In a nutshell
- The Costa Brava is full of charming towns, each with its own personality. We’ll walk you through our 11 favorite places on the Costa Brava — from lively Blanes to laid-back Begur.
- Not sure where to base yourself? Find the perfect place to stay on the Costa Brava — or do a road trip and see them all.
- Our top picks: Roses for first-timers, Blanes for families, and Calella de Palafrugell for the best beaches on the coast.
Map of the Most Beautiful Places on the Costa Brava
Let’s start with a map of our 11 most beautiful places on the Costa Brava. That way, as we introduce each one in detail, you’ll get a better sense of the layout for your trip to the Costa Brava. Let’s go!
Roses: For Your First Costa Brava Vacation
Roses is the resort we’d recommend for your first Costa Brava vacation. Why? You can do a little bit of everything, and the tourist infrastructure is seriously solid.
Just a few hundred meters from the center, you’ll find miles of well-kept sandy beaches. The center itself has plenty of restaurants and cafés as well as shops for souvenir hunting.
If you’re in the mood for sightseeing, you absolutely have to check out the citadel La Ciutadella — one of the most well-known attractions on the Costa Brava. You’ll also have two great nature parks right on your doorstep: Cap de Creus and Aiguamolls de l’Empordà.
Our hotel pick: Hotel 1935 – Boutique hotel with a pool, just 200 meters to the beach
Blanes: For a Family Vacation on the Costa Brava
Blanes has been recognized by the Catalan tourism agency as a particularly family-friendly destination, and it’s our top pick for a vacation with kids on the Costa Brava. Here’s why!
The beach at Blanes is especially shallow, so your kids can splash around without a worry. There are also showers, restrooms, lifeguards, beach bars, and a wide range of water sports activities — everything you need for a beach day with kids.
In town, you’ll find plenty of family-friendly restaurants (many with kids’ menus), accommodations with family rooms, and vacation rentals.
You won’t get bored either: there’s the water park Marineland, the climbing park in Pals, and several botanical gardens to explore.
Our hotel pick: Can Terrats – large vacation home with a garden, 5 min to the beach
Figueres: The Dalí City
Figueres is the birthplace of Salvador Dalí, and the town is mighty proud of it. A visit to the Teatre-Museu Dalí is an absolute must — his most beautiful works are on display here, and the building itself is already a work of art.
But Figueres has plenty more to offer culture lovers beyond that. The city has a rich history you can explore through its many museums and the impressive Castell de Sant Ferran fortress.
Figueres sits a bit inland from the Costa Brava, but you can reach the beach in just 25 minutes by car. The upside: prices here are noticeably more affordable than in the coastal resorts.
Our hotel pick: Hotel Pirineos – stylish hotel in the historic center, excellent breakfast
L'Estartit: The Diver's Paradise
L’Estartit is widely known for one of the most spectacular diving areas on the Costa Brava. Just offshore lie the Illes Medes — seven uninhabited islands surrounded by colorful reefs teeming with fish. The islands are a protected nature reserve, which is exactly why the marine life here is so incredible.
Not a diver? No problem. You can also explore the underwater world on a glass-bottomed boat excursion.
Beyond diving, L’Estartit has great routes for cycling and hiking. We’d suggest starting with Montgrí Castle — the views over the sea from up there are seriously worth it.
Our hotel pick: Terraverada – hotel in the middle of nature, with a pool, super modern
Calella de Palafrugell: For the Perfect Beach Vacation
Sure, there are many great spots on the Costa Brava for a beach vacation, but Calella de Palafrugell does it especially well. No other place in the region has as many beautiful beaches in one area. We particularly love El Port Pelegrí and Port Bo — the latter is one of our personal favorites among the most beautiful beaches on the Costa Brava.
The beaches are connected by a promenade you’ll find yourself strolling more than once. It also links up with the coastal trail Camí de Ronda, which winds its way to some hidden coves where you might just have the place all to yourself.
The town itself looks straight out of a picture book: bobbing fishing boats, whitewashed houses — exactly how you’d imagine a classic Mediterranean village.
Our hotel pick: Hotel hcp – very modern hotel, 200 meters to the beach, with a balcony
Lloret de Mar: Party Strip and Family Vacation
Lloret de Mar is the ultimate party destination on the Mediterranean! As evening falls, the streets come alive and countless bars and clubs open up, with people dancing until dawn. You can imagine that the nightlife makes Lloret especially popular with younger crowds.
If that sounds like your vacation nightmare, we have a surprise for you: beyond the party scene, Lloret is also genuinely well-suited for a family vacation. Really!
