Where to stay in the Costa Brava: the 5 areas to know in 2026
On the Costa Brava, your base comes down to one question first: will you have a car? In the north, Cadaqués and Cap de Creus are reached by a winding road, and Roses opens onto a wide bay. In the middle, Begur and Palafrugell mix coves and stone villages, ten minutes apart. In the south, Tossa de Mar and Blanes work without a steering wheel, with the boat, the bus and the train to Barcelona.
A double room costs around $135* in Tossa or L'Escala outside August. The boutique hotels of Begur and Llafranc often ask $340* in high summer, and a five-star by the sea near Roses can reach $570*. From Cap de Creus to Blanes is a two-hour drive: pick one area, not the whole coast.
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One base or several?
Two hours' drive separate Cap de Creus from Blanes: one base is enough for a weekend, two to see the north and the middle.
- A long weekend: A single base, in Begur or Calella de Palafrugell: the coves, the coastal path and the Empordà villages.
- Four or five days: A single base, in L'Escala: Empúries, the Medes Islands, then Cadaqués to the north and Begur to the south, each under an hour away.
- One week: Two bases: three nights in Cadaqués for Cap de Creus and Dalí, then four around Begur for the coves.
How much driving between two bases?
Times by car, outside summer traffic jams. In the south, boats also link Blanes, Lloret and Tossa.
| Route | Driving time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Figueres → Cadaqués | 45 min | via the Perafita pass road |
| Figueres → Roses | 25 min | via the C-260 |
| Roses → Cadaqués | 30 min | over the mountain |
| Roses → L'Escala | 30 min | across the Empordà plain |
| L'Escala → Begur | 30 min | via Torroella de Montgrí |
| Begur → Calella de Palafrugell | 15 min | along the coast |
| Palafrugell → Tossa de Mar | 50 min | via Sant Feliu de Guíxols |
| Tossa de Mar → Blanes | 30 min | via Lloret |
At a glance: our picks by traveller type
Pick the profile that fits you and go straight to the recommended area.
Map of the areas in the Costa Brava
See how the areas sit relative to one another before choosing your base. Click a name to jump to its description.
Cadaqués and Cap de Creus Cadaqués, Portlligat, Cap de Creus and El Port de la Selva
for Dalí, the white harbour and wild coves
The Catalan end of the world. Cadaqués runs down in white lanes to a harbour where the boats dry out, and Portlligat keeps Dalí's house ten minutes' walk away. All around, the Cap de Creus park is nothing but schist, coves and wind. The downside: a single winding road leads there, parking is scarce, and the tramontane can blow for days.
At the port of Cadaqués, with its small colorful boats, you can watch the fishermen at work and sailboats gliding on the water.
The towns in this area
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Playa Sol Mid-range
Facing the bay of Cadaqués, right on the water, with a pool and parking, a rarity in the village.
Hotel Llané Petit Mid-range
On a small beach a few minutes' walk from the centre of Cadaqués, with rooms facing the sea.
Pros
- The most beautiful village on the coast
- Dalí's house on foot
Cons
- A long, winding road
- Rooms scarce and pricey in summer
Roses and its bay Roses, the coves of Montjoi and Canyelles, Empuriabrava and Castelló d'Empúries
for families and long beaches
The resort of the bay. Roses lines up a long sandy beach in front of a promenade, and its boats head out towards Cap de Creus. North of town, the road climbs to wilder coves such as Montjoi. At the back of the bay, Castelló d'Empúries keeps its old town and the Aiguamolls marshes. The downside: the centre is built-up, and you have to drive to the finest coves.
Accessible from Cala Montjoi via a small trail about a hundred meters long, this pebble cove is much smaller and a bit wilder. It is my favorite beach in Rosas.
The towns in this area
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Vistabella Luxury
The five-star hotel on Canyelles cove, east of Roses, with its beach, spa and terraces over the sea.
Hotel & Spa Terraza Mid-range
On the Roses promenade, twenty metres from the beach, with a spa and rooms with balconies.
