Costa Brava
The Costa Brava earned its name honestly: a rugged coast of pine cliffs, fishing hamlets and coves that no road will ever reach. What makes it unusual is the camins de ronda, the coastal paths that link one cove to the next and are often the only sensible way in — which is why several of the best beaches here stay quiet even in August. The guides in this section cover the Girona coastline from Blanes up to Cadaqués and Cap de Creus, with the practical detail that decides a day out: wind direction, parking systems, seasonal road closures, and which coves keep anything open out of season.
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The Best Beaches in Costa Brava (2026 Ranking)
Our editorial ranking of the best beaches on the Costa Brava: from the protected coves of Cap de Creus to the picture-postcard fishing hamlets of Begur and the wild, undeveloped cliffs near Tossa de Mar.
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Cala Pedrosa, Palafrugell: The Complete Guide to the Cove with a Restaurant and No Road
Cala Pedrosa has a restaurant and no road, so everything on the menu walks down a cliff or arrives by boat. A guide to the cove, the two walks in, and how to plan the way back.
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Cala Estreta, Palamós: The Complete Guide to the Cove with the Fisherman’s Hut
A fisherman’s hut has stood at Cala Estreta since at least 1531. It has been a wind refuge, a Sunday kitchen and somebody’s home — and it is currently padlocked. A guide to the cove and the walk in.
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Cala l’Almadrava, Roses: The Complete Guide to the Beach Named After a Tuna Trap
L’Almadrava is named after a tuna trap that ran off this beach until the 1930s. A guide to the fishermen’s barraca, the listed Coderch house on the point, and the beach that works when the tramuntana blows.
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Cala Joncols, Roses: The Complete Guide to the Cove with a Cellar on the Seabed
Cala Joncols is not a beach with a hotel on it — it is a hotel with a beach, run by one family since 1955, with a cellar of wine ageing on the seabed of the bay.
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Cala Montjoi, Roses: The Complete Guide to the Cove Where elBulli Stood
Cala Montjoi is the cove where elBulli stood, and where it reopened as a museum in 2023. A guide to the beach, the museum, and the July–August rule that stops you driving down at all.