Where to stay on the Costa Brava?

This blog post is designed for those who are planning on visiting Catalonia and the Costa Brava for the first time. This is also for people who are seeking information about where to stay and what to do in the region. Below is a basic map highlighting the Costa Brava and the Maresme coastlines.

The Maresme coastline starts from Barcelona and finishes at Blanes. From Blanes the Costa Brava ends over 200 kilometers later at the French border. The Costa Brava can be split into three rough sections; Northern, central and Southern sections. Blanes to Palamos is the southern section. The middle section from Palafrugell to L’Estartit and the northern section from L’Escala to Portbou.

The middle and Northern sections

Middle and Northern sections of the Costa Brava are somewhat less developed (with one or two exceptions). These are also more family orientated and this is where the vast majority of our properties are located.

Popular locations are Begur (and it’s beaches of Sa Riera, Sa Tuna, Aiguablava). The beaches of Palafrugell – Tamariu, Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell. Cadaques is the jewel of the Northern section of the Costa Brava.

For first time visitors to the Costa Brava i normally recommend the area around Begur/Tamariu. There’s a lot to see and do in a compact area and day-trips to explore the north or south of the Costa Brava are doable. Here is a map showing the main coves and beaches of the Begur/Palafrugell area;

Begur beaches
The beaches of Begur and Palafrugell

Cadaques, the pearl of the Costa Brava

Cadaques in the north is probably our favorite coastal town on the whole of the Costa Brava. There’s only one road in and out of town and it is a windy mountain road which can take up to 30 minutes’ from the neighboring town of Roses. Once you finally descend into Cadaques the mountain road adventure is quickly forgotten. The town has a unique charm and ambiance which has been preserved down the centuries. This is in part thanks to it’s relative isolation from the rest of the Costa Brava located on the end of the Cap de Creus peninsula.

Cadaques has seen many artists staying over the years including Picasso, Man Ray, Duchamp, Joan Miro. Most famously of all Salvador Dali who lived a large part of his life in the neighboring Port Lligat. This link to the rich history of Cadaques is tangible today in the many local artists galleries you will find among the narrow cobbled streets of the town. The town has a somewhat Bohemian atmosphere and a wonderful selection of good quality restaurants.

However i am always cautious on recommending Cadaques to first time visitors to the region because of it’s isolated location. If travelling around visiting other towns/beaches is an important factor this can be quite a tiresome experience driving over the mountain road every day. For people who like to explore other areas i recommend finding a base in the Begur/Tamariu area and then taking a day trip to Cadaques during your holiday.

Costa Brava vacation villas

At Charming Villas Catalonia we offer a selection of luxury Costa Brava holiday villas with pools and villas with heated pools. Let us know your important criteria and we will help you find the perfect vacation rental in Catalonia.

This post is just a rough guide and with our clients we go into much more detail not only with location and villa selection but also, if needed, advice and help planning activities and day trip itineraries. Please contact Sara or Richard at catalonia@charmingvillas.net for more information.

Costa Brava Concierge Services

Looking for concierge services on the Costa Brava? Then look no further than Sara and Richard from Charming Villas Catalonia. Locally based we are here to help our clients with every aspect of your vacation, all at no extra cost.

First things first – Choosing the right property

This all starts during your luxury Costa Brava villa selection process where we offer comprehensive and un-biased advice on all of our properties and locations. We listen to your important criteria and suggest suitable properties based on what we think would be a good fit. We have a varied selection of vacation rentals for all tastes and needs.

Planning your activities in Catalonia

Once we have nailed down your chosen vacation rental the next stage is to start planning excursions and activities. Whether that be a day trip to Barcelona or Cadaques or a table at the number one restaurant in Spain, El Celler de Can Roca. Things that normally need to be booked way in advance include tables at Can Roca, private chefs and boat hire. Further fine tuning can be planned closer to arrival but it is wise to get these important reservations out of the way early on. Other things we can help with include hire cars delivered to your villa, airport transfers, guides and sommeliers. These are just some of the Costa Brava concierge services we offer our clients.

Charming Villas Catalonia is a family business ran by Sara and Richard

We love making sure that our clients make the most out of their time while in Catalonia so take great pleasure in arranging bespoke itineraries. Some of our favorite authentic and off the beaten track restaurants often make it in to our clients plans! Or how about a picnic at one of our favorite secluded coves on the Costa Brava? We also keep an eye on local festivities and festivals (cultural and culinary) and give our clients a list of things that are going on locally. Two examples; watching some Castellers human towers or visiting a cheese and olive oil farmers market in a medieval village.

Catalonia specialists

All of our properties which we list on our website are located in Catalonia, predominantly on the Costa Brava, Girona and Barcelona. This means we focus all of our energies on this one concentrated corner of Spain. We have a huge database of local knowledge to share with our guests and believe we have more to offer than other agencies who spread their portfolios (and depth of local knowledge) over various regions within Spain or even multiple countries.

Whatever your needs or special requests we are here for you and nothing gives us greater pleasure than a satisfied group of clients.

Please contact us at catalonia@charmingvillas.net if you have any questions?