Here’s the thing: during the day — when most people are sleeping off their hangovers — the town is super clean and quiet. There are plenty of large resorts with kids’ programs, shallow beaches, and family-friendly restaurants. If you don’t mind the big hotel blocks, Lloret is actually a solid choice for families.
Our hotel pick: The 15th – bright and welcoming boutique hotel with a pool
Girona: Largest City on the Costa Brava
Girona is the largest city on the Costa Brava — and our go-to recommendation if you want to experience authentic Spanish life beyond the tourist resorts.
There’s a lot to see here culturally. The standouts are the historic Jewish quarter, the cathedral, and the old city walls. And don’t miss Girona’s most iconic view: the row of colorful houses lining the Onyar River. Honestly, it’s stunning.
Girona is also a fantastic destination in May — that’s when the Temps de Flors festival transforms every courtyard, bridge, and alleyway into a sea of flowers.
Our hotel pick: La Comuna Residence – lovely boutique hotel in the Jewish quarter
Cadaqués: For Nature Lovers
Cadaqués is our top pick for outdoor enthusiasts. The town sits right in the middle of the Cap de Creus nature park, with loads of beautiful hiking trails through forests and along the coast. It’s also great territory for mountain biking.
If crowded town beaches aren’t your thing, you can find secluded coves in the nature park where you’ll often have the water all to yourself.
The town itself is well worth a wander, too. Classic whitewashed houses, narrow winding alleyways, small boutiques, and artisan shops — plus a Dalí museum for good measure.
Our hotel pick: Villa Gala – boutique hotel with views over Cadaqués
Empuriabrava: The Luxury Town of the Costa Brava
Empuriabrava is the Monaco of the Costa Brava — the place where the rich and beautiful come to play. Elegant villas sit alongside luxury yachts, and everything has a distinctly glitzy feel.
The town is also nicknamed the Venice of Spain, and for good reason: Empuriabrava is crisscrossed by a whopping 25 kilometers of canals. A boat ride along the waterways is an absolute must.
Our hotel pick: Empuriabrava Apartaments – luxury vacation apartment almost right on the sea
Begur: For Those Seeking Peace and Quiet
Begur is a small hillside village that sits picturesquely at the foot of a castle. There isn’t a whole lot going on here: a few lovely cafés and fish restaurants, a labyrinth of alleyways, and small chapels — perfect for long, lazy days with an iced coffee and a slow stroll through town.
What might sound a little dull to some is, for us, the ideal Costa Brava base when you really want to switch off.
And you can truly unwind at the beach too: the hillside is ringed by gorgeous coves that stay surprisingly quiet even in summer.
Our hotel pick: La Bionda – bohemian-style boutique hotel, adults only
Tossa de Mar: For Culture Lovers
Tossa de Mar is the picture-book version of a medieval Mediterranean town. Throughout the old quarter, you’ll find fascinating historical remnants: the ruins of the Roman-era Villa Els Ametllers, an old lighthouse, and the striking Castillo de Tossa de Mar.
In the old town — the Vila Vella — you can wander cobblestone alleyways and browse for souvenirs. The medieval city walls give the whole place a special atmosphere — you can almost imagine the pirates and conquerors who once passed through here.
Just outside the walls, you’ll find beautiful beaches too. So it’s easy to combine sightseeing and beach time in one spot — one of the best places to visit on the Costa Brava for exactly that reason.
Our hotel pick: Casa Granados – boutique hotel with a really beautiful restaurant
Our Bonus Tip: A Day Trip to Barcelona
Technically, Barcelona isn’t part of the Costa Brava. But we couldn’t leave it off this list. A day trip to Barcelona is absolutely worth it when you’re staying on the Costa Brava.
Barcelona is one of the top city-trip destinations in Europe, packed with incredible highlights like the Sagrada Família, the Ramblas, the Gaudí buildings, and so much more. The energy of the city is just electric — lively, creative, joyful, and totally unique.
Blanes is the closest of our top Costa Brava destinations to Barcelona — from there, it’s just one hour by car.
Make sure to book tickets for Barcelona’s top attractions online in advance — the city is seriously popular and queues can be long.
Ticket for the Sagrada Família with audio guide
We’d also recommend joining a guided city tour or hopping on a hop-on/hop-off bus through Barcelona — these are the best ways to see as much of the city as possible in a short time.
Barcelona highlights e-bike tour
Hop-on/hop-off tour with Bus Turístic
If you have a bit more time, we’d really recommend spending a few days in Barcelona. We’ve put together all our most important tips for Barcelona in the following article:
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