Blanes
Blanes is a little seaside town around an hour north of Barcelona. The highlight here for me was the Jardi Botanic Marimurtra – with garden themes from around the world including an Asian bamboo forest, and African and South American areas. The views overlooking the Mediterranean are breathtaking. A visit makes for a nice afternoon out – and you can refresh with a G&T or ice cream in the cafe after a wander around. Admission is €9.
Climb up to Castillo de San Juan for views overlooking the whole town (25 min uphill walk from the botanical garden). A perfect spot for sunset. Take a taxi to save yourself the hike, admission is free but note that the tower is closed.
There are loads of AirBnB options in Blanes, check them out here.
Lloret de Mar
Although Lloret de Mar wouldn’t be my top choice of destination in Costa Brava (it’s super crowded), there’s lots of nice attractions to see here. One attraction worthy of a visit is Jardines de Santa Clotilde botanical garden. A recreation of the Italian Renaissance style gardens, the landscape and views are incredible.
Tossa de Mar
Have you ever seen a castle on a beach? Imagine it and you’re essentially envisioning Tossa de Mar, a Medieval seaside town along the Costa Brava coast. Activities here include walks on the beach, kayaking and checking out the castle. The hike up to the castle is roughly 10 mins, or you can catch the tour train for €10. It’s worth the hike for panoramic views of the town and the ocean below. Check out the Vila Vella or Old Town as well.
We stayed in the beautiful Gran Hotel Reymar on the waterfront. The breakfast terrace had breathtaking morning views over the castle and beach, the rooms were clean, and the pool was nice and refreshing.
Check out Bello, an Italian eatery overlooking the beach – the pizza here looked amazing, and there were clearly lots of repeat customers there, a good sign. We both had the tuna steak with salad and mozzarella to start, it didn’t disappoint!
S’Agaró
S’Agaró, the destination of choice for our wedding, is obviously my favourite. 1 hr 20 mins from Barcelona, or just 25mins from Girona Airport, S’Agaró was a favourite holiday spot for Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor and a host of other celebs. There’s a walk (Cami de Ronda) from S’Agaró up along the coast, leading to the alleged best white sand beach in Costa Brava Sa Conca. Along the walk you’ll see Roman style halls and pegodas, and lots of secluded beaches. There’s also 2km of protected sea swimming lanes if you fancy a dip along the coast. We rented a kayak for €16 for 2 people and explored the network of caves along the right hand side of the bay.
Our favourite restaurant was El Foc, a bbq place in the middle of town, alongside a plethora of other dining options. For a treat, eat in the Hostal de La Gavina, either on the front terrace or in Candlelight, the hotel’s Michelin star restaurant.
Accommodation options vary, with options ranging from AirBnB’s to 3, 4 or 5 star hotels. Check out A&A Brothers: top notch beach front apartments for rent; the four star S’Agaro Hotel & Spa; or splurge on the five star Hostal de La Gavina.
Check out my post on 8 things to do in S’Agaró here.
Palafruguell: Llafranc
We briefly visited the charming town of Llafranc for a stroll and an ice cream. It’s an intimate town with a couple of restaurants.
We stayed at El Far, 30 mins walk (10 mins drive) from Llafranc, a bouquet hotel with incredible views overlooking the province of Girona. Sunset views from here are unforgettable, and there’s a bar right beside the functioning light house if you feel like a few drinks and some loud music. The food in El Far restaurant was delish – making it ideal for an afternoon bite to eat, teamed with incredible views.
Check out the Jardi Botanic de Cap Roig nearby, another stunning botanical garden with views over the Costa Brava coast (botanical gardens seem to be a thing in Costa Brava, but they’re all beautiful!!).
Dali Day Out (Cadaqués & Figueres)
Almost 3 hours drive from Barcelona, Cadaqués is an area where many Barcelona citizens have Summer homes to escape the city. The Salvador Dali House-Museum is located here so it makes for a great culture-filled day out. Team this with a visit to Figueres to the Dali Theatre Museum for a very art-history filled day out. The seafront is very picturesque – so much so that allegedly in 2010, a Chinese developer announced his intention to build a near-exact copy of Cadaqués in Xiamen, China as Chinese holiday homes!
Girona
As the capital city of Girona Province, the medieval city of Girona has a multitude of activities for travellers to partake in. Chosen as a prominent filming location for Game of Thrones Season 1, the city is steeped with history. Famous sites include the walled Old Quarter or Barri Vell and the Roman remains of the Força Vella fortress. The Jewish quarter of Girona is one of the best well-preserved in the world. Head on a walking tour with Girona Explorers, ranging from a free walking tour to €15 for the Game of Thrones tour. Alternatively, head on a very highly rated food tour with Girona Food Tours, but be prepared for a food coma afterwards! While in town, La Fabrica Girona is a must visit for foodies and coffee lovers alike.
There are an unending number of beautiful places to visit in Girona, and luckily Ryanair flies directly in to the province so it’s super accessible. Did I miss any of your favourite spots? Leave a comment if so…
Highlights
