A Guide to the Costa Brava

The Costa Brava, the rugged coast, is situated in the north-eastern part of Spain and is known for being a diverse region of extraordinary natural beauty along with an unrivalled cultural heritage. With hot summers and mild winters, the climate is the perfect counterpart to a chilly Britain. This is not to say that the Costa Brava is always hot and sunny, just that in comparison to the constantly wet and windy Britain, it is an unimaginable paradise. Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the coastline stretches down the eastern part of Spain and is a mere 60km away from Barcelona.

In recent years, the Costa Brava has become a firm favourite of the British public as a holiday destination, both due to its prime location (we can’t resist a bit of warmth!) and its attractive affordability compared with other places such as the Cote D’Azur … after all, we Brits find it hard to say no to a good bargain. The Costa Brava also has something for everyone, with some parts boasting wild and untamed areas whilst others are far more metropolitan for people who don’t fancy themselves as the next Bear Grylls. For the thrill-seekers, there are facilities all over the place for adventure sports as well as mountaineering, rock climbing and even some ski resorts. On the other hand, the more culture-focused may enjoy the abundance of art history that surrounds the area with its rich heritage of Romanesque art. Never fear foodies, we haven’t forgotten about you either! The region also has a highly-rated and distinctive local cuisine.

So where is the ‘Rugged Coast’?

• The Costa Brava is part of Girona, one of the four provinces of Catalonia
• The other three provinces are Barcelona, Lleida and Tarragona
• Catalonia is an independent region of Spain
• Costa Brava is defined as the southern coastal region that stretches from the Franco-Spanish border to the mouth of the river Tordela
• The resort region Blanes marks the southernmost point of Costa Brava
• The northernmost point is marked by the easternmost part of the Pyrenees
• The parts of Costa Brava where you can find our awesome selection of villas are:
  • Begur - situated in Catalonia, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea approximately 80 kilometres south of the French/Spanish border and approximately 60 kilometres from Girona Airport
  • Tamariu - As one of the smallest and most picturesque resorts found on this beautiful section of the Spanish coast, Tamariu is an ideal destination to experience a peaceful and relaxing holiday

How the ‘Rugged Coast’ came about...

• Costa Brava means ‘wild’ or ‘rugged’ coast in English
• The region was first named ‘Costa Brava’ in 1908 by a man called Ferron Agulló, a journalist born in Girona
• It was back in the 1950s when the Spanish government saw how lucrative the Costa Brava could be for the region - the local entrepreneurs agreed and voila! Costa Brava became a much sought after holiday destination.
• The Costa Brava was promoted to the UK and France in particular
• After the defining moment in Costa Brava history in the 1950s took place, tourism quickly replaced fishing as the principle business of the area
• The Costa Brava was particularly recognised and promoted in the 1960s
• Before settling on making the name ‘Costa Brava’ official, others were suggested such as ‘Costa Grega’ (Greek Coast), ‘Costa del Corall’ (Coral Coast) and ‘Costa Serena’ (Serene Coast)
• Before World War I, the beaches along the coast were used by the locals and other neighbouring villages
• The region is considered to have a massive cultural heritage as many artists (Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso) were attracted to the beautiful, untouched landscape.
• The Dali Theatre and Museum in Figueres are two of the most important and visited museums in Catalonia

Before you go...

Here are some general, useful facts about the region to make sure you know all there is to know about the Costa Brava:

• The region has a Mediterranean climate - hot in the summer and mild in the winter, perfect!
• The region is home to over 40 vineyards
• The region is known as a golfer’s paradise
• July and August are the hottest months to go
• One for the foodies - the area has the highest concentration of Michelin starred chefs in Spain
• Local tipping etiquette:
  • 5% for taxis and restaurants
  • €1 for hotel porters
  • Nothing is expected at bars and cafés, apart from when you are on an outside terrace, when you would give between €0.30-€0.50
  • The flight to Barcelona from Gatwick is two hours long
  • The language spoken is Spanish
  • The Currency is the Euro
  • The emergency number for Police, Fire and Ambulance is 112
  • The number for the local police is 092
  • The number for the British Consulate in Barcelona is 00 349021 09356

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