Costa Brava (Spanish Costa Brava, the "wild rocky coast"), without doubt one of the most picturesque places of Spain. This region in North-Eastern Catalonia in the province of Girona stretches 162 km from the French border to the town of Blanes, which is about 60 kilometers to the North from Barcelona.
Costa Brava has retained intact the magnificent and enchanting natural landscape, it will delight those who love the "dramatic" scenes are frequent, similar to the sharp teeth of the rocks here alternate with coves in the shape of horseshoes and a small secluded beaches with dazzling white sand. On coast guard long-legged Iberian stone pine, and the sea air here is so much mixed with the smell of pine needles that it is sometimes difficult to understand, you in the forest or on the coast.
But Costa Brava is not only a stunning nature and beautiful beaches. This luxury hotels and ancient Roman ruins of castles, fishing villages and restaurants with a high concentration of the best Spanish chefs, and just a comfortable weather. It should be noted that the coast of the Costa Brava are well suited for those who prefer cool weather. It is quite cool for the Mediterranean, however, the climate is fairly mild, and the holiday season lasts from June to October. The average monthly temperature in this period is 25-28 degrees and the water in the sea is 21-23 degrees.
The main resort centers of the region: Platja d'aro (Platja D'aro), Lloret de Mar (Lloret de Mar), Tossa de Mar (Tossa de Mar), Blanes (Blanes), roses (Roses) and palamós (Palamos).
Platja d'aro is located in a picturesque corner of the Northern part of the Costa Brava, 120 km from Barcelona. This is a famous fashionable Mediterranean resort, where every year has a rest more than 100 000 people. Here are all the attributes of comfortable resort of modern hotels, a wide choice of nightlife, shopping malls, great beaches with clean sand, blue flag - a symbol of clean coastline, a variety of water sports and water sports, a modern water Park.
Major local attractions are located 3 km from the main tourist area. This ancient castle Benedormiens, built in the year 1041, and a Gothic Church of the virgin Mary. The restored building of the castle today is an exhibition hall. In addition the town itself has a lot of strikingly beautiful houses of the XV-XVII centuries.
Lloret de Mar is located 65 km from Barcelona and is the largest and most famous of all the resorts of the Costa Brava. Thousands of tourists from all over the world annually visit this city attracted by the beauty of the surroundings and vibrant life of this city.
A large number of modern hotels, lively nightlife, many entertainment centers and shops of various profiles, along the entire city stretches wide sandy beach, bordering the picturesque part of the rocky coastline - all this and gives the right to consider Lloret de Mar, tourist capital of coast Costa Brava.
Here you can enjoy the beautiful scenery that frame the blue waters of the Mediterranean sea, to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Loredo, once raised in these fertile places. Especially popular among tourists is the centre of the Old town of Lloret de Mar, where you can see the old buildings of the monastery of St. Christina (XIV century) and the Church of San Roma, built in 1522
In the mountains surrounding the coast, are ancient religious buildings (dolmens) and the ruins of ancient castles. A well-known mountain of Bremen (cat. Verdera), on the slope of which is the former Benedictine monastery of St. Peter from Rhodes, and on top of the ruins of the castle of Denver, known as Santa Salvador de Verdun (cat. castell de Verdera, Sant Salvador de Verdera)
Tossa de Mar is one of the most picturesque resorts of the Costa Brava, 12 km on North from Lloret de Mar. A small typically Spanish town situated in a cozy Bay on the coast. Extensive city beach is bordered on one side with a jagged rocky shore, where sea rocks form deep mainsails, narrow Straits and secluded, hidden from prying eyes Bay.
This city is called the pearl of the Costa Brava, thanks to the beauty of its natural landscape. The history of Tossa de Mar has thousands of years, rooted in those ancient times when this land was inhabited by Iberians and Romans. In the Middle ages to protect the city from attacks by pirates, the local residents surrounded his fortress, the ruins of walls and towers which to this day mutely testify to its former power. From the heights of the fortress offering breathtaking views of the sea and surrounding neighborhoods, and nearby restaurants offer You a relaxing, unique local delicacies and authentic Spanish music.
Unsurpassed beauty of Tossa de Mar was the inspiration to many famous poets and masters of painting, including Chagall, whose works are exhibited in the city Museum.
Blanes - this beautiful ancient city, located in the southern part of the resort area of Costa Brava, just 60 km from Barcelona. This is one of the oldest cities in Spain.
The territory on which now is located in Blanes, was inhabited by the Romans in the age of romanization of the Iberian Peninsula (approximately in II century BC). And in XII-XIV centuries the area belonged to a rich Spanish noble, born in Blanes, founded the eponymous city. Today Blanes has become in modern, comfortable and prestigious resort.
The city is ideal for romantic walks, a quiet and relaxing holiday with the whole family or secluded search of inspiration. Nature did not regret for landscapes Blanes the most vivid and rich colors, and its beaches are soft Golden sand. All four-kilometer-long coast, is entirely sandy, rugged in some places picturesque rocky coves.
