The best beaches on the Costa Brava
The Costa Brava has all the strength of those rocks and mountains that crash into the ocean, just like a giant mythological creature swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. It is home to those villages of seafaring tradition whose bright white stands out in the blue water, standing between two worlds. A gorgeous postcard that includes these beaches of the Costa Brava.
Why do these beaches of the Costa Brava stand out?
The beaches on this list have something in common: they are average length, or even less. The sand doesn’t cover great areas, and these spots sit away from the population. One has to walk to them, look for them, and that is part of their charm—a prize awaiting those who dare to go further.
Besides, they all share unforgettable, gorgeous landscapes composed of groves and rocks or by human constructions reflecting local history.
Top of the best beaches on the Costa Brava
8. El Portitxol
El Portitxol Beach belongs to an area of Mediterranean flavour, L’Escala. But it sits far from it, near the fascinating ancient Greek and Roman ruins of Empúries.
The capricious shapes of these rocks are outstanding, in particular the monumental arch on one of its sides. It is common to see Old World cormorants on other rock promontories, reminding us of the active local nature.
7. S’Alguer Cove
S’Alguer Cove, in Palamós, is a tiny beach of thick sand that isn’t particularly beautiful, but it offers one of the most colourful pictures of the Costa Brava, outweighing the modesty of its terrain.
Doors and windows show blue, red, and every other colour, creating a priceless postcard and taking visitors back to the old local seafaring lifestyle. This complex of tiny houses by the sea is a mandatory stop for those who travel around the area.
6. Sa Tuna Beach
Sa Tuna Beach in Begur is a true delight for every sense—its emblematic pebble gravel, its perfect shape, and the beautiful traditional architecture that gathers on its wing at the foot of an old tower with castellated walls and windows.
Behind our backs sit more harmonious buildings and a wide number of pine trees. Its green shade reminds us that this is the foot of a tiny mountain range, the mountains of Begur, that set the limits of one of the most authentic villages on the Costa Brava.
5. Aigua Xelida
The small, uneven Aigua Xelida Cove was the sanctuary of the famous Catalan writer Josep Pla, a true connoisseur of the area. Here he enjoyed an absolute silence and found a symbol of the freedom he sought.
They can be found here now too, together with turquoise waters and wild landscapes. It sits near Tamariu, and it is, without a doubt, one of the best beaches on the Costa Brava.
4. Illa Roja
Illa Roja Beach is a small wonder behind curtains of sea and rock that separate it from the whole world. The massive, reddish rock that divides it in half is its most emblematic feature, and it earns it its name.
The southern area is smaller than the other, a naturist beach of captivating beauty that attracts every type of person. It sits on Begur’s limit, beyond a path that crosses a slope and allows visitors to dive into a piece of heaven.
3. Gola del Ter Beach
Gola del Ter is the Ter River’s mouth, a dialogue between elements that becomes one of the most breathtaking landscapes on the Costa Brava. Fresh and sea water merge into a clear, marvellous horizon. The silhouette of the Medas Islands can be seen in the distance.
This smooth-sand beach sits on a plain away from the urbanised area. The value of the landscape and its biodiversity are outstanding and turn it into a bird and fish sanctuary. Besides, its sunsets take every word away.
2. Playa de Castell
This is the last virgin beach of great extension on the Costa Brava. The Playa de Castell and its wild beauty have survived until our days. Only one building, a modern house, can be found here, surrounded by the vegetation that embraces the final stretch of the Riera d’Aubi.
At the other end sits a hidden Iberian village, which turns this corner of Palamós into an even more interesting place. This beach is the perfect final destination for the route that crosses the diverse local coves, a treasure trove of unique features.
1. Taballera Cave
In the heart of the Cap de Creus Natural Park, on the north of that privileged peninsula, lies Taballera Cave, a well-kept secret nestled between rocks. The journey takes more than an hour, but the reward is worth it.
Behind the beach itself sit the emerald waters of a tiny spring, quietly still, among pine trees and vegetation painted in the same colour. A completely transparent sandspit. Two fisherman's huts are the only testimony of human life in kilometres.
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