The heat is approaching and, with it, the desire to cool off, put on our snorkel goggles, plant an umbrella on the beach and fill the cooler with soft drinks and fruit to spend a long day at the beach.
For this reason, we bring you the best beaches of the Costa Brava, not only because they are some of the most beautiful jewels of Catalonia, but because its waters are characterized by being clear, transparent and surrounded by rocky landscapes and white sand that characterizes this area of Catalonia.
Table Of Contents
- Platja del Portitxol, a day of relaxation.
- Platja d'Es Codolar, at the foot of a castle.
- Cala Aiguablava, the most beautiful of the Costa Brava.
- Es Castell, to discover new sea routes
- Cala Pola, the home of a mermaid
- Sa Boadella, perfect for diving.
- Aigua Xelida, the cove that hides a literary story.
- Gola del Ter, where the sun sets over the water
- Illa roja, for a day of total disconnection.
- Santa Cristina, for a family day out
- Cala Estreta, in the middle of nature.
Platja del Portitxol, a day of relaxation.
This is a large beach where, unlike many small coves, you are more likely to find space to put your towel and expand the base of your summer camp. It is bounded on one side by a viewpoint and on the other by the Muscler Islands.
Portitxol is located next to the Archaeological Museum of Empúries, so it is ideal for a cultural getaway and a dip at the end of the day.
📍 L’Escala
Platja d’Es Codolar, at the foot of a castle.
Platja d’Es Codolar is located at the foot of the walls of the Vila Villa de Tossa de Mar, which, together with its Mediterranean landscape, make it an idyllic place to go swimming. It used to be a fishermen’s beach, since its location is a natural shelter from the wind and waves.
Its name comes from codols, pebbles in Spanish, so we recommend wearing river flip-flops or booties, because, although you run the risk of looking like a guiri, you will be much more comfortable when entering the water.
📍Tossa de Mar
Cala Aiguablava, the most beautiful of the Costa Brava.
Many say it is one of the most beautiful coves of the Costa Brava thanks to its turquoise waters, its fine sand and the idyllic enclave surrounded by pine trees where it is located, nothing to envy to a Caribbean beach. It offers several services such as restaurants or beach bars and you can also rent pedal skates.
If you can, we recommend you to go during the week, or early in the morning, since being such a popular destination is usually quite crowded in the summer months.
📍Begur
Es Castell, to discover new sea routes
If you are looking for a different plan and something more adventurous than lying under the sun for hours, you should definitely go to Es Castell. This sandy beach has a kayak school where you can rent canoes to make routes, with or without a guide, through the Parc Natural del Castell-Cap Roig.
It also has a parking area a few meters from the beach.
📍Palamós
Cala Pola, the home of a mermaid
To get to Cala Pola we have to cross a winding road, but it is completely worth it. It is located between some of the typical rocky cliffs characteristic of the Costa Brava and the Camí de Ronda, in fact, you can reach it following the GR92 from Tossa de Mar.
It is ideal to go with the family, as it has services such as showers and beach bars. In addition, legend has it that sometimes a mermaid named Pola appears on the beach and attracts bathers with her song.
📍Tossa de Mar
Sa Boadella, perfect for diving.
This beach is also one of the large ones, measuring 250 meters. It is accessed through a pine forest and, unlike other coves of the Costa Brava, it is sandy, that yes, its seabed does have rocks, which is why it is ideal for snorkeling.
Sa Boadella is perfect to spend the day, as it has a small bar offering refreshments, food and ice cream in case you get the munchies in the middle of the day.
📍Lloret de Mar
Aigua Xelida, the cove that hides a literary story.
It is a small cove, so we recommend you arrive early to lay your towel. To get there, you will have to go down some stairs that go through the rocky walls that surround it, so we recommend you to wear appropriate footwear, as flip-flops are usually uncomfortable.
As a curiosity, the Catalan writer Josep Pla dedicated a narration where he explains how he tried to make a boat trip from Aigua Xelida that finally failed.
📍Tamariu
Gola del Ter, where the sun sets over the water
Undoubtedly, this beach is one of the most spectacular. It does not look like the typical cove of the Costa Brava, as it is surrounded by dunes and its wild air reminds us more of a Californian beach than a Catalan one.
In the platja de la Gola del Ter, as its name says , the mouth of the river Ter meets the Mediterranean. If we go at sunset, we can see the sunset over the river, an unusual sight in Catalonia, since being oriented to the east, we see the sun rise under the sea, but never set.
Illa roja, for a day of total disconnection.
To get to Platja de la Illa Roja you’ll have to do a short stretch of the Camí de Ronda, but it’s completely worth it.
This is an internationally popular nudist cove and, unlike other beaches on the Costa Brava, Illa Roja does not have services such as showers or a bar, so we recommend you go prepared with a coolerto spend the day.
📍Begur
Santa Cristina, for a family day out
It is a sandy beach and shallow waters, which makes it ideal to go to spend the day with children. During the Festa Major de Lloret it becomes the port of reception of the maritime procession that carries the relics of Santa Cristina to the hermitage with the same name.
In addition, very close to it is the Botanical Garden of Piña de Rosa, perfect for a walk after a day at the beach and enjoy the wonderful scenery offered by the Catalan coast.
📍Lloret de Mar
Cala Estreta, in the middle of nature.
In the middle of Parc Roig, we find this small cove a few kilometers from Palamós. It is only 100 meters long and, as its name suggests, it is small and narrow. On one side there is an old renovated fishermen’s house that gives it that authentic air so typical of the Costa Brava and, if you want, you can rent it for the day.
It is accessed by a dirt road surrounded by pine trees and during weekends in July and August has lifeguard service.
📍Palamós
Between high cliffs, this cove surprises by its amplitude and its quiet atmosphere. Isolated but accessible, it is ideal for those seeking an uncrowded cove with a majestic air. Wear booties: the access is tricky.