Towns : Costa Brava and its coastal villages

Costa Brava and the package holiday

Rock-strewn coves where idle chat and laughter rebounds off the cliffs. Tranquil bays where soft-lapping waves cool sun-baked feet. Secret caves and labyrinthine tunnels head for exciting hidden beaches. Turquoise waters, clear as glass but for the stirring of the breeze. Towering cliff faces, age-old and craggy, spurting tenacious pines. Weathered rock formations jut into the sea, like the extended necks of great dinosaurs. What is this place that radiates such stunning beauty? Some place far away, a tropical island, perhaps? No! It’s Spain’s Costa Brava, and it’s only a two hour flight from the UK.

Mention the Costa Brava to anyone thinking of booking their summer holiday and you may be met with a raised eyebrow or two. Sadly, tourist demand on this coast throughout the decades led to over-development and ‘Britain-isation’ – burger bar littered promenades, all day English breakfasts, fish ‘n’ chips, and of course, high-rise concrete jungles to store the travellers during their two week package of sunburn and lager.

The Costa Brava was the birthplace of the package tour. This is where it all started in the 1950s when hoards of tourists arrived in old warplanes and laid out their beach towels for the first time. They took their fill of the sun, mile-long beaches and free-flowing wine of which they were deprived at home, then bundled their straw donkeys under their arms and exchanged the baton with the next consignment fresh off the plane. Of course, this influx of tourists brought advantages for the Spanish locals: shop owners, villagers and property developers were to be overwhelmed by the opportunities on offer. Jobs were now available for non-skilled workers, and for the artisan, the interest in their products meant that they could barely keep up with demand. But perhaps the effect was not all positive.

Some of the more popular resorts started to lose their true cultural identity. The intrinsic gastronomy moved aside to make room for the fast-food demands of the tourists. Raw, impromptu displays of traditional song and dance dissolved into staged, commercialised pay-at-the-door twice-nightly performances. Uninterrupted mountain-to-coast scenery was blasted away to make room for high-rise cellblocks. Then towards the end of the eighties and into the nineties, changes started to occur. Local governments started to clean up their resorts. They began to promote their beautiful regions for what they were: places of cultural interest, somewhere to experience age-old traditions, exhilarating fiestas, and mouth-watering cuisine. A shift back to customary values was starting to emerge.

Full circle, what the traveller initially sought from Spain way before the tourist boom – endless views from mountain to sea – the fun of trying to communicate in a different language – the delight of trying unfamiliar cuisine - and generally a get away from the British norm, has now become important all over again.

At the same time, package tours to the Costas are on the decline. Two of Britain’s biggest travel firms have axed more than a quarter of a million Spanish holidays from their 2005 brochures. Homing in on the Costa Brava, First Choice announced cuts here, Thomas Cook has halted its charter flights to the rugged coast’s resorts from London Gatwick, and Club 18-30 have dropped Lloret de Mar from its brochure.

Spain remains a hugely popular tourist destination, however. But it is now attracting a different type of tourist. Thankfully, it is shaking off the reputation that labelled the Costas so unfairly, and is welcoming with open arms the discerning tourist. The traveller who turns their nose up at the package tour is the independent type who arranges their holiday to suit themselves, hand-picking their accommodation and board, selecting their means of travel from the various on offer and choosing the dates, times and length of stay that suits them. Thankfully, this is the type of tourist that many resorts on the Costa Brava are now attracting.

Yes, there are still a few more ‘animated’ resorts on this coastline that starts on the French border at Port Bou and descends to Blanes, not far from Barcelona. And let them have their fun! Why not? As long as you do your homework before you book your holiday on the Costa Brava, you’ll be ok. If you want lively, go to Lloret de Mar, Blanes, Platja D’Aro or S’Agaro. This is where you’ll find your amusement arcades and water parks, and of course, bustling nightlife.

