Best things to do in Costa Brava

Beaches and watersports. One of the obvious attractions of the Costa Brava is the idyllic beaches. From endless stretches of sandy beaches to the nooks and crags of hideaway coves, the coastline is lined with beautiful spots. Stretch out and soak up the sun or hit the water to explore the sea. Sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing are all on offer along the coast. There’s also the Medes Islands archipelago, a cluster of tiny islands opposite Estartit. It’s a marine nature reserve with a fabulous underwater seascape and a gem of a place to go scuba diving or to be admired from a glass-bottomed boat. 

Hiking and biking. The Costa Brava has several natural parks which are ideal for long walks and cycle rides - La Garrotxa and Cap de Creus are just two of them. 

La Burricleta – the catchy name for these electric bikes merges the words for donkey and bicycle. Burricleta tours are available in various locations. Whether you want to see the scenery around Girona or cycle through the rice paddies in Pals, it’s an excellent compromise between walking and driving and you’ll get to see the best of the region without too much effort! The bikes come with straw paniers to stash your bags, a stylish cycle helmet, and a guide. 

Montserrat is an impressive mountain with jagged, finger-like rock formations and a monastery which dates back to the ninth century. Go up in the cable car and enjoy hiking back down. Take a picnic and your camera. 

The Ruins of Empuries cover two ancient settlements, one Greek and one Roman. History lovers will love the excavations and artefacts, and even those less enthralled with archaeology will admit that the sea views make it worthwhile !

The Maravelles Caves in Benifallet provide a welcome respite from the heat and are worth stopping off for to admire the stalactites, stalagmites and curious rock formations that will stoke imaginations young and old. 

The Pals rice paddies. Walk, cycle, or take a little tourist train through the fields to find out exactly how rice is sown, grown and harvested. And what better way to end the day than tasting the local rice dish Arròs de Pals a la Cassola at a restaurant in the pretty mediaeval village ?

Empuriabrava - there are lots of waterparks on Costa Brava which make a great family day out. However, if you’d rather swap a closed environment for the freedom of the beach, then Platja d'Empuriabrava is the place to go. A fully-fledged inflatable water park is set up in the sea in the summer months.  

The Dali trail – if you struggle to get reticent youngsters on board for a much-needed culture fix, then tracing the life of the surrealist artist Salvador Dali can facilitate the task. His colourful and extravagant works add a light-hearted zest of wackiness that makes a museum visit much more fun. The Dali Triangle covers the museum in Figueres, his home in Portlligat, and the castle he bought for his wife in Pubol.