Spain Costa Brava cities on the coast. Costa Brava

“Wild Coast” is what the Spaniards called the area in northeastern Catalonia. From here the border with France is just a stone's throw away. The Costa Brava coast is considered the rockiest in all of Spain. It is thanks to this factor that it received its name. Once covered with conifers, shrubs and grasses, the cliffs of the Pyrenees were truly wild until the sixties of the last century.

Briefly about the Costa Brava resort

And then Costa Brava begins its history as one of best resorts not only in Spain, but throughout Europe. The British and Germans especially like to come here. Thanks to their influx at one time, this resort was able to exist.

Now the local coast is protected by local authorities and declared an ecologically clean zone. A 214-kilometer stretch of beach is completely renewed every year for vacationers, of whom there are more and more of them every year. It was these beaches that first opened their fertile arms to the first Russian tourists after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Resort beaches are a series of high cliffs, boulders descending from the mountains and cozy bays, where there is almost never strong surf. This is the ideal place where you can reach the pinnacle of relaxation and pleasure under the soothing sound of the waves.

On the Costa Brava there are many resort towns, all kinds of historical attractions, national parks and reserves, botanical gardens and other places favored by vacationers.

Climate of the Costa Brava

Due to the fact that the Costa Brava region is located in the north of Spain, the temperatures never get too hot. Throughout the holiday season, thermometer readings remain within thirty degrees Celsius. The proximity of the Mediterranean Sea makes the weather mild and warm even in winter, when the temperature drops to only ten degrees above zero.

The swimming season begins in early June and lasts until October. The water temperature in the coastal zone ranges from twenty degrees and above. During the high season (usually from June to August) hotel accommodation may be difficult, so make sure to book your rooms in advance when planning your trip.

Road to the resort beaches of the Costa Brava

Getting to the hot and inviting Costa Brava is not difficult. Catalonia has three international airports that receive flights from all over the world.

From Moscow, it is most convenient to fly first to Barcelona with direct flights from Aeroflot, Vueling or Iberia. The flight time is four hours. Then you can take a bus or train to Blanes, one of the major cities of the Costa Brava, where you can find a place to stay. Hotels and resorts welcome tourists and always offer the best Spanish service. From Blanes you can travel to the coast by local bus or taxi.

Resort towns of the Costa Brava region

The Costa Brava resort region is divided into several provincial towns - resort centers. These are usually coastal settlements that were once of great strategic importance to Muslims and had access to the sea. Then these were transshipment points along trade routes between large Spanish cities. Now tourists from all over the world come here to visit the best beaches, incredible parties and get acquainted with Spanish culture and traditions. Some of these settlements are popular due to their developed resort and tourism system.

The most popular resorts on the Costa Brava

BLANES

A good place to relax will undoubtedly be Blanes, the largest city in the Costa Brava region. This is where intercity bus services from Barcelona most often run. This is one of the oldest Spanish cities and, at the same time, one of the very first resort centers in all of Spain. Once upon a time, back in the second century BC, Blanes was a Roman settlement. After the Christian conquest of Andalusia, the city began to be ruled by Spanish aristocrats named Blanes, which is why the city bears their name.

Now this is one of the best northern resorts in Catalonia, in close proximity to France. Interestingly, the city is divided by a high, lonely rock into two parts – southern and northern.

In the southern part of the city, which is completely covered beautiful gardens and parks, the resort business is thriving. All the best hotels in Blanes, restaurants, bars and cafes are located here, and there is also access to the best beaches in Catalonia.
The northern part is mainly residential areas and the city port, from where seafood is supplied to all restaurants in the city. Therefore, prices for seafood here are more than low - there are practically no transportation costs. And it will be pleasant surprise

The climate in Blanes is ideal in every way. It never gets too hot here. The temperature rarely rises above thirty degrees above zero and stays between 25-28 degrees. The beach season lasts from May to October, and the water remains cool and refreshing even in summer.

Almost all beaches in the city have been improved. The largest of them, S'Abannel, is three kilometers long. The beach promenade is replete with restaurants and bars. There are fresh water showers and changing cabins right on the beach. And at the water's edge, slides and inflatable trampolines for children and adults, jet skis and other entertainment await vacationers. This is also a great place for windsurfing.

Tourists who have perfected their tan while lying on the beach can visit the sights of Blanes. This exciting journey will dilute your beach siesta with new impressions.

Be sure to visit the water park Marineland near Blanes in the village of Santa Susanna. There you can see a stunning show of dolphins, sea lions and an exhibition of parrots, and water attractions will delight children. This is despite the fact that there is a free bus from the city to the water park; the main thing is to check the departure schedule.

