Picking out the best beaches of Costa Brava in Spain isn’t an easy task – the coastline here unravels for around 100 miles, edged with sandy beaches and bays with shallow waters, pine forests, calas and coves. Perhaps some of the finest in the Mediterranean Sea.
You could road-trip along the coast for weeks, sampling different spots each day (what a holiday that would be…), but if you’re looking to distil the best of the bunch into an area that’s easily explored in one holiday, you need to pinpoint the central stretch of coast, in the Baix Empordà region.
Where are the best beaches in Costa Brava?
The beaches here, particularly around the town of Begur and Palafrugell, might not be as well-known to Brits as the bigger seaside resorts further south (Lloret de Mar, Tossa del Mar), but in my opinion, the lack of huge hotels and full-English cafes makes them all the more charming.
I’ve picked out five names for my list of the Costa Brava’s best beaches. I’ve been lucky enough to visit this area many times over the years (first as a teen, most recently as a mum to two young children), and these are the ones I’ll return to time and time again. Most are in towns, so you’ve got ice creams and seafood paella on hand, though there are usually options for strolling a little further to quieter spots with crystal clear waters if you want to get away from the crowds. Let’s dive in…
Aigua Blava
Aigua Blava is everything you’d expect from a bay that’s often described as one of the best beaches in Spain. It’s an ideal spot with soft, golden sand. Turquoise crystal-clear waters. Lovely green surroundings. It sits in a little inlet, so instead of gazing out to sea, your view is of pine-forested cliffs sprinkled with million-euro villas (dream house shopping is a favourite pastime for me).
The secluded setting means the water’s usually nice and calm, too – ideal for small children who aren’t confident swimmers. You can hire out paddle boards and kayaks from a little booth, or bring your mask and snorkel and drift above the rocks searching for sea life.
There are a couple of well-regarded restaurants overlooking the sand: Toc al Mar, which does a nice line in fresh seafood, and Mar i Vent, part of the Parador hotel a few minutes’ walk away. Both are predictably popular, so book in advance for a sea-view table (especially if you’re after an earlier sitting or a table along the edge of the terrace). We ambled up at opening time hoping to score a table for a speedy, pre-nap-time lunch but were told they had nothing until 3pm. If you’re not up for a full meal, there’s a low-key cafe bar where you can grab a quick sandwich, coffee or ice creams.
Getting there
The car park is expensive (3€ per hour) and fills up quickly – we were there in late June and it was usually full by 10am. There is parking on the road leading away from the beach, but it’s a bit of a hilly walk. If you’re staying in Begur, the summer beach bus drops off at Aigua Blava.
Platja Fonda
Just north of Aigua Blava is Platja Fonda. It’s the quietest spot on the list, and a wonderful place, thanks to its secluded setting – you’ll need to walk down a long flight of steps to get here from the car park (maybe leave the dinghy/paddles/bodyboards back at the hotel).
It’s worth the effort, though. The sand here is dark grey (wear water shoes if you have them, it gets hot), and slopes down to the most beautiful blue water. The water gets deep fairly quickly, but is great for snorkelling – fish love the rocky seabed here. Natural beauty at its best.
As it faces east, and cliffs rise up steeply behind the beach, it’s pretty shady in the afternoons. An ideal option on hotter days when you want to escape the blazing sunshine. Bear in mind that there aren’t any facilities (including toilets) in the surrounding area, so you’ll need to bring picnic supplies and plenty of water with you.
Getting there
There’s a small car park above the beach. From there, it’s a few minutes’ walk down the steps to get onto the sand.
Tamariu
Next up on our list of the best beaches on the Costa Brava is Platja Tamariu. The main beach is wide and sandy (coarse sand – you’ll be scooping sand mountains rather than sculpting sandcastles) and the water’s lovely and clear.
It’s a hub of activity: boats coming and going, paddle boarders, rock-poolers and divers (there’s a board attached to one of the bigger rocks to the right side of the beach – older kids and teens will love hurling themselves off). If you follow the prom around the rocky headland for a couple of minutes, you’ll reach a tiny pebbly beach that’s brilliant for snorkelling and jumping off rocks.
