Michael Heffernan
Halfway up the coast from Barcelona to the French border begins one of the most beautiful stretches of the Costa Brava. The town of Palafrugell, 4km inland, is the main access point for a cluster of enticing beach spots. Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc and Tamariu, one-time fishing villages squeezed into gorgeous small bays, are three of the Costa Brava’s most charming, low-key resorts.
Begur, 7km northeast of Palafrugell, is a handsomely conserved, castle-topped village with a cluster of less-developed beaches nearby. Inland, seek out tiny Pals and the fabulous cobbled village of Peratallada.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Palafrugell & Around.
See
Atop Cap Roig, 2km southwest of Calella, these beautiful botanical gardens contain approximately 1000 floral species, set around the early-20th-century castle-palace of Nikolai Voevodsky – a tsarist colonel with expensive tastes, who fell out of grace in his homeland after the Russian revolution. From mid-July to late August, the gardens host open-air concerts (tickets from €30), featuring big-name performers like Sting, the Vamps and Julieta Venegas.