. In recent summers, the Catalan coast has seen more frequent jellyfish blooms, so bathers should watch for local jellyfish flags or notices and avoid touching any washed-up specimens. Families with children should supervise them closely in the water, especially when yellow flags are flying or waves and currents are stronger than they appear from shore. As on the rest of the Catalan coast, petty theft can occur in crowded resort areas, car parks and busy beaches, so keep valuables out of sight, avoid leaving bags unattended while swimming and consider using a money belt or hotel safe. When driving, do not leave luggage visible in parked cars at viewpoints or motorway service areas, where opportunistic break-ins sometimes happen. In nightlife zones of larger resorts, moderate alcohol consumption, stay with friends and use licensed taxis or reputable transport back to your accommodation.

Go next

Barcelona - Barcelona the capital and largest city of Catalonia. Figueres - home to the Dalí museum Girona - Nice old town with an impressive Jewish quarter. Girona Pyrenees - Monumental mountain towns, ski resorts and la Garrotxa volcanoes.

More pictures of Costa Brava

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.