If you want to experience the sheer beauty of this stunning coastline; sample the delights of the world-renowned Catalan Cuisine and taste-bud stimulating fish and seafood; if you want to drink in the culture and appreciate scenery unobliterated by high-rise buildings, to walk the paths where artists like Picasso, Dali and Chagall walked themselves in years past, gathering inspiration for their work, then try one of these delightful resorts:

Some of the more popular resorts started to lose their true cultural identity. The intrinsic gastronomy moved aside to make room for the fast-food demands of the tourists. Raw, impromptu displays of traditional song and dance dissolved into staged, commercialised pay-at-the-door twice-nightly performances. Uninterrupted mountain-to-coast scenery was blasted away to make room for high-rise cellblocks. Then towards the end of the eighties and into the nineties, changes started to occur. Local governments started to clean up their resorts. They began to promote their beautiful regions for what they were: places of cultural interest, somewhere to experience age-old traditions, exhilarating fiestas, and mouth-watering cuisine. A shift back to customary values was starting to emerge.

Full circle, what the traveller initially sought from Spain way before the tourist boom – endless views from mountain to sea – the fun of trying to communicate in a different language – the delight of trying unfamiliar cuisine - and generally a get away from the British norm, has now become important all over again.

At the same time, package tours to the Costas are on the decline. Two of Britain’s biggest travel firms have axed more than a quarter of a million Spanish holidays from their 2005 brochures. Homing in on the Costa Brava, First Choice announced cuts here, Thomas Cook has halted its charter flights to the rugged coast’s resorts from London Gatwick, and Club 18-30 have dropped Lloret de Mar from its brochure.

Spain remains a hugely popular tourist destination, however. But it is now attracting a different type of tourist. Thankfully, it is shaking off the reputation that labelled the Costas so unfairly, and is welcoming with open arms the discerning tourist. The traveller who turns their nose up at the package tour is the independent type who arranges their holiday to suit themselves, hand-picking their accommodation and board, selecting their means of travel from the various on offer and choosing the dates, times and length of stay that suits them. Thankfully, this is the type of tourist that many resorts on the Costa Brava are now attracting.

Yes, there are still a few more ‘animated’ resorts on this coastline that starts on the French border at Port Bou and descends to Blanes, not far from Barcelona. And let them have their fun! Why not? As long as you do your homework before you book your holiday on the Costa Brava, you’ll be ok. If you want lively, go to Lloret de Mar, Blanes, Platja D’Aro or S’Agaro. This is where you’ll find your amusement arcades and water parks, and of course, bustling nightlife.

If you want to experience the sheer beauty of this stunning coastline; sample the delights of the world-renowned Catalan Cuisine and taste-bud stimulating fish and seafood; if you want to drink in the culture and appreciate scenery unobliterated by high-rise buildings, to walk the paths where artists like Picasso, Dali and Chagall walked themselves in years past, gathering inspiration for their work, then try one of these delightful resorts:

Tossa de Mar

Tossa de Mar is a quaint and lovely resort neighbouring one of the more lively and well-known resorts, Lloret de Mar. Tossa is steeped in history, and overlooked by a wonderful 'castle' that blends seamlessly into the town. The turrets of this old walled town date back to the 12th Century and dominate most of the views throughout the town. In Tossa there are strictly no high-rise buildings, so the stunning views remain unspoilt. Here there is a certain ambience that draws people back year after year. There are plenty of delightful, quality restaurants, most of which specialise in fish and seafood. The nightlife is formed of enjoyable little bars and is not at all boisterous, with only two discos neatly tucked away into the background.

Sant Feliu de Guixols

This town is at the heart of the Costa Brava, surrounded by pine and oak-filled woods. It has seen some commercialisation, but perhaps not as much as Platja D’Aro and S’Agaro. Of particular notability here is the hermitage of Sant Grau and the Gothic church with its celebrated iron gate, the Porta Ferrada. Water sports lovers are well catered for here, particularly in the nearby cove of Cala Salions.

Roses

Travelling south from the Costa Brava’s first resort Port Bou, you’ll find this delightful town. Roses has a 16th Century fortress which, although in ruins, is still of great architectural interest. Also here are the remains of the Greek settlement of Rhode. Its fishing port is one of the leaders on this coast and offers a lively nightlife at its marina.

Figueres

A few kilometres inland from Roses in the heart of Catalonia you’ll find Figueres, best-known as the birthplace of surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The town is much visited for its Dali Museum, where the artist is buried. Figueres is also the birthplace of the Sardana dance, the traditional dance of Catalonia. Also of interest in Figueres is the castle fortress of Sant Ferran, the parish church of Sant Pere, the Museum of l’Emporda and the Toy Museum.