The symbol of Blanes, and the whole of the Costa Brava, is considered the rock Sa Palomera, which separates the Bay of Blanes resort and port area. It is from this rock, outstanding in the sea and resembling the Latin letter V, and began in due time the development of the now famous holiday region of Spain.
The rock is crowned with a red-and-yellow flag of the country and connected with the shore by a narrow isthmus. On top of Sa Palomera, which has a convenient viewing platform you can climb carved stone steps. It offers a panoramic view of Blanes.
But the best views of Blanes and surroundings are opened from the height of the mountains of San Juan. Add the exotic ruins of an ancient castle, erected here in the middle of the XII century. Till our days survived only fragments of the ancient fortress, but perfectly preserved watch-tower, attached to the castle of San Juan in the sixteenth century, in the era of rampant pirates.
To visit these places is best at sunset, when the city and the Bay at the foot of the mountain erupted with hundreds of lights. Although, if you climb San Juan on a clear Sunny day, you can even see the hill of Montjuic in Barcelona.
Descending back into town, we seem to plunge into the past, to the coastal town of sailors, with its small houses and churches. One of them is the Church of the Holy virgin Mary Blanes. Near the port is the most valuable in the Catalan Gothic drinking fountain, made of Mallorcan stone. To him, as legend has it, came to quench the thirst of mariners and local residents in the XIII century. The fountain is visible on the coat of arms of the Cabrera family who financed many buildings in the period from 1390 to 1438.
And the sea is located a Botanical garden, which is considered one of the best in the region. You can see more than 3000 species of plants that grow in three Park zones: tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean.
The resort town of roses is located in the Northern part of Costa Brava, at the foot of the Pyrenees, not far from the border with France. The city is considered one of the oldest towns in Catalonia, which has a history of about 3 thousand years. To our days the town has preserved traces of the old settlements, ruins of the fortress walls, which were discovered during excavations.
Today roses being a sort of living Museum, a witness of many eras and cultures. Attractions of Roses is one of the factors causing the popularity that it has among tourists , the province of Girona.
Among the main attractions worth mentioning fortress Ciudadela XI century, which remembers more about Greek and Roman rule, the Church of Santa Maria and monasteryDating back to the IX century, which served as a stronghold against the raids of pirates and Saracens, the fortress of Trinidad, built in the XVI century to protect the inner Bay of the Gulf.
Here also is the ancient dolmen of Creu d'en-Cobertella (burial) Dating from the 13th century. It stands out among similar structures of unusual shape and time of creation. The dolmens belong to the megalithic structures, made of huge stone blocks set vertically and having horizontal overlap as massive sizes. The dolmen is quite popular with tourists, and therefore has the status of a protected object.
The unique location of the city in the Bay between the sea and the mountain slopes formed a mild climate, which is appreciated by numerous Spanish and foreign tourists. Summer and winter are not too high and low temperatures, the beach holiday season lasts almost all year round.
Luxurious sandy beaches of roses, 10 km long, is famous not only for infrastructure, but also the cleanliness of coastal waters. "Land of roses" got its nickname due to the tremendous flowering rose bushes in the spring. Roses adorn almost every house, filling the air with heady aroma.
Undoubtedly, visitors will be able not only to have a great time in a top class beaches, but also get a lot of impressions from the outdoor activities. The city has created the conditions for a variety of activities, from Golf and tennis, to gyms and football fields. For thrill-seekers it will be interesting to try their hand at diving, Windsurfing, go-karting, ride on a yacht.
Near the resort is one of the largest in the country Park-the nature reserve Aiguamolls de l'empordathat will undoubtedly are of the greatest interest to couples with children.
The city operates a variety of restaurants are almost all cuisines of the world, but first and foremost traditional Spanish. Here is the best restaurant in the world three times already appropriated that title. To try excellent dishes from the acknowledged master of the culinary art of Ferran adrià in the city, after an exciting tour, but by appointment only, as the queue at this restaurant are embedded astronomical.
Developed network of hotels, cafes, bars, shops and entertainment centers will make your stay in roses is rich and fascinating, and the quality of beach and sightseeing holiday can compete with the leading health resorts of the world.
The nearest airports are in Barcelona (140 km) and Girona (50 km).
Unlike most coastal towns in Costa Brava palamós has gained fame not only as a resort and as a major port and fishing center. For more than ten centuries in these parts were engaged in fishery. And our day is no exception. Today in palamós come true gourmets to attend the morning and afternoon fish auction and then to tour the local restaurants in La Fosca, where the wonderful cook freshly caught seafood, local sommelier to choose a wine unmistakably local wines.
Among other attractions of palamós highlight the Cathedral of Santa Maria in the Gothic style and the Museum Cau da La Costa Brava, where the objects found during archeological digs in the region.
Costa Brava , with its picturesque scenery and a developed tourist infrastructure combined with a mild climate and beautiful beaches is the ideal place for an unforgettable holiday, the impressions from which will remain for life.
