hotels

The Costa Brava means "rugged coast". It stretches from Blanes, 70 km north of Barcelona, to the French border. The Costa Brava is a very diverse affair with 1970s-style hotels in some of its resort towns in contrast with low-key accommodation options in others. Costa Brava has a great offer of hotels situated in mediterranean and charmful towns as Palamos, Calella, Begur, Cadaques and many more. The beaches are quite small and surrounded by pines, the typical tree of the mediterranean area. Eating and going out is also fully recommended during your stay in this beautiful coast. Costa Brava is the birthplace of the world known painter Dali and the acclaimed Catalan writer Josep Pla.

Accomodation in Girona
Many visitors to the Costa Brava and Barcelona fly into the Ryanair airport at Girona (inland from coast). Girona itself is well worth a visit for its beautiful medieval winding centre which includes a beautiful cathedral and the oldest Jewish quarter in Europe. Near Girona the landscape is green and almost rural in places. There are several country hotels near Girona worth checking out.

Accomodation in Lloret de Mar
Back on the coast, Lloret de Mar is the largest resort town with beaches and nightlife to match. It's got a lively tourist scene with a mass of high-rise hotels popular with package holiday-makers. The beach gets very crowded in summer.

Accommodation in Tossa de Mar
Tossa de Mar, 13km north of Lloret, makes for a quieter alternative. Hotels on this part of the Costa Brava are more upscale and the medieval walls and old city give the town a cultural aspect missing from its more exuberant neighbour. A fine choice for families.

Accommodation in Sant Feliu de Guixols
Sant Feliu de Guixols is a low rise resort with a pleasant stretch of sand easily reached by bus from Girona. Sant Felui has many family-run hotels.

Accommodation in Calella and Parafrugell
Further north Calella and Parafrugell are two charming villages next to each other on a dramatic stretch of coastline north of Sant Feliu. Geared more towards local tourism than international visitors (many Barcelonians have holiday homes in this area), the town is well worth staying in because it has retained its charming old character despite offering a range of hotels and nightlife to keep you rested. The beaches around here are superb sandy affairs with weather-beaten cliffs and rocky coves. In some parts the sand is quite pebbly though.

Accommodation in L´Escala
About 30 minutes drive from Parafrugell, L´Escala is home to a fascinating site of Greek and Roman ruins surrounded by a rocky coastline. L´Escala offers a range of accommodation options including several cheap hotels.

Accommodation in Figueres
The highlight on the northern section of the Costa Brava is Figueres. The town is famous for its Dali museum, the third most popular in Spain. In 1974, Dali, who was born in the town, turned an old theatre into a personal museum of his "greatest hits" with objects so surreal they cannot be described in words! A visit is highly recommended. The town itself is well worth staying in. There are several hotels in Figueres geared towards the museum, and in the narrow streets around the old quarter you can cool off at a pleasant pavement café. Prices here are good value compared with other spots along the coast.

Top 3 reasons for staying in a Costa Brava hotel
1. Chilling out at a beach town of your choice
2. Visiting the surreal Dali museum in Figures
3. Discovering the charming old towns of Girona, Calella de Parafrugell and Begur