Among interesting places in the city there is an austere castle built on a hill San Juan, which was founded back in the tenth century. You can admire the blooming of a huge number of flowers of magnificent beauty in the botanical garden Marimutra. And this is only a small fraction of the beautiful places that Blanes welcomes and sees off.

LLORET de MAR

This is the modern tourist center of the Costa Brava. Thanks to well-developed advertising, thousands of tourists come here in search of adventure and a great holiday in one of the most vibrant resorts in Catalonia.

This resort is mainly chosen by young people for round-the-clock parties and non-stop parties in the best nightclubs. There are a lot of them here and for every taste. There is also a large selection of bars where you can cool down your ardor with a glass or two of beer after dancing or a hot summer day.

The city has two excellent beaches. This is the city beach of Lloret and the neighboring Fenals Beach, which is located to the south. Both are equipped to the most modern standards, and many city celebrations are held right on the embankment. It is also considered absolutely normal for girls to sunbathe topless, or for two men to walk along the embankment holding hands. In general, the problem of morals here implies maximum freedom. How else? The resort area is still a place where people have a full rest!

Only one hundred kilometers separate the resort from the border with France. The easiest way to get here is from Barcelona. There are regular flights to Barcelona from Moscow, and then you can use bus routes to get to the resort idyll. There is also a train connection between Barcelona and Lloret de Mar. Trains systematically deliver tourists to the desired recreation area.

The resort of Lloret de Mar offers a lot of active entertainment, both water and land. On any beach you can rent a catamaran, boat or speedboat. You can take advantage of the excellent opportunity to see all the beauties of the coast by booking a boat trip. Thanks to the clear waters, there are many diving enthusiasts here who offer scuba gear and diving equipment. The Aqualeon water park will not leave any child indifferent.

Staying in the city is not a problem. Luxurious five-star apartments and small bed and breakfast hotels are available for relaxation.

TOSSA de MAR

Tossa de Mar is a calmer and more balanced resort. Once upon a time, only rich Europeans and royalty visited it. Now this resort is available to everyone. Tourists from all countries and nations come to see the beauty of its gardens and parks, as well as its magnificent beaches. This city is ideal for a relaxing holiday with a family with children.

The rocky coast of Tossa de Mar forms quiet, cozy bays with an incredible interweaving of caves and grottoes that are stunning in their size. But once upon a time it was a simple fishing town. Its potential was discovered in the fifties of the last century. Thanks to a good tourism campaign, the city has been transformed into a resort area.

Tossa de Mar can be reached from Barcelona International Airport. The journey will take about four hours by bus and cost about ten euros. You can also order a taxi at the airport, which will cost more (about 25-30 euros), but the time savings will delight any travel-weary tourist. The cheapest option would be to travel by train from the train station, which is near the airport or directly from Barcelona. The travel time is about four hours, but the ticket costs only 4-5 euros.

The climate in the city is not much different from the climate of its neighboring cities. The weather here is generally moderately warm. Maximum summer temperatures rarely exceed 27 degrees above zero. This creates an excellent relaxation area for people with disorders of the vegetative-vascular system.

The coast of Tossa de Mar is divided into three large beaches. During high season, each of these beaches is filled with tourists and locals. For privacy, you can rent a boat with a transparent bottom - an excellent form of recreation for tourists who want to admire stunning views of the coastal seabed.

Hotels in Tossa de Mar are modern and comfortable, and the prices for accommodation are affordable for everyone. The only point is that rooms should be booked in advance. At the height of the season, the influx of tourists is such that local hotels can barely cope with their occupancy. Therefore, in order to avoid awkward situations, it is better to take care of your place to stay at least a month before your trip.

Tossa de Mar has many interesting places to visit as a cultural activity. It will be interesting to visit the huge fortress Villa Vella, whose walls and towers protected the city from pirates in days gone by. Now the museum of modern art is located here, everyone can visit it.

Well, if the fortress has already been examined, you can go to the rocky coast of the Costa Blanca, where you can click your camera to your heart’s content in pursuit of uniquely beautiful photographs. No less interesting will be a visit to the botanical park Sa Riera, which is full of beautiful flowers, trees and arrangements of living plants. Well, in the end you can wander through the narrow streets of the Old Town, touch its ancient houses and take with you the memory of these sensations.

PLAYA de ARO

Playa d'Aro is another resort town in the northern part of the Costa Brava. The city is famous for its impeccable beaches, which stretch for as much as 2 kilometers. The embankment is dotted with a variety of bars, restaurants and cafes. Some of them open at sunrise so vacationers can admire the pre-dawn sea while enjoying a cup of morning coffee. On the beach you can always rent a sun lounger and an umbrella.

