Three days cover the south, the centre and the north; with a week you can walk the coastal path from cove to cove and enjoy long lunches. A car is almost essential to get between the villages and reach the coves.
What to see in Costa Brava: top sights
Tossa de Mar and its Vila Vella
The only fortified medieval town still standing on the Catalan coast: walls with towers on a headland, cobbled lanes and a lighthouse, with a sandy beach below.
Recommended time: 2–3 h
Hotels near Tossa de Mar and its Vila Vella · 163 propertiesCadaqués
A village of white houses facing a bay of clear water, cut off by the mountains of Cap de Creus, which captivated Picasso, Duchamp and, above all, Dalí.
Recommended time: 3 h
Tip: Boats leave from the harbour to tour the coves of Cap de Creus.
Hotels near Cadaqués · 123 propertiesSalvador Dalí House-Museum, Portlligat
The house where Dalí lived and worked for decades, on a small bay next to Cadaqués: a maze of rooms, giant eggs on the roof and a garden full of surrealist objects.
Recommended time: 1 h
Tip: Visits are in small groups at set times: book ahead, especially in summer.
Cap de Creus
The easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, a natural park of rocks sculpted by the tramontana wind, lonely coves and a lighthouse, where Dalí found the shapes of his paintings.
Recommended time: 2 h
Dalí Theatre-Museum, Figueres
The museum Dalí created in the old theatre of his home town, crowned with giant eggs, where he is buried. It is a work of art in itself, full of optical illusions such as the Mae West room.
Recommended time: 2 h
Tip: Buy a timed ticket: in summer the queues are long.
Hotels near Dalí Theatre-Museum, Figueres · 91 propertiesCalella de Palafrugell and the coastal path
A fishing village of white arches and boats on the sand. The coastal path runs along the shore to Llafranc and the Sant Sebastià lighthouse, between coves and pines.
Recommended time: 2–3 h
Tip: In July the village holds its Cantada de Habaneras, a seafaring tradition of Cuban-influenced songs sung by the sea.
Hotels near Calella de Palafrugell and the coastal path · 137 propertiesBegur and its coves
A hilltop village with a castle and colonial-era mansions, surrounded by some of the most beautiful coves on the coast: Aiguablava, Sa Tuna, Sa Riera and Aiguafreda.
Recommended time: Half a day
Hotels near Begur and its coves · 153 propertiesPeratallada and Pals
Two medieval stone villages in the Empordà, a few kilometres from the sea: narrow streets, arches, walls and towers, perfect for an afternoon.
Recommended time: 2–3 h
Hotels near Peratallada and Pals · 29 propertiesEmpúries Ruins
The ruins of a Greek city and a Roman one by the sea, in L’Escala, with mosaics, temples and a wooden boardwalk along the beach.
Recommended time: 2 h
Hotels near Empúries Ruins · 83 propertiesMedes Islands
A small archipelago off L’Estartit protected as a marine reserve, one of the best places in the Mediterranean for diving and snorkelling. Glass-bottom boats let you see the seabed without getting wet.
Recommended time: 2–3 h
Hotels near Medes Islands · 146 propertiesLloret de Mar and Santa Clotilde
The big resort of the southern Costa Brava, with long beaches and nightlife, and the Santa Clotilde gardens, inspired by the Italian Renaissance, above the sea.
Recommended time: 2 h
Hotels near Lloret de Mar and Santa Clotilde · 245 properties
Day trips from Costa Brava
Girona
About 45 min by car
Colourful houses above the Onyar river, the cathedral with its great staircase, the Jewish quarter and the city walls, which you can walk along.
Besalú
About 1 h by car
A medieval town with a great fortified Romanesque bridge and a Jewish quarter that preserves a ritual bath.
Barcelona
About 1 h 15 min by car or bus from the southern Costa Brava
The Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter and Park Güell, in one long day.
Collioure
About 1 h 30 min by car
Across the border in France: a painters’ village with a castle by the sea, where the poet Antonio Machado is buried.
Costa Brava in 3 days
Day 1
The south: Tossa de Mar and the Vila Vella in the morning; an afternoon in the Santa Clotilde gardens or at the coves of Begur.
Day 2
The centre: the coastal path from Calella de Palafrugell to Llafranc, lunch by the sea and an afternoon in Peratallada and Pals.
Day 3
The north: the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Cadaqués and Dalí’s house in Portlligat; sunset at Cap de Creus.
Costa Brava with kids
- The glass-bottom boats to the Medes Islands.
- Water World, the water park in Lloret de Mar.
- Calm coves such as Aiguablava and Llafranc.
- The Empúries ruins, with family activities in summer.
Free things to do in Costa Brava
- The coastal path, from cove to cove.
- The villages of Peratallada, Pals and Begur.
- The coves of Cap de Creus.
- Sunset from the Cap de Creus lighthouse.
- Wandering around the Vila Vella of Tossa de Mar.
Where to stay in Costa Brava
The south has the big beach resorts; the centre, the coves and the prettiest villages; and the north, Cadaqués and Cap de Creus. Choose your base according to the atmosphere you want.
Tossa de Mar
A charming town with a beach and the Vila Vella as a backdrop.
Places to stay in Tossa de Mar · 163 propertiesLloret de Mar
Plenty of choice, long beaches and nightlife; a good base for families and groups.
Places to stay in Lloret de Mar · 245 propertiesCalella de Palafrugell and Llafranc
Quiet fishing villages with coves and the coastal path.
Places to stay in Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc · 137 propertiesBegur
Colonial-era mansions and boutique hotels close to the best coves.
Places to stay in Begur · 153 propertiesCadaqués
The prettiest village in the north, for those seeking calm and scenery.
Places to stay in Cadaqués · 123 propertiesRoses
A large bay with long beaches, close to Cadaqués and Figueres.
Places to stay in Roses · 316 properties
When to go to Costa Brava
June to September is beach season; July and August are the busiest months. May, June and September are ideal for the coastal path and the coves.
The tramontana, a strong north wind, often blows in the Alt Empordà, especially in winter and spring: it cools things down and leaves the sky crystal clear. Many coastal hotels close from November to March.
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Frequently asked questions about Costa Brava
What are the prettiest villages on the Costa Brava?
Cadaqués, Tossa de Mar, Calella de Palafrugell, Begur and, inland, Peratallada and Pals.
Do you need a car on the Costa Brava?
Yes, to get from one village to another and reach the coves. There are buses between the main towns and Girona or Barcelona, but they are less frequent.
How many days do you need for the Costa Brava?
Three days cover the south, the centre and the north; with a week you can walk the coastal path and enjoy the coves without rushing.
What are the best coves on the Costa Brava?
Aiguablava, Sa Tuna and Sa Riera in Begur; Cala Estreta near Palamós; Cala Pola in Tossa; and the coves of Cap de Creus.
Guide written by the buiigo team · Updated October 8, 2026
