Costa Brava beaches: which one for which kind of day
Costa Brava is 200 km of coastline, and the beaches on it are not interchangeable. A medieval castle bay suits a very different day from a wide sandy shore with a lifeguard and a snack bar twenty steps from your towel.
Here is how the main destinations differ, what each one costs to reach from Barcelona airport, and how long the drive takes.
Which beach for which day
| Destination | Drive from BCN airport | Price from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blanes | ~1 hr 9 min | from €170 | first Costa Brava stop, botanical gardens |
| Santa Susanna | ~1 hr 3 min | from €153 | wide sand, quiet family resorts |
| Lloret de Mar | ~1 hr 22 min | from €178 | large resort, everything within walking distance |
| Tossa de Mar | ~1 hr 27 min | from €219 | medieval walls above a crescent bay |
| Platja d'Aro | ~1 hr 27 min | from €224 | long beach, shops and restaurants |
| Calella | ~57 min | from €148 | closest of the coastal resorts |
For history. Tossa de Mar has the only fortified medieval town left standing on the Catalan coast. The walls run right down to the water, and the bay below them is small enough to cross in ten minutes.
For families. Blanes, Santa Susanna and Platja d'Aro have the practical things a beach day with children needs: wide sand, shallow entry, showers, shade and food nearby.
For coves. The villages around Calella de Palafrugell and Begur sit above small rocky inlets. Beautiful, and reachable only by car: buses do not serve most of them.
Which vehicle class
🔹 Comfort - a sedan for two or three people with normal luggage
🔹 Van - up to seven passengers, room for beach gear, a folded pushchair and a cool box
🔹 Premium - executive sedan when the day starts or ends with something formal
Child seats are free in every class and compulsory for children up to 135 cm. A folded pushchair takes roughly the space of one large suitcase, which is worth knowing before you decide between Comfort and Van: the difference in price between them is 4 to 10 percent.
Visiting several beaches in one day
Buses along the coast run on a timetable built for residents, not for a day trip. Parking near the popular coves fills by ten in the morning in July and August.
Hourly hire solves both. The driver stays with you for the block you book, moves you between coves, and your bags stay in the car rather than on the sand while you swim.
A realistic day: leave Barcelona at nine, Tossa de Mar by half ten, lunch in Lloret, an afternoon in a quiet cove near Blanes, back by seven. That is roughly eight hours of hire.
Booking your transfer
Prices are per car, not per person. Lloret from the airport is from €178 per car; four people split that same figure, and it does not move because of traffic or the time of day.
For an immediate booking, the amount is held on the card and taken once the ride is finished. For a scheduled one, the amount is reserved on your card at booking and charged once the ride is finished. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.
Tolls are not included and are charged separately. Most Costa Brava routes use the C-32, which has toll sections.
Popular routes:
- Barcelona airport to Lloret de Mar - from €178
- Barcelona airport to Tossa de Mar - from €219
- Barcelona airport to Blanes - from €170
- Barcelona airport to Platja d'Aro - from €224
- Barcelona airport to Santa Susanna - from €153
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Barcelona to Costa Brava? It depends on the resort: Calella is the closest (~57 min), Tossa de Mar the furthest of the main destinations (~1 hr 27 min), the rest sit in between. Times for each are in the table above.
Can we visit several beaches in one day? Yes, with hourly hire. The driver stays with you for the reserved block and moves between coves, so you are not tied to bus timetables or hunting for parking.
Which resort is best with small children? Santa Susanna, Blanes and Platja d'Aro have wide sand, gentle entry into the water and amenities close to the beach. Tossa is beautiful but its bay is small and gets crowded.
Is there space for beach equipment? Van class takes seven passengers with luggage, including a folded pushchair, cool box and beach chairs. Comfort suits two or three people with normal bags.
Do you also drive from Girona airport? Yes. Girona is much closer to the northern Costa Brava: Girona airport to Lloret is ~35 min, from €82, and to Tossa ~41 min, from €91.
Is the price per person or per car? Per car. Four people pay the same as one.