Costa Brava Day Trips from Barcelona
Beaches, fairytale villages and exquisite gastronomy: are you already convinced? Set off to discover the picturesque Costa Brava.
Costa Brava | ©Jorge Salvador
The Costa Brava is the ideal place to disconnect during a trip, where the Mediterranean is shown in all its fullness between cliffs sculpted by the Tramontana wind, in turquoise coves hidden like treasures among the vegetation and fishing villages whose beauty inspired artists like Salvador Dalí or Truman Capote.
A magical place in the province of Girona that stretches 214 kilometers between Blanes and Portbou and looks like a little piece of paradise on Earth. A trip to the Costa Brava is a great plan that you can't miss, I'll tell you the best options!
Girona and Costa Brava Day Trip from Barcelona
Discover the most beautiful villages of Girona and the Costa Brava with this day trip with local guide.
Perfect to get to know the most authentic side of the Costa Brava and spend a day outdoors touring fishing villages, archaeological sites and sailing the Mediterranean.
This day trip through Girona and the Costa Brava will allow you to discover by land and by sea one of the most beautiful places in Spain that combines like no one else its rugged coastline with picturesque villages of seafaring soul and a rugged landscape where the blue sea is the absolute protagonist.
You will leave early from the center of Barcelona, around 8:30 AM, to go by bus to Girona to visit its old town, the city walls and the Cathedral. But the trip then continues to the Costa Brava. Accompanied by a guide you will visit beautiful coastal towns like Calella de Palafrugell or Llafranc as well as the medieval village of Pals, famous for its spectacular viewpoint from where you can contemplate wonderful views of the Baix Empordà.
You will also visit l'Estartit, a beautiful fishing village overlooking the Medes Islands. It is a unique place in the Mediterranean, very appreciated by diving lovers because its seabed has a great natural wealth.
During the visit to l'Estartit you will have free time to have lunch and explore the town at your leisure before boarding the Nautilus ship to see this archipelago declared a Protected National Natural Park. During the 1 hour and 30 minute boat ride you will see the colony of yellow-legged gulls and the impressive cliffs of the Montgrí mountain range, one of the best preserved unspoiled areas of the Costa Brava and only accessible by sea.
The last stop of this excursion along the Costa Brava is Empuries, an important archaeological site located in a privileged environment in front of the sea where Greek and Roman remains coexist. Visiting it is like taking an exciting journey back in time to what was the gateway of these two civilizations to Spain.
Why I like this option... It is a super complete tour of the Costa Brava for a very reasonable price. Not only will you explore on foot some of the most beautiful villages of the province where you will be able to take pictures, but you will also visit a very important archaeological site thousands of years old and you will even take a boat trip on the Mediterranean.
Recommended if... you want to get to know the most authentic side of the Costa Brava, its history and landscapes and you have enough time for a day trip outside Barcelona.
Costa Brava Day Trip from Barcelona
Discover the waters of the Costa Brava, its gastronomy and its villages with a seafaring soul with this half-day excursion.
The excursion with the best value for money if you want to make an express getaway to know the Costa Brava.
If during your trip to Barcelona you would like to make a getaway outside the city but you don't have much time, this half day excursion to the Costa Brava is the perfect option.
In just 8 hours you can discover Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar, two of the villages that best represent the essence of the Costa Brava, by land and by sea, as the walking tour of both towns is joined by a boat trip along the Girona coastline to enjoy this unique landscape in Spain dotted with huge cliffs shaped by the Tramontana wind on which grows a wild vegetation that contrasts with the turquoise blue of the Mediterranean. A wonderful place that will stay forever in your memory!
This guided Costa Brava excursion starts early, around 8:30 AM, when you board the bus that will take you to Lloret de Mar, the first stop of the tour and one of the most traditional family destinations in Catalonia.
During the visit you will be able to enjoy from the promenade the magnificent views of its beaches and coves, Sa Caleta being one of the most photogenic. Also of its beautiful old town full of monumental buildings of Indian and modernist style.
Then you will board the Dofijets boat to sail to Tossa de Mar, a neighboring town known as "the pearl of the Costa Brava". On the ride you will contemplate an amazing landscape of cliffs, caves, coves and beaches that the force of the sea and the wind have sculpted little by little for centuries.
Finally you will disembark on the beach of Tossa de Mar to begin a guided tour of this town that Ava Garner herself fell in love with and which has the best preserved medieval walled enclosure of the Catalan coast.
