Costa Brava Map
Brava means rugged, and the name was coined in 1908 by the journalist Ferran Agulló for exactly the reason the map shows: this is pine, cliff and cove rather than open sand. It is really three coasts. The southern end around Lloret is mass tourism; the middle, from Palafrugell to Begur, is the postcard; the north around Cadaqués and Cap de Creus is bare rock and tramuntana wind.
How to use this map
The map is scoped to this coast: the pins are the destinations on it, not the whole of Spain. The filters above narrow it further — show only beaches, or only coves, viewpoints, castles, museums or natural parks.
Town guides on this coast
- Alella — a small wine town just north of Barcelona
- Arenys de Mar — a Maresme coast town with the area’s biggest marina
- Banyoles — The Estany de Banyoles is the biggest natural lake in Catalonia
- Besalú — one of Catalonia’s best-preserved medieval towns
- Bescanó — a quiet Ter-river town just west of Girona
- Canet de Mar — Domènech i Montaner’s modernism
- El Masnou — golden beaches, a lively marina, maritime heritage and easy trains from Barcelona
- Escala — the Greek and Roman ruins of Empuries, salted anchovies
- Figueres — the Dalí Theatre-Museum, the vast Sant Ferran castle
- Girona — a walled medieval old town, the widest Gothic cathedral nave
- Lloret de Mar — Lloret de Mar is the Costa Brava’s biggest, busiest resort
- Malgrat de Mar — history, the Cathedral of the Coast and how to visit
- Olot — capital of the Garrotxa volcanic zone, dozens of dormant volcanoes
- Palamós — a working Costa Brava fishing town famous for its prawns
- Pineda de Mar — long Maresme beaches, a Roman aqueduct and direct trains from Barcelona
- Premià de Mar — a Maresme beach town 30 minutes by train from Barcelona
- Salt — a dense, multicultural mill town on Girona’s doorstep
- Sant Antoni de Calonge — a long Costa Brava beach, quiet coves
- Santa Coloma de Farners — Full guide to Santa Coloma de Farners
- Tordera — an inland town on the Costa Brava’s southern edge, its river delta
- Tossa de Mar — Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava has a walled medieval old
For the coast in words, see the full guide, or the region page for its destinations by area. Every Spanish coast is on the main CostaMap map.