Costa Brava Travel Guide
2026 Edition

Costa Brava — “Wild Coast” in Catalan — earns its name. Where most of Spain's Mediterranean shoreline is flat and easily accessible, the northern Catalan coast is cut through with steep limestone cliffs, wooded headlands and over 80 coves that can only be reached on foot or by kayak. The result is a coastline that resisted mass development, and still looks recognisably like the landscape that drew Dalí, Picasso and Chagall here in the early twentieth century.

The water is the headline attraction. The combination of rocky seabed, minimal river input and the marine reserve around the Illes Medes produces visibility of 20-30 metres in good conditions — the best diving in Spain and among the best in the whole Mediterranean. Above water, the coast is dotted with medieval villages that were fortified against pirate raids: Tossa de Mar still has its Roman walls intact; Begur sits on a hilltop with five distinct coves below it; Cadaqués, at the end of a road that crosses a mountain pass, remains the most atmospheric town on the coast — exactly as it was when Dalí built his house at Port Lligat.

The best base depends on what you want. Girona — a beautiful medieval city just 40 minutes inland — makes a practical hub for exploring. Palafrugell and Begur suit those prioritising beaches and coves. Cadaqués is for those willing to accept remoteness (and the drive over the Perafita pass) in exchange for atmosphere. June and September are the optimal months: the sea is warm, the crowds are manageable, and the light along the coast in the late afternoon is exceptional.