Platja d’Aiguablava (Begur)

Platja d’Aiguablava, often called Cala d’Aiguablava, is Begur’s best-known cove: a small bay of fine sand, about 80 m long and 40 m wide, between pine-covered cliffs south of Fornells. The name means “blue water”. The bay is sheltered and the water gets deep slowly, so it suits families with small children, swimmers and snorkellers. It has a car park, a summer beach bus from Begur, and the town’s full set of beach services, including an amphibious chair. Skip it in July and August if you want space on the sand or a quiet swim, and skip it altogether if you are travelling with a dog: dogs are not allowed.

Quick facts

• Names: Platja d’Aiguablava (Catalan for Aiguablava beach) or Cala d’Aiguablava (Aiguablava cove). Aiguablava is also the name of this stretch of Begur’s coast.
• Where: Begur (Girona), Baix Empordà, on the GIP-6532 road from Begur towards Fornells. About 2.2 km in a straight line from Plaça Forgas in Begur’s centre.
• Coordinates: 41.9341, 3.2161.
• Size: about 80 m long and 40 m wide (Visit Begur, the town’s tourism site).
• Sand: fine sand. The beach faces northeast.
• Services: showers, a surveillance and first-aid service, a beach bar, restaurants, an adapted toilet, an amphibious chair and walker, and a Red Cross assisted bathing service (Visit Begur).
• Dogs: not allowed.
• Entry: free.

Access and parking

By car: from Begur, follow the GIP-6532 south-east towards Fornells and Aiguablava. The last stretch to the beach is a short road down from the GIP-6532 to the car park above the sand. Visit Begur lists access by car and on foot.

Parking: the main car park, Parking Aiguablava, sits about 130 m from the sand. OpenStreetMap gives it about 120 spaces. There are bays for disabled drivers at its beach end, about 85 m from the sand, and a motorcycle area with room for about ten bikes. The car park of the Parador hotel next door is for hotel guests only. Visit Begur and the Begur bus leaflet do not publish parking prices or summer rules for this car park, so check the signs on arrival.

Beach bus (summer 2026): the town council’s beach bus ran every day from 13 June to 13 September 2026, run by Moventis (Begur beach bus leaflet 2026). Line 2, Begur–Fornells/Aiguablava, stops at Plaça Forgas, the Aiguablava road junction, the Fornells junction and Platja d’Aiguablava.

• From Begur (Plaça Forgas): 10.30, 12.00, 13.30, 15.30, 16.30, 18.00, 19.30.
• From Aiguablava: 10.45, 12.15, 13.45 (runs on to Esclanyà), 15.45, 16.45, 18.15, 19.45.
• Fares: €1.50 single; €1 for over-65s and children aged 6–16; €3 day ticket; 20-trip ticket at €1 a trip; under-5s free. Tickets are sold on the bus and at the tourist office.

These were the 2026 dates, times and fares (checked November 2026). The service is seasonal: Visit Begur says it usually runs from June to September. Check the new leaflet before summer 2027.

On foot: the GR 92 coastal path, the long-distance path along the Costa Brava, passes the beach. Locally it is the Camí de Ronda, and it links Aiguablava with the coves of Fornells just to the north.

What to expect

A small, sheltered bay with fine sand and clear, shallow water. Visit Begur describes “a gentle access to the sea, ideal for families”, and recommends it for swimming and snorkelling. Cliffs and pines close the bay on both sides. Restaurants and a bar sit just behind the sand. Toc al Mar and Les Acàcies are among those the tourist office lists for Aiguablava.

Boats anchor in the bay in summer, and there is a small quay at the north end. A dive centre works from the beach. OpenStreetMap marks the bay as a shore-entry dive site, with a recorded maximum depth of 16 m. It also marks an underwater Roman site with amphorae, about 7 m down off the beach. The Parador d’Aiguablava hotel stands on the headland to the east.

Practical details

• OpenStreetMap marks a free public toilet behind the beach. The tourist office lists an adapted toilet.
• No dogs on the beach.
• Food and drink: restaurants, a bar and an ice-cream stand sit at the back of the beach. We could not confirm their opening months, so outside summer do not count on one being open.
• Begur tourist office: Av. Onze de Setembre 5, Begur. Phone +34 972 624 520, turisme@begur.cat (as published on Visit Begur).

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

In June and the first half of September the bus runs and the beach services are on, and there are usually fewer people than in July and August. In high summer, come before 10.00 or take the bus: about 120 spaces is not much for Begur’s best-known beach. Outside summer the bus does not run and services are limited, but the cove is quiet and the coastal path is pleasant.

Nearby alternatives

• Platja Fonda, 0.9 km north: a wild cove of dark garnet sand, about 50 m long, reached by a long staircase. One of the quietest on Begur’s coast (Visit Begur). No dogs.
• The coves of Fornells, just north along the coastal path: Cala n’Estasia, Port de Ses Orats, Cala d’en Malaret and Port d’Esclanyà. These are small, with clear water, and reached on foot.
• Begur, 2.4 km away: the town above the coves, and the starting point of the beach bus at Plaça Forgas.
• Llafranc, 4.9 km away: the next beach resort to the south, in Palafrugell.
• Calella de Palafrugell, 5.7 km away: the old fishing village next to Llafranc.

Distances are in a straight line from the beach.

FAQ

Is Cala d’Aiguablava the same as Platja d’Aiguablava?

Yes. Both names refer to the same sandy cove in Begur. “Aiguablava” means “blue water” in Catalan.

Is there parking at Aiguablava?

Yes. The main car park is about 130 m from the sand and has about 120 spaces, according to OpenStreetMap, plus disabled bays and motorcycle parking. Neither Visit Begur nor the bus leaflet publishes parking prices, so check the signs on site.

Is there a bus from Begur to Aiguablava?

In summer, yes. In 2026, line 2 of the beach bus ran daily from 13 June to 13 September, with seven departures each way from Plaça Forgas. A single ticket cost €1.50.

Can I bring my dog?

No. Visit Begur lists Aiguablava as a beach where dogs are not allowed.

Is Aiguablava good for children and wheelchair users?

Yes, it is one of the better choices in Begur. The water gets deep gradually, and the town lists showers, surveillance, an adapted toilet, disabled parking, an amphibious chair and a Red Cross assisted bathing service.

Sources and freshness