L'Escala

Back on the coast, L’Escala is a small holiday resort at the southern end of the Gulf of Roses. It is a delightful fishing village well known for its delicious sardines. The resort offers much for the water sport enthusiast, two yacht clubs and a number of marinas. This is also the point of entry to the Roman colony of Empúries, the most visited archaeological site in Catalonia.

Girona

Girona, inland and south of L’Escala, is the Costa Brava capital. It is split into two by The River Onyar.

The old quarter is highlighted by the Cathedral, which, like many of Spain’s cathedrals, is a fusion of many different historical periods and styles. Also worthy of a visit is the Jewish Quarter, with its winding streets shaded by tall, stone walls and offering an abundance of shops.

The Twelfth Century Arab Baths, the old City Walls, and the museums of archaeology and history are of notable interest whilst the churches of Sant Nicolau, Sant Feliu and Sant Pere de Galligants highlight the religious background of the region.

Getting to the Costa Brava

There are two major airports serving this region: Barcelona and Girona. Girona is the more popular choice, particularly for the more northern resorts on the coast, with average transfer times of one hour.

RyanAir fly to Girona seven days a week, several times a day from Stansted, Glasgow, Luton, Liverpool, Blackpool, Bournemouth, East Midlands, Dublin & Shannon. EUJet fly to Girona from Kent.

A number of airlines, including Monarch, BA, EasyJet, Iberia, BMI and ThomsonFly and Aer Lingus fly to Barcelona from various airports in the UK and Ireland.

Other travel options include taking the P&O ferry from Plymouth to Santander or a Brittany Ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao, then taking the train or driving down through Spain.

National Express run a coach service to Barcelona and Girona from the UK.

Let the train take the strain: take the Eurostar to Paris, then follow the TGV Atlantique route to Barcelona or take the Elipsos service to Girona.

Eating on the Costa Brava

Most coastal resorts are awash with fish and seafood restaurants but of course, there are eateries catering for all tastes. If you want to try real Catalan cuisine, renowned throughout the world for its diversity, then look for some of these dishes:

• Escalivada (baked vegetable salad)
• Rovellons a la llauna (wild mushrooms)
• Pa amb tomaquet (toasted bread rubbed with tomato, garlic and olive oil)
• Botifarra amb mongetes (sausage with white beans)
• Cargols a la llauna (snails)
• Graellada de peix i marisc (grilled fish and seafood)
• Sarsuela and suquet de peix (fish casserole)
• Romesco (spicy sauce)

And for dessert…
• Bunyols (fritters)
• Crema cremada (caramelized custard cream)
• Panellets (marzipan cakes)
• Torrons (almond sweets)
• Tortells (pastry rings)

When to go

On the Costa Brava, you’ll find a slightly gentler climate than on the more southerly Costas. Temperatures soar during July and August, reaching high twenties and early thirties. May, June and September are perfect if you love the sun but prefer a more bearable climate. Spring and autumn remain nicely warm, but if you are looking for winter sun, you’ll need to venture further down south.

Like all the other regions of Spain, Catalonia celebrates its fair share of fiestas. Each town has its own traditional celebrations and the cultural programmes for each resort are usually available from the local tourist offices. Many are based around religions celebrations, but some also include age-old pagan traditions. But whatever their roots, you can be sure that once you indulge into the true spirit, you’ll find yourself wanting more!

Why not do some research and time your visit to coincide with a fiesta?

Perhaps one of Catalonia’s most important feasts is that of Sant Jordi – Saint George – the patron saint of Catalonia. On this day, couples exchange books and roses, and in Barcelona you’ll find Las Ramblas lined with stall upon stall of books. It is the equivalent of the UK Valentines Day.

The Region’s National Day is 11 September and is celebrated with ‘Castellers’ and ‘Sardanas’.

Castellers means ‘castle builders’ and involves teams of enthusiasts forming impressive human towers – castells - that can be up to ten people high.

The Sardana is a very old dance, which is truly Catalan. It is an open dance that can be joined and left again at any time. It is danced in a circle, holding hands up in the air and coordinating the steps in accordance with a complex set of rules.

Basic information

Language: Catalán
Region capital: Barcelona
Currency: Euro (€)
National Day: 11 September
Patron saint: Sant Jordi (Saint George)
Patron saints day: 23 April
Government: The Generalitat
Major Football Club: FC Barcelona
Catalan Tourist office: 00 34 934 849 900

Thanks to Sarah McInerney for writing this article.