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It's a large area, so you will need a car to move around:
The Costa Brava stretches for more than 160 km, so if you want to visit different places and move around quickly and comfortably, we advise you to rent a car.
Furthermore, if you want to see the best and most secluded spots in the region, it’s worth remembering that some tiny villages and hidden coves can only be accessed by car - so having one will come in handy!
It’s very popular in summer: The area is incredibly popular in summer, with many Barcelona residents spending their holidays here, as well as tourists from the south of France and other European countries. Consequently, villas get booked up months in advance, so make sure you prepare early for your trip.
This also means some of the larger towns can get very crowded. So, if you’re looking to avoid this, the best time to visit the Costa Brava is either May - June or September - October because the weather is still warm, but you’ll steer clear of tourist season. However, if you cannot take your holidays during those times, you can still enjoy the sunny weather during peak tourist season in an accommodation that’s a little more secluded, far from the crowds.
People speak Catalan: The Costa Brava is part of Catalonia, so you’ll find that Catalan is spoken among the locals, rather than Spanish. Nevertheless, almost everyone will understand English and Spanish, so if you want to practice your Spanish, you’ll be able to do so.
That being said, learning a few words in Catalan can come in handy and are sure to be appreciated by the locals.
When visiting the Costa Brava from another country, you can fly to Barcelona airport or to the airport in Girona.
Many airlines fly from the UK and other European countries travel to Barcelona and, once in the city, it takes less than 90-minutes to drive from Barcelona to the Costa Brava. Aside from private transfers and car rental options, there are many good rail and bus links that take you from Barcelona to the Costa Brava.
On the other hand, airlines such as Ryanair, Jet2 and TUI Airways fly direct from the UK to Girona. If you don’t want to go all the way to Barcelona, Girona is also a great place to spend a few days either side of your holiday in the Costa Brava. It has many interesting historic sights, from a large cathedral and monasteries to a city wall, ancient Arabic Baths and a well-preserved Jewish Quarter.
The Costa Brava enjoys a mild-to-warm climate, making it the perfect destination to visit all year-round. Even March regularly sees highs of 17°C!
Since it’s located in the northeast of Spain, the Costa Brava has slightly milder temperatures than most of the country, which means it has cooler winters but also very pleasant summers.
Catalans like to party, and we believe the best Costa Brava holidays are those that coincide with local Catalan festivities. Our personal selection includes the spectacular Firework Contest, held in Blanes in July; the colourful Girona Flower Festival, held in May; the singing of Habaneras at Calella de Palafrugell, which happens around the beginning of July; and The Dance of Almorratxes in Lloret de Mar, which takes place during the end of July.
Furthermore, the Costa Brava also holds modern festivals that pull in the crowds, such as The Cap Roig music festival and The Peralada Castle festival.