During the visit you will have, if you prefer, free time to wander at your leisure through the streets of the Vila Vella, stroll through the fishing district of Sa Roqueta, buy some souvenirs or have lunch in a cozy restaurant to taste the local specialties before returning to Barcelona.
Why I like this option... This half-day Costa Brava excursion is excellent value for money and will take you to discover two emblematic places of the Girona coastline by land and sea. A real treat!
Recommended if... you travel to Barcelona with your family because it is a quiet plan to enjoy the beauty of the sea aboard a boat, the Mediterranean landscapes and the charming villages that dot the coast.
Kayak and Snorkel Day Trip to Costa Brava from Barcelona
With this excursion to Barcelona from the Costa Brava with water activities you will spend a fun-filled day.
Get to know the Costa Brava from the inside enjoying a snorkeling or kayaking trip. The coves of the Catalan coast offer you plenty of water activities to explore it in a unique experience.
Departing from a central point from Barcelona itself, if you choose the option of this snorkeling and kayaking excursion along the Costa Brava, you will not only know the most beautiful villages of the Catalan coast but you can also enjoy these water activities while you know its fantastic white sand beaches.
A professional guide will be giving the appropriate explanations so that you do not have any problem when you dive into the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. During the 8 hours that this excursion lasts, everything will be adventure and enjoyment along the beautiful Costa Brava.
Why I like this option... this excursion will allow you to put the perfect finishing touch to your vacations on the Costa Brava.
Recommended if... you like adventure and you want to enjoy the possibilities that the Catalan coast has for activities such as snorkeling or kayaking.
We compare the 3 excursions
Discover the most beautiful villages of Girona and the Costa Brava with this day trip.
Perfect to get to know the most authentic side of the Costa Brava and spend a day outdoors touring fishing villages, archaeological sites and sailing the Mediterranean.
Discover the waters of the Costa Brava, its gastronomy and its villages with a seafaring soul with this half-day excursion.
The excursion with the best value for money if you want to make an express getaway to know the Costa Brava.
With this excursion to Barcelona from the Costa Brava with water activities you will spend a fun-filled day.
Get to know the Costa Brava from the inside enjoying a snorkeling or kayaking trip. The coves of the Catalan coast offer you plenty of water activities to explore it in a unique experience.
How to book a Costa Brava excursion from Barcelona?
The easiest way to do it is through the Internet. The Costa Brava is one of the top destinations in Spain, especially during the summer when the demand is very high. To get your place in one of these excursions, in Hellotickets you can check availability, prices and schedules.
Choose the date, the number of passengers, the schedule and book your excursion. You will have to pay at the time of booking to secure your place.
My advice is to make your reservation well in advance, as soon as you have your plane tickets to avoid running out of room on board but you can also do it in the first days of your trip in Barcelona.
How long does a Costa Brava excursion last?
If you are planning an excursion on the Costa Brava you can choose the duration. Usually these excursions are full day (the price is around 86 €) or half day (about 56 €).
Other excursions in Barcelona that might interest you
Barcelona is one of the most important cities in Spain that has a lot to offer to the traveler (history, art, culture, beaches, gastronomy... ) but also its surroundings as Catalonia is a beautiful and very interesting place with attractions for all tastes.
What other excursions can you do from Barcelona? Let me show you some of the best ones in the post Excursions from Barcelona in Barcelona!
And if you want to know more about Barcelona, take a look at all the cool tours you can do during your stay in the article City Tours in Barcelona.
Frequently asked questions
What can you see on the Costa Brava?
The Costa Brava is a coastal region near Barcelona with popular destinations such as Blanes, Tossa de Mar and Lloret de Mar, where you can visit the beach, enjoy local food, explore coves along the coast, or visit Girona, Figueres and the Salvador Dali Museum.
What should I know before visiting Costa Brava?
It is a very popular area in summer, both for foreign and local tourists. Luckily, there are enough quiet towns and villages along the coast, as well as small beaches empty of visitors. You won't hear too much Spanish, as Catalan is the official language of Catalonia and is the language used by its inhabitants on a daily basis.
Is snorkeling in the Costa Brava dangerous?
No, Costa Brava is quite a safe place for diving enthusiasts, who will find jewels in the depths of numerous coves in places like Tamariu, Aigua Xelida or Calella de Palafrugell.