Barrhead Travel's Destination of the Week: Costa Brava

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Wild, Wild Coast

Stretching from Blanes, some 45 miles north of Barcelona, right up to the French border at Portbou is Spain’s legendary Costa Brava, or Wild Coast. Part of the distinctive Catalonia region, the Costa Brava was one of the first Spanish coastlines developed for mass tourism in the 1950s.

While this oft-maligned area is best known for the seemingly brash resort of Lloret de Mar, much of the coastline, especially the north, remains dotted with fishing villages, pine forested coves (calas), sheer cliffs and pristine beaches.

Why Costa Brava?
With Girona Airport only 19 miles from Lloret de Mar and other resorts, the Costa Brava has benefited from quicker, easier access over the years.

The Costa Brava region received another boost in March when its most famous chef, Ferran Adria of El Bulli restaurant, was announced as the new face of Spanish tourism.

Costa Brava’s Boom Town
Whatever your views on it, Lloret de Mar is Costa Brava’s mainstream crowd-pleaser. Built-up and touristy it may be, but it is a resort that delivers. Its plethora of bars, restaurants, clubs and hotels attract young families and 18-30 clubbers, and theme parks such as WaterWorld, Arbre Aventura and Gnomo Park have become firm favourites.

This stretch of the Costa is also renowned for the botanical gardens of Santa Clotilde, Pinya de Rosa and Marimurtra between Lloret and Blanes, further south. Blanes itself, a former fishing village turned tourist boom town, offers holidaymakers a good range of accommodation and dining options.

Past Lloret lies the beach resort of Tossa de Mar. Although significantly developed, its medieval walls and turrets attract holidaymakers seeking a Spanish feel without compromising on amenities.

Approaching Tossa de Mar by boat is an attraction in itself, as its Vila Vela (old town) unfolds on the shoreline. North of here are the lively beach resorts of Sant Feliu de Guixols and Platja d’Aro, second only to Lloret, with numerous family attractions, such as the AquaDiver waterpark and Magic Park fairground.

Northern Costa Brava
It is after the resort town and yachting harbour of Palamós that the coastline takes on a more low-key demeanour. It’s worth detouring inland to the scenic town of Palafrugell (two miles from the coast) and the ancient Greek ruins at Empúries.

Palafrugell is also a good base for exploring the neighbouring beaches – for example, Calella, Llafranc and picturesque Tamariu – all lapped by the Costa’s deep blue waters. The medieval village of Pals is also nearby, as is Begur with its 10th-century castle.

One of the towns in this northern stretch making its mark on the tourist map is L’Estartit. It is a fully developed holiday resort but is renowned for its nature activities, such as coastal trails past the dunes and marshes of birdwatchers’ paradise Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park and the traffic-free ‘greenways’, former railway tracks converted into cycle routes.

L’Estartit’s proximity to the marine paradise of the Medes Islands is another plus. Last year, they were designated an official Marine Reserve and feature some of the Mediterranean’s best diving.

Further north, unique settings such as the Bay of Roses offer more spectacular coastline, dotted with attractions such as medieval Castello d’Empuries and Roses itself, a thriving holiday destination. Roses is best known for the El Bulli restaurant, located by Cala Montjoi beach, while the Aqua Brava water park has one of Europe’s biggest wave pools.

The fishing village of Cadaqués, once Salvador Dali’s home, remains an escape for peaceseekers during the off-season – its bohemian vibe a result of its artistic community.

Around this peninsula is the spectacular Cap de Creus Nature Preserve, one of Spain’s most diverse nature parks, home to many rare birds.

During the winter, monster waves make for picturesque scenes. On the north side of the peninsula is the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, set 500 metres above the fishing village of El Port de Selva with panoramic ocean views.

And the rest…
Although inland, one of the region’s highlights is the town of Figueres, birthplace of Salvador Dali and home to the Dali Museum and a lively café-lined rambla.

The city of Girona is also worth a wander with its historic Jewish quarter, cobbled streets and impressive cathedral.

Golfers can choose from 10 championship golf courses, two of the finest being TorreMirona Golf and Spa Resort and Club Golf d’Aro-Mas Nou at Platja d’Aro, one of the Costa’s oldest courses.

An increasing number of hotels offer full-service spas, such as Spa Terraza in Roses and Wellness and Spa Institut GEM in Lloret, part of the Guitart spa resort group.

Catalan cuisine is also renowned. El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca (in Girona) received three Michelin stars in 2009, taking the region’s total to 18 stars for 13 restaurants.

For lighter wallets, seafood is especially good value especially in the smaller coastal towns. Wine connoisseurs can enjoy the vineyards (bodegas) in the south-central Empordà wine region.

Book the best Costa Brava holidays with Barrhead Travel! Call one our friendly consultants now on 0871 226 2673 or visit online at www.BarrheadTravel.co.uk and start planning your Costa Brava holiday today!