Active recreation options include skydiving or water skiing. There are many playgrounds for children with mini-pools, swings, sand and other children's delights. You can also visit tempting souvenir shops, boutiques and jewelry stores.

You can get to the city from Blanes or Barcelona. Mostly buses go here, but you can order a taxi, which will cost more.

City hotels are larger, resemble luxury guesthouses, and are mostly located near the shore. It is worth booking rooms in advance, because Playa d'Aro is one of the most visited on the Costa Brava.

PALAMOS

Palamos is a port city in the north of the Costa Brava. Its history began a long time ago, from the times when the Greeks and then the Romans lived here. No one knows exactly how long this settlement has existed. The first memories date back to two thousand five hundred BC. Well, since the 13th century AD, a modern port was built here, which is of great commercial importance.

Previously, they didn’t know what a resort was. The city budget was mainly replenished with profits from catching and selling fish. Only in the fifties of the last century, in connection with the development of neighboring resort towns, Palamos was also made a resort area for everyone.

The beaches of the city alternate. Many of them have embankments with a variety of bars, cafes and shops. Some are wild, where the vegetation approaches almost the water itself. Here you can be alone and take a break from the noisy, ubiquitous tourists.

City hotels are never empty. In Palamós they are equipped to the most modern standards and always remain immaculate. The prices for the rooms here are very different, but in each of them you feel comfort and the opportunity for complete relaxation.

An interesting place in the city is undoubtedly the fish market. During the arrival of fishing boats, an interesting fish auction takes place on its territory. For live goods, the highest price is set first. The cost of some rare specimens of fish can reach the cost of a good foreign car. But buyers are patient, they can stand all day to wait for the price to drop to a completely acceptable price.

After the auction, the fish ends up in the capable hands of local restaurant chefs. Trying cooked freshly caught fish is a real pleasure.

And in Palamos you can see a variety of yachts on the city’s marina. Here a special place is allocated for them, where the owners often repair their brainchild. By the way, many travelers deliberately arrive in Palamos on their personal yacht. As they say, “see others and show yourself.”

Any of the Costa Brava resorts will give you a lot of unforgettable impressions. There is absolutely no point in comparing. They are all unique in themselves. Just come to the Costa Brava and this holiday will be remembered for many years.

Costa Brava is a piece of paradise in Spain with incredibly beautiful nature and impressive beaches

The Costa Brava is a Mediterranean coastline in the north-east of Catalonia, which stretches 162 km from Blanes to the French border. This is one of the most popular coasts of Spain, which, in addition to luxurious beaches with excellent infrastructure, can offer stunning nature, interesting museums and architecture. These places inspired the eccentric Salvador Dali - the wonderful town of Cadaques is filled with the atmosphere of a genius.

Photo: Map of the Costa Brava

The name Costa Brava reveals the essence of this coastline, which is translated from Spanish as “wild / rocky / coast”. Picturesque grandiose cliffs, rocks, foothills in fragrant pines and fir trees will not let your eyes get bored.

You can see all the beauty of the coast in this video:

Beaches covered with golden sand or pebbles and the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea always receive the European Blue Flag. Some beaches have received the ICTE Q mark for their excellent tourism (Lloret de Mar and Fenals).

The Costa Brava coast offers enormous diving opportunities - depths of up to 50 m, depressions and tunnels, bizarre sponges and algae, octopuses, lobsters, eels and the most outlandish fish such as blue wrasse.

Photo: Costa Brava

Another “strong point” of the Costa Brava is its exceptionally interesting cities along the entire length of the coast. Catalonia is a fiery mixture rich history and culture, traditions and tourist comfort. This is a great opportunity to sunbathe and go on excursions to the most interesting cities in the world, for example, vibrant Barcelona or medieval Gerona.

The most visited resort towns are Lloret de Mar, Playa de Aro, Tossa de Mar and Blanes.

