Costa Brava beaches: which one for which day
The Costa Brava stretches for 200 km, and its beaches are nothing like one another. A day under a medieval fortress on a rocky cove is a completely different day from one on wide sand, with a lifeguard and a café twenty steps from your towel.
Here's what sets the main destinations apart, what it costs to reach each one from Barcelona airport and how long the drive takes.
Which beach for which day
| Destination | From Barcelona airport | Price | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blanes | ~1 hr 6 min | from €117 | the first stop on the Costa Brava, botanical gardens |
| Santa Susanna | ~1 hr 1 min | from €104 | the Maresme, just short of Blanes: wide sand, quiet family hotels |
| Lloret de Mar | ~1 hr 15 min | from €123 | a big resort, everything within walking distance |
| Tossa de Mar | ~1 hr 32 min | from €136 | medieval walls above a crescent-shaped bay |
| Platja d'Aro | ~1 hr 27 min | from €157 | a long beach, shops and restaurants |
| Calella | ~56 min | from €100 | the Maresme, half an hour short of the Costa Brava: wide sand, plenty of family hotels |
For the history. Tossa de Mar is the only fortified medieval town still standing on the Catalan coast. The walls stand right at the water's edge, and you can walk the beach below them end to end in ten minutes.
With children. Blanes, Santa Susanna and Platja d'Aro have everything a beach day with kids needs: wide sand, a gentle slope into the water, showers, shade and food close by.
For the coves. The villages around Calella de Palafrugell and Begur sit above small rocky inlets. They're beautiful, and a car is by far the easiest way to reach them: by public transport you change in Palafrugell, where a bus runs on to Calella and Llafranc.
Which vehicle class
- Econom: up to three passengers, two medium suitcases
- Eco: electric or hybrid business-class car, up to three passengers, two medium suitcases
- Business: business-class sedan, up to three passengers, two medium suitcases
- Van: minivan, up to seven passengers, luggage for the whole group and a pushchair
- Premium: executive sedan, up to three passengers, three medium suitcases
- Bus: minibus, up to sixteen passengers, luggage for the whole group
A child seat comes free in every class and is mandatory for children 135 cm and under. A folded pushchair takes up roughly the space of one medium suitcase - worth keeping in mind when you choose between Business and Van.
Several beaches in one day
Buses along the coast keep to a timetable that suits locals, not people who are there for the day. Car parks at the popular coves fill up by ten in the morning in July and August.
Hourly hire solves both problems. Your driver stays with you for the whole block you've booked and moves you from cove to cove. Your things stay in the car instead of sitting on the sand while you swim.
A realistic day: leave Barcelona at nine, reach Tossa de Mar by half past ten, have lunch in Lloret, spend the afternoon in a quiet cove near Blanes and get back by seven. That comes to about ten hours of hire.
Booking a transfer
Terms and the exact price are on each route page; the links are below.
Tolls are not included in the price: you pay the driver back for them on the spot, against the receipt. Right now there are no tolls on the way to the Costa Brava: the C-32 and the AP-7 have been free in that direction since 2021.
Popular destinations:
- Barcelona airport - Lloret de Mar - from €123
- Barcelona airport - Tossa de Mar - from €136
- Barcelona airport - Blanes - from €117
- Barcelona airport - Platja d'Aro - from €157
- Barcelona airport - Santa Susanna - from €104
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Barcelona to the Costa Brava? It depends on the resort. Blanes, the first town on the Costa Brava, is ~1 hr 6 min away. Tossa de Mar (~1 hr 32 min) and Platja d'Aro are farthest, with the rest in between. You'll find the time for every destination in the table above.
Can I visit several beaches in one day? Yes, with hourly hire. Your driver stays with you for the block you've booked and moves you from cove to cove, so you aren't tied to bus times and you aren't hunting for a parking space.
Which resort works better with small children? Santa Susanna, Blanes and Platja d'Aro: wide sand, a gentle slope into the water and everything you need right by the beach. Tossa is beautiful, but the bay there is small and fills up fast.
Will there be enough room for beach gear? The Van class takes seven passengers with luggage, including a folded pushchair, a cool box and beach chairs. Business suits two or three people with ordinary bags.
Do you drive from Girona airport? Yes, and from there Lloret and Tossa are closer: Girona - Lloret ~29 min, from €50; Girona - Tossa ~39 min, from €57.