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COSTA BRAVA 101
• Unless you’re staying in Cadaqués, which you can navigate pretty well on foot, rent a car. You’ll want the flexibility to visit the many towns and beaches on your own schedule. • Summer is great here, but spring and fall are prime times to visit. Few crowds, easy beach parking, beautiful sunshine. • A boat charter is essential, particularly to see the Cap de Creus Natural Park. Have your villa or hotel arrange a trip. • There’s a beautiful coastal path—the Camí de Ronda—that hugs the Costa Brava shoreline, connecting beach towns and dotted with hidden swimming coves. Plan at least one excursion walking along it (we love the path from Calella de Palafrugell to El Golfet beach). • There are a lot of towns in Costa Brava, some seaside, some inland, all with their own unique feel. Explore the main ones (Pals, Calella de Palafrugell, Begur), leaving time to wander and discover.
WHERE TO STAY
Costa Brava does not yet have a ton of resorts and five-star stays; it’s more of a region for charming boutique hotels and villas, the latter of which is our preferred way to do it. Villas are our top choice not only because they provide a way to really live like a local—cook breakfast while watching the sunrise, stock your kitchen with provisions from local grocers—but because some of the region’s most special properties are private homes. Viu Empordà has a collection of beautiful homes for rent, some of which are also not that expensive (we stayed at Can Pardalet and loved it—crazy sunset views pictured above). The company is run by local Pablo Rovira, who has meticulously curated a collection of homes that showcase regional architecture styles and come with concierge services that add soul to a stay: yoga classes, boat trips to hidden coves, perfume-making workshops, and more. He’s handpicked nearly two dozen beautiful homes, from three-bedroom villas in tiny towns to the ridiculously striking Casa Brava, a seaside estate that sleeps 10. But the best part is his team’s local wisdom, which you get access to if staying there. Some of our best discoveries (to follow!), came from him and his team.
If a villa is not in the cards, there are some really lovely boutique hotels in the region. We’d recommend splitting up your time, with a few days in Cadaqués and a few in Lower Empordà so that you have enough time to experience the full region. In Cadaqués, we love Casa Nereta for a boutique stay with lots of character (the rooms are on the small side but the cafe and restaurant are fab), and Hotel Restaurant Villa Salvador for a more resort-like experience that’s still intimate. Note that Villa Salvador is adults-only, and a 15-minute walk from town, but this location is actually quite nice as it’s just near some great beaches for swimming. Farther south, for part two of your trip, you’ll find charming hotels in the Empordà region. For a beachfront option in one of the area’s cutest towns, opt for Isabella’s Llafranc. Another favorite is La Bionda, which is not on the beach but also not far from it, and has seven antique-filled rooms, plus a noteworthy breakfast spread and a warm and welcoming owner, Carla. If you don’t want a boutique stay—i.e. a gym, spa, and pool are important to you—book the stylish Finca Victoria, which has a very enviable perch on the hillside above Sa Riera beach and easy access to the Camí de Ronda coastal path.
EDITORS’ PICKS
Oli Bar · Cadaqués
Oli Bar, Batalla, & Talla
This trio of Cadaqués restaurants should grab priority spots on your dining list. Oli Bar—the newest of the bunch—was our favorite, an intimate spot with a delicious spicy cured sea bass crudo and savory French toast with mussels in yellow curry escabeche. For lunch, the side-by-side Talla and Batalla are exceptional, with tables perched right at the water’s edge and seafood-focused tapas.
El Golfet Beach (Playa El Golfet) · Calella de Palafrugell
El Golfet
Once we visited this beach it was tough to try out any others. A short downhill walk and a turn around the corner reveal this totally stunning beach, tucked between dramatic cliffs. It’s all very special. If you want to make an adventure out of it, park in Calella de Palafrugell, walk 30 minutes along the Camí de Ronda, spend the morning at El Golfet, then walk back to Calella de Palafrugell for lunch.
Margarita · Calella de Palafrugell
Margarita
…And for that lunch in Calella de Palafrugell, do it at Margarita. Margarita is a bit less traditional than other spots in town (we also love Tragamar for more classic Catalan food), offering a modern-ish menu of Italian-influenced cuisine, all executed perfectly. Think eggplant with tomato sauce, burrata, hot honey, and fried sage, several delicate pastas, and—of course—a must-order fish of the day. Reserve on the terrace (but the dining room is very cute, too).
Palau de Casavells · Pals
Alzueta Gallery
Alzueta Gallery has outposts in Paris, Madrid, and Barcelona, but their Empordà gallery is one of the most stunning, set in a three-floor, renovated farmhouse with original architectural details (vaulted rooms, terracotta floors). It’s one of the most exciting stops in the region, even for those without a passion for art. The exhibits rotate but you can count on an excellent curation.
Hortícola Marisa · Pals
Hortícola Marisa
Does a vegetable stand need to land on our essentials list? Maybe not… but this place is a total gem, a rec that we got through Pablo of Viu Empordà. Some of the best vegetables ever, and yes, a stop that we consider essential if you are renting a house. Come for beautiful local produce, plus homemade tomato sauce and jams.
Es Baluard · Cadaqués
Es Baluard
The most memorable meal of our trip was at Es Baluard, a family-run institution in Cadaqués. It’s rightfully beloved for its striking dining room, incredible seafood (people rave about the spider crab rice, but we loved our fish of the day—simple and seasoned perfectly), and classic, polished ambiance. Absolutely book a table by the window for incredible views!
El Celler de Can Roca · Girona
El Celler de Can Roca
Girona is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour from Costa Brava (depending on where you’re staying), and while it might not fit into everyone’s trip, foodies should absolutely make the effort—and book 9+ months in advance—to dine at the three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca. And we’re not just recommending it because of its reputation: it really is one of the world’s best restaurants.
SAMPERE - Cerámica artesanal · Pals
Sampere
La Bisbal d’Empordà is one of the region’s most famous pottery towns, with ceramics shops lining its main street. Sampere is our favorite stop (another perfect rec from Pablo of Viu), a family-run workshop and boutique with minimalist, mostly earth-colored ceramics. Come by to purchase beautiful tableware to bring home, and take a peek into the open workshop where you can see the ceramicists in action.
Salvador Dalí House Museum · Cadaqués
Salvador Dalí House Museum
Costa Brava is Dalí land—the Spanish painter dominates the cultural scene here, with three must-visit attractions. You should make time for them all, but if you have to pick one, the seaside Salvador Dalí House Museum is our top pick. A 15-minute walk from the heart of Cadaqués, it’s the former home of the famed painter and his wife, Gala. As you’d expect of Dalí, the home is a whimsical wonderland of eccentric surrealist interiors (don't miss the 2-by-2-inch cage that housed a cricket in Dalí's bedroom), and the gardens are equally wacky and weird (in the best way). Book in advance and be sure to arrive at your ticket pick-up time (earlier than the entry time). For those with enough time, also visit Teatre-Museu Salvador Dalí and Gala Dalí Castle & Museum.
Cap de Creus · Cadaqués
Cap de Creus Natural Park
This wild, dramatic peninsula is the easternmost point of mainland Spain and a maze of wind-sculpted rock and coves with intensely blue water. Come for a day of hiking, beach hopping (we love Cala Jugadora and Platja de Sant Lluís, but it’s hard to go wrong), and a sunset meal at Restaurant Cap de Creus. Better yet—do it all by boat (have your hotel or villa arrange this!).
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