10 things to do on the Costa Brava. Things to do:

Photo: Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodas

Must-dos on the Costa Brava:

Visit the “Dali triangle”: graceful Cadaqués, alluring Port Lligat and the birthplace of the genius Figares with the unusual museums of Salvador Dali.
Go to one of the most beautiful natural parks, Cap de Creus and the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodas.
Take a day to travel to Barcelona and see Gaudí's amazing architecture.
Take a walk in the ancient botanical gardens of Pina de Rosa and Marimurtra in Blanes.
Dance to the songs of Cuban fishermen in Caleia de Palafrugell.
Visit the medieval lady Gerona.
Taste the fish from the morning's catch in a restaurant overlooking the sea in Palamos.
Stroll along the hiking trails of Playa d'Aro, admiring the views of nature.
Go diving or snorkeling on the beach of Cala Canellas in the resort of Lloret de Mar.
Rent a car and go for a day to romantic France.
Each city annually hosts the Fiesta Major - a holiday on the day of the city's patron saint with fairs, performances, attractions and fireworks. In Tossa de Mar from June 28 to July 1, in Blanes on June 24-28, in Lloret de Mar on July 24-30.

Photo: Lloret de Mar

Lloret de Mar is a resort that over the past centuries has grown from a fishing village into a tourist center of the Costa Brava. Its location is very good - 75 km from Barcelona, 29 km from Gerona, and only 90 km from France. Lloret de Mar is considered the epicenter of parties - people come here to have a blast at discos, nightclubs and bars.

Cultural program

Photo: Museum “Cat House”

Culturally, there are places to go, such as the private collection of the Koshkin House Museum or the Maritime Museum on the embankment. IN cultural center Verdaguer exhibits finds from 250 BC.

Active leisure

There are many water activities here - from catamarans, speedboats, banana boats to diving with instructors or snorkeling (with a snorkel). On land, play all types of beach sports, ride horses, play tennis. There are excellent golf courses and bowling alleys.

You can see the beauty of the underwater world in this video:

Children and adults will have a lot of fun at the Marineland and Water Park water parks, located among pleasant greenery, as well as the mini-zoo and Aqualeon water park with a seal show and the opportunity to touch turtles and iguanas.

Beaches

Photo: Cala Canellas Beach

The beaches of Lloret de Mar, sheltered from the winds by the mountains, are wide, clean and picturesque - beautiful bays, rocks of the most interesting shapes sticking out of the sea, green caps of trees.

Main beaches:

Lloret de Mar– the beach is in the center right behind the strip of hotels. There is coarse yellow sand here, the depth increases quickly. During the season it is very crowded, the infrastructure is 5+.

Photo: Lloret de Mar

Sa Caleta (Playa de S'Caleta)– a less crowded option with good sand, a little more than 100 m long. There are cabins and showers, but there is no cafe.

Photo: Sa Caleta

Cala Canyelles– located 4 km from the center in a pleasant cove among picturesque rocks in pine trees. Kayaks, water skis and a diving station are available for tourists.

Photo: Cala Canellas

Fenals (Playa de Fenals)– an excellent 700-meter beach in a cozy bay with shops and cafes, cut off by a cliff from the central beach. The best option for families with children.

Photo: Fenals

Sa Boadeya (Playa de S'Boadella)– a beautiful beach with rocks and pine trees. A stone ledge divides the beach into regular and nudist.

Photo: Sa Boadeya

Santa Cristina– beach at 500 m, with white sand and peaceful water. Arriving here by boat or bus, you'll escape the tourists and sunbathe among the locals.

Photo: Santa Cristina

You can see what the beaches of Lloret de Mar look like in the video:

In the bays of Tortuga and Morisca you can find the desired solitude and contemplate nature.

According to reviews from tourists, it is not worth choosing the central beach of Lloret de Mar for relaxation - although it is cleaned, with the huge number of people it is possible to find garbage in the water or on the beach. It is better to go to nearby Sa Caleta or Fenals.

Attractions

Photo: Gardens of St. Clotilde

Architectural monuments of Lloret de Mar:

The castle on the beach (Castell d'en Plaja), which shows off in all the photos, is nothing more than a new building in 1935 - as the residence of the tycoon Narsis Plaja;
The symbol of the city is the Fisherman's Wife (Donna Marinera), peering into the sea, on the central beach;
The ruins of the medieval castle of San Juan from the 11th century with a viewing platform on the top of the mountain - can be reached on foot from the city of Blanes;
The 16th century church of Sant Roma is amazing, which was reconstructed with modernist elements;
Hidden on the side of a cliff near Sa Boadea beach is an oasis in the Renaissance style - the gardens of St. Clotilde with sculptures, alleys and waterfalls.

Photo: Tossa de Mar

Tossa de Mar is an amazingly beautiful resort town that has made many artists take up their brushes. At the beginning of the 20th century, wealthy Europeans came here to relax, and now it is a magnificent family resort. The coastline of Tossa de Mar is a marvelous kaleidoscope of cliffs with grottoes and miniature coves. This is a real paradise for artists, divers and simple romantics.