What can we do in winter on the Costa Brava?
What a serious mistake it would be to think that the Costa Brava is only a summer destination! And what a pity that you missed all its charms not only in spring and autumn, but also during winter. Well yes, when the days get shorter and the cold begins to feel intense, this natural paradise that goes from Blanes to the easternmost tip of Cap de Creus is even more welcoming. And cleaner, clearer, more open, more mysterious... more yours! And the Costa Brava has so many charms that it can afford to keep some hidden during the summer, and reserve them for those who, like you, know how to appreciate the details that make it unique also in the winter.
Christmas markets on the Costa Brava
Near those beaches that a few months ago offered us long days of sun and swimming, Christmas markets are organized in several towns on the Costa Brava, with all the magic of these special dates. It is a contrast worth discovering, the arrival of color and typically Christmas sounds in a tourist destination that we usually associate with summer and good weather. One of the most notable Christmas markets is Castell-Platja d'Aro. On December 11 and 12 in the Plaza dels Estanys, throughout the day, you will find an artisan market and the most varied stalls selling Christmas products, to get you excited about these Holidays. And the little ones will be able to meet some unique characters that only appear around these dates, in addition to being able to write the letter of gifts and wishes and give it personally to Santa Claus.
To complete a great Christmas getaway, you can stay at the Hotel Costa Brava, in the same municipality, an ideal establishment for your holidays, and with exceptional cuisine that will make you taste the best of Mediterranean cuisine.
And to make this Christmas preview in Platja d'Aro unforgettable, you also have the Park Hotel San Jorge, located in an elevated and privileged point over the sea, and which will also serve as the starting point for a lot of activities the Baix Empordà area.
A walk through the Aiguamolls de Pals
With its endless beaches of fine sand, and with the Medes Islands always present, Pals is one of those towns that completely transforms when winter arrives, offering its most calm and relaxing side. One of the natural spaces that you should know are the Aiguamolls de Pals, and for this we propose a circular route that will take you for a walk next to the rice fields, an authentic and genuine landscape of this place on the Costa Brava. We will leave the center of Pals to the Basses d'en Coll, enjoying the fauna and flora characteristic of the wetland area and the most typical buildings for rice cultivation, such as Mas Gelabert and the Pals mill.
And after the walk, with the last lights of the day and with the desire for a good dinner and a better rest, in Torroella de Montgrí you will find the Hotel Picasso, next to the Aiguamolls. An ideal place to enjoy nature and take care of your health, in a pleasant and very familiar environment.
The best museums on the Costa Brava
The winter months are also an excellent opportunity to visit some of the main museums that house several towns on the Costa Brava, which are a living example of the great cultural wealth of this territory. If you want to let art surprise you, get tickets to visit the Dalí Museum in Figueres, the Carmen Thyssen space in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, the Fishing Museum in Palamós, the Cork Museum in Palafrugell, the Archeology Museum of Catalonia based in Empúries or the Sea Museum of Lloret de Mar. Apart from the interesting permanent collections they house, they periodically exhibit temporary exhibitions that you cannot waste. You already know that combining an outdoor activity with a visit to a museum is synonymous with a round day, and if you complete it with a stay in one of the Costa Brava Hotels hotels then the result is already unbeatable. As in the Hotel Peralada Wine Spa & Golf, an exclusive hotel surrounded by nature in Peralada that will be a source of inspiration for a cultural getaway this winter.
And you also have the Hotel Torremirona Golf & Spa Resort, a leisure and tourism complex located in Navata where, apart from living an exceptional stay, you can play golf, enjoy the spa center and take walks through its extensive gardens.
The most emblematic coastal paths on a winter Costa Brava
One of the most appreciated activities to do outdoors at this time is a good walk taking advantage of the hours with more light, and the Costa Brava is full of coastal paths that you can discover in sections, enjoying an active outing and always accompanied by a landscape of tranquility and peace, with a multitude of almost deserted beaches and coves that you will continually have at your feet.
One of the sections that we recommend is from Calella to Llafranc, a route that you can do in both directions, bordering the coast very close to the sea and which is not long at all, ideal to do there and back on a winter morning or early in the afternoon. You can stay at the Hotel Casamar, in Llafranc, small and very cozy, with unique views over the beach and the Llafranc breakwater. During the walk you will enjoy the contrast of the green of the pine trees and the blue of the sea, at a time when the clear light coming from the Mediterranean is extraordinary.
You can also opt for the Oma Boutique Hotel in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, and take the coastal path that goes to S'Agaró, a short and winding journey of about two kilometers, which you will do while enjoying the sea and a landscape of pine forests and bushes. The Hotel is in the center of the town of Sant Feliu, with a family atmosphere and where you will find careful attention and excellence in service. Along the route you will find different stately houses, built by the first vacationers of the Costa Brava, and which give a picturesque touch to the different corners that distinguish this coastal path. And in the middle of the bay of Sant Pol, in Sant Feliu, is the Hotel Sant Pol, with a special charm and very close to other active tourism proposals such as the Green Routes and the Via Ferrada de la Cala del Molí de Sant Feliu.
And arriving in S'Agaró, and located in the exclusive and idyllic bay, you have the Hotel S'Agaró Wellness & Spa, with landscaped exteriors, a benchmark in aesthetic and well-being treatments.
Another exceptional coastal path is the one that connects La Fosca beach, in Palamós, to Castell beach, one of the few that remain undeveloped, passing through the picturesque S'Alguer cove. You will be fascinated by its old fishermen's huts with colored doors, in a cove where time stands still. And once you reach Castell beach, you can turn around and return or continue towards Calella, following the winding path and discovering several small coves that at this time will be practically for you alone. And for this proposal, take into account the Hotel Àncora, in Palamós, next to Fosca beach, renovated and modern and with select international and regional cuisine.
Fotos: Ajuntament Platja d’Aro y Archivo de imágenes PTCBG.