Pros
- A long beach for children
- Cap de Creus twenty minutes away
Cons
- A built-up centre
- A car for the coves
L'Escala and L'Estartit L'Escala, the ruins of Empúries, Torroella de Montgrí and L'Estartit facing the Medes Islands
for Greek ruins, diving and prices
The heart of the bay. L'Escala is a fishing port known for its anchovies, set beside the Greek ruins of Empúries, which you reach along a promenade under the pines. Further south, L'Estartit faces the Medes Islands, the marine reserve where people dive and swim with groupers. The downside: less charm than Cadaqués, and holiday blocks in L'Estartit.
Where to stay in this area
Hostal Spa Empúries Mid-range
On Portitxol beach, just below the ruins of Empúries, with a spa and a restaurant facing the sea.
Pros
- Empúries and the sea on foot
- Gentler prices than in the north
Cons
- Less charm than Cadaqués
- A heavily built L'Estartit
Begur, Palafrugell and the villages Begur and its coves of Aiguablava and Sa Tuna, Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc, Tamariu, Pals and Peratallada
for a first stay, the coves and the villages
The Costa Brava of the photos. Around Begur, clear-water coves nestle at the foot of the pines, and the village keeps the houses of emigrants who came back from Cuba. Further south, Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc and Tamariu follow one another along the coastal path. Inland, Pals and Peratallada are ten minutes away. The downside: prices climb in July and August, and cove car parks are full by morning.
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Aigua Blava Luxury
Perched above Aiguablava cove, below Begur, with its gardens, its pool and the sea below.
El Far Hotel Restaurant Luxury
A handful of rooms beside the Sant Sebastià lighthouse, above Llafranc, with the whole coast in view.
Hotel Sant Roc Mid-range
On the cliff at Calella de Palafrugell, with a terrace under the pines and steps down to the cove.
Pros
- The prettiest coves on the coast
- The stone villages ten minutes away
Cons
- July and August prices
- Car parks full by morning
Tossa de Mar, Lloret and Blanes Tossa de Mar and its old town, Lloret de Mar and its coves, Blanes and its botanical garden
for travelling without a car, near Barcelona
The south of the coast. Tossa de Mar keeps the Vila Vella, its walled old town above the beach. Lloret is the big party resort, and Blanes, quieter, has its botanical gardens and the train to Barcelona. The downside: Lloret is noisy at night in summer, and the northern coves are far away.
The perk if you stay in this town is that you can get to Barcelona by train, which saves you from taking the car and looking for parking.
The towns in this area
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Diana Mid-range
A modernist house on the beach at Tossa de Mar, at the foot of the old town walls.
Gran Hotel Reymar Mid-range
Above the Mar Menuda cove, away from the centre of Tossa, with a spa and rooms facing the sea.
Pros
- Barcelona by train and bus
- The walls of Tossa on the beach
Cons
- Lloret noisy at night
- The northern coves two hours away
Our tips for booking the right place
- Come in June or September: In August, prices in the coves of Begur and Cadaqués double and car parks overflow. In June and September the water is already pleasant, and you'll find sea-view rooms for much less.
- Ask where to park: In Cadaqués, Calella and Tossa, the centres are pedestrian or nearly so. Before booking, check that the hotel has parking or a deal with a nearby car park: otherwise every evening starts with a quarter of an hour of searching.
- Watch the tramontane: When the tramontane blows, Cadaqués and Roses empty of swimmers. Staying in the middle, around Begur or L'Escala, lets you pick the sheltered coves each morning.
- Booking in central Lloret de Mar for a quiet stay: the resort lives by night all summer.
- Staying in Blanes to visit Cadaqués: two hours' drive there, and as many back.
- Arriving in Cadaqués in August without a parking plan: the village is saturated by noon.
FAQ: where to stay in the Costa Brava
Where to stay on the Costa Brava for a first visit?
Cadaqués or Begur?
Where to stay on the Costa Brava without a car?
How much does a night on the Costa Brava cost?
Where to stay to dive the Medes Islands?
Should you avoid Lloret de Mar?
Our city guides in the Costa Brava
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