Tuesday 17 December 2013

Spanish Charm Costa Brava



Lloret de Mar

Costa Brava is like a string of beads along the coast of Catalonia, a beautiful necklace made of pristine beaches gracefully caressed by the waves of the Mediterranean Sea.  The beaches of Costa Brava are guarded by frowned cliffs covered in pines, this beautiful contrast offering tourists all over the world one of the most beautiful paintings of nature that they have ever seen.


Costa Brava stretches along 160 km of coastline, from Blanes all the way to the French border. You can easily get here from Girona-Costa Brava Airport or from Barcelona, which is situated only 60 km away from the first resort in Costa Brava, Blanes. There are buses that offer direct access to almost any of the towns in Costa Brava, but it is recommended to rent a car and just drive along the coast. This will be the perfect way to discover any hidden gem of this amazing destination.


Every town in Costa Brava has its own charm and attractions. The trendiest of them all is without a doubt Lloret de Mar, the place where students gather to relax all day on the beaches, and party all night long in clubs. Lloret de Mar is blessed with many beautiful beaches, some of them being tucked away among cliffs and pine forests. 


Lloret de Mar

This town can be the perfect base for those who want to discover the beauty of this destination. The buses here will take you to almost all the towns in Costa Brava and even in Barcelona. A great destination for one day trip is Blanes, a town renowned for its beautiful exotic gardens situated above the Mediterranean Sea. The views from up here are absolutely spectacular. There is a touristic bus that gives you access to both botanical gardens in Blanes.


Tossa de Mar
Another wonderful day trip destination is Tossa de Mar, where the ruins of a fort that dates back to the 12th century reflect in the azure waves of the Mediterranean Sea. The view is enchanting, offering you the chance to capture the beauty of the beach which suddenly stops to make room for the imposing towers of the old fort. The fort can be visited and is a beautiful spot to surprise the extraordinary panorama of Tossa de Mar. The town is filled with restaurants, vintage stores and boutique hotels. If you prefer the atmosphere of an old town, much quieter than Lloret de Mar, then you can set your Costa Brava base up here. 
Tossa de Mar
Girona is often forgotten by tourists who visit Costa Brava, but this is a real shame. It is a beautiful town that charms its visitors with various architectural styles, bohemian narrow streets and interesting attractions. The town is thousands of years old, so you can just imagine the stories that it can tell. The Arab Baths are among the most visited attractions. The scenery of the city is dominated by the Església de Sant Feliu, a Gothic building which seems more like a castle than a church. The most beautiful pictures are captured from the bridges that cross the Onyar River. You will be able to admire the colorful houses that reflect in its water and create one of the most enchanting sceneries of the city.From Girona you can get to Figueres and Cadaques, two small but picturesque towns dedicated to Salvador Dali. In Figueres, you can visit the Theatre Museum Gala Salvador Dali, the artist's largest work, and in Cadaques, which is a coastal town, you will get a chance to visit Dali’s house, where he spent many summers.



Girona
The secret of Costa Brava is Calella de Palafrugell. It’s a little challenging to get here by bus - you will have to change three buses from Lloret de Mar or Tossa de Mar - but it is definitely worth the effort. This small fishermen village is breathtaking due to its serenity and beauty. The white traditional houses that stretch along a hidden beach, the colorful boats that await their fishermen, the pine forests that guard the coast, all seem to defy time. Here you won’t be able to hear any clock ticking. Just the sound of silence and the joy of pure beauty!

Girona (Stoned Street and Old Lamp Post)



There are many other wonderful places of Costa Brava, so you can spend a month here without getting bored or long for home. 

By Md. Foisal Miah Talukdar