Loads of lovely restaurants jostle for space behind the beach, so there’s plenty of choice for lunch – and all within walking distance. Es Dofi is a fantastic option if you like seafood. Later in the afternoon, I’d recommend wandering up to the tamarisk-shaded terrace of the Vermuteria in front of Hotel Hostalillo. Sipping an icy G&T overlooking the beach, feet still sandy and hair crunchy with sea salt? There’s nothing better.
Getting there
There’s a biggish car park a couple of minutes’ walk from the beach, which is a flat fee for the day. On busy days, an attendant will direct you to a space or turn you away to park on the road leading up the hill.
Tip: there’s a massive shop right next to the car park selling all kinds of beach gear – swimmers, snorkels, bucket and spades, etc – so don’t worry if you’ve forgotten to pack something
Calella de Palafrugell
A series of the most beautiful beaches are strung along the shoreline in Calella de Palafrugell. Port Bo is my pick of the bunch and a popular spot. It’s narrow but super-charming. Colourful fishing boats are hauled up onto the sand, families picnicking on towels draped alongside them. The whitewashed buildings behind house seafood restaurants, their tables squeezed into little arches overlooking the water. For easy access, wooden walkway threads its way past the restaurant terraces – totter along it and you’ll be within pinching distance of diners’ plates (not that I ever helped myself to anyone’s croquetas…).
Being small, Port Bo does get busy, so I’d recommend arriving early to nab a spot by the water. Aim close to the rocks for fun water activities: my two loved hunting for crabs and paddling in the bath-warm rock pools; older children can jump off the little ledges into the water.
Calella is a great option if (like me) you’ve got kids who tend to get a bit restless in one place for too long. Spend the morning on one beach, go for lunch and an ice cream (would recommend the ‘rainbow’ ice cream at La Jijonenca – looks sickly sweet but tastes like tropical fruits), then potter five minutes to the next beach along. Climb up the path west from the beach and you’ll find a great viewpoint and a lovely tapas bar for post-sunbathing wine and snacks.
Getting there
There’s a fair amount of free roadside parking, but it does get busy in peak season. That said, we always found a spot, even when arriving in the middle of the day – you just have to be prepared to walk 10 minutes or so to get down to the sea.
Llafranc
Llafranc is somewhere I love to go late afternoon/evening, as there’s such a buzz. It’s a long beach – big, wide and sandy, there are always impromptu football or volleyball matches going on, and there’s a long promenade behind to wander along while you decide which of the many bars to have your aperitivo in.
The sand slopes quite steeply in the water, so on windy days there can be some decent waves for body boarding. There are watersports and boat trips available, too, plus the usual loungers and parasols for hire.
There’s an easy walk along the coastal trail which takes you over to Calella de Palafrugell (part of the Cami de Ronda walking route – if you’re a hiker, it’s such a great way to explore this stretch of coast). It only takes 20 minutes or so, and is do-able with a buggy (though you’ll need to carry it up a few steps). Right next to the start of the path is a fab little fruit stall and juice bar – order a freshly squeezed orange over ice to take with you.
Getting there
There are a couple of flat-rate car parks in Llafranc; alternatively, there are free parking areas on some of the back roads. As always, it gets busy in the summer months. 
Where to stay for the best beaches on Costa Brava
If you want to have the beach on hand, Tamariu, Llafranc or Calella de Palafrugell are all great options. But my personal choice would actually be Begur, a medieval town a few kilometres inland. Why? Because you’re no more than 15 minutes’ drive from any of the beaches on this list – so you can visit all on a day trip.
Aigua Blava’s just a few minutes; Tamariu and Llafranc can both be reached in 10. And it’s such a gorgeous town. There’s a crumbling old medieval castle on the hill, narrow cobbled streets and lots of ornate mansions built by wealthy ‘Indianos’ (locals who emigrated to Cuba at the start of the 20th century and made their fortune). There are fab restaurants, proper tapas bars, cute pottery shops (big business in this part of Spain) and just a lovely, laid-back feel… I can’t recommend it enough.