Tourists love the Costa Brava for its spectacular surroundings: groves of pine trees, golden sands with crystal clear waters, and a wild sea that seduces all who glimpse it. But this stretch of the Girona coast is not only rich in beautiful landscapes, but also has a great gastronomic heritage.
The area is known, for example, for its wines and extra virgin olive oils that are typical of Empordà, the Catalan region of the Costa Brava. The coast's seafood is equally renowned, such as anchovies from L'Escala or the prawns of Palamós. Rice from Pals, as well, has been praised for its quality. Among the local delicacies of the Costa Brava is the 'butifarra dulce', the 'sweet sausage' made using pork, sugar, lemon, and, optionally, cinnamon, which can be eaten for dessert or even as a main course.
In our 72-hour itinerary, we will take you on a route in which the sea, with its emerald beaches and steep cliffs, will accompany you for the entire time. Take advantage of this tour to buy regional produce, taste the local specialties, mingle with the locals, and visit their restaurants and traditional stores.
Day 1: Begin in Peralada
Morning
Located just over 90 minutes' drive from Barcelona and barely an hour from the French border, Peralada is the perfect place to begin your visit. The best option is to travel by car, since trains won't take you close to all of our recommended destinations. The so-called 'Mediterranean freeway', which crosses Spain from north to south, the AP-7, is one of the recommended ways to get to Peralada from Barcelona, for example.There is no better way to start the day than surrounded by nature in such an idyllic setting as Peralada Castle, a medieval fortress from the 14th century, guarded by two towers and more than 70,000 square meters of gardens. The complex has been adding facilities over the years so that it now houses a museum, a library, a church with a Gothic cloister, a golf club, and the Hotel Peralada Wine Spa & Golf, which holds One MICHELIN Key. If you arrived last night and stayed in one of the hotel's 54 rooms and 10 suites, then start your morning by practicing your swing on the hotel's golf course, before relaxing in the spa with a wine therapy session. It should be noted that this complex has one of the most impressive wineries in the country, recognized with the 2017 Pritzker Prize.
Lunch
Our first contact with the gastronomic culture of the area can be found at Castell Peralada. The restaurant, named after the castle itself, is led by Chef Javi Martínez, whose cooking is based on his interpretations of Empordà recipes, which are impeccable in flavor and technical skill. The magnificent cheese trolley is a must, coming with options from more than 50 different countries, some of them lesser-known. Let yourself be advised by Toni Gerez, a true connoisseur of both cheese and wine, who provides amusing anecdotes and exceptional knowledge; it goes some way to explaining why Gerez is one of the most renowned people in his profession. If the weather is nice, you can have coffee on the terrace and admire the view of the lake.
Afternoon
After lunch, it's worth taking a walk through the landscaped gardens and, perhaps, a visit to some of the cultural points of interest within the estate. It should be noted that during the months of July and August, the Peralada Castle Festival is held. The auditorium hall opens its doors to host various concerts, while the church and the cloister offer recitals, chamber concerts, and small operas, making this site the cultural and leisure center of summer nights on the Costa Brava.After the walk, drive to your next destination: Llancà. The journey here, on the B-260, is less than 15 minutes, so you can take advantage of the afternoon to stroll around the small town at its heart. If you're a sea lover, there's the option of refreshing yourself in any of the 22 beaches and coves along the municipality's 7km of coastline, and if you are more of a mountain lover, you can visit the Natural Parks of Cap de Creus or L'Albera.
Dinner
This beautiful municipality is home to a varied dining scene in which Miramar, awarded with Two MICHELIN Stars, stands out. The establishment was an old family inn that was recovered and renovated by Chef Paco Pérez and his wife Montse Serra, who opened it as a restaurant in 2012. The menu is built on the recipe book of the local environment, the landscape of sea and mountains that the chef interprets and makes his own through his signature dishes. Take our advice and reserve one of the tables by the window, so you can enjoy the views.In addition to the restaurant, Miramar has five suites where you can stay and rest after dinner.
Day 2: Cadaqués and Roses, Where it All Began
Morning
The next day, you can have breakfast in the same establishment, where natural juices, organic products from Alt Empordà, eggs benedict, and homemade sweet treats are waiting for you.After getting your strength back, and before the next destination, you can visit Paco Pérez's recently opened bakery, aMà. It's attached to the restaurant, but with a separate entrance, where you can buy some of the chef's homemade creations. Choose from six kinds of bread, cakes, or pastries such as croissants, pain au chocolat, and ensaïmadas, as well as pantry products such as seasonal preserves, granola, chocolates, hazelnut cream, miso, and garums.
Our next stop is Cadaqués, 20km from Llançà on the GI-612 and GI-613. This town, considered one of the most beautiful in Catalonia, is known for having been the home of one of the most important artists of the 20th century, the greatest exponent of surrealism: Salvador Dalí himself. In fact, you can take the morning to visit his old house, which has been converted into a museum.
While strolling through the streets of Cadaqués, it is best not to miss one of its traditional sweet delicacies, the Tap de Cadaqués, a sponge cake shaped like a champagne cork.
Lunch
Among the culinary gems in Cadaqués is Compartir Cadaqués, led by Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro, and Eduard Xatruc; the trio are also the chefs behind Barcelona restaurants Disfrutar, which holds Three MICHELIN stars and Compartir Barcelona. The establishment has a large terrace and a pleasant, rustic-feeling interior, dressed in natural materials such as wood and stone. The menu offers dishes to share in the center of the table and those with a traditional base, such as their rice dishes, but with a contemporary touch.
Afternoon
After lunch head to Roses, where you can visit elBulli1846, the first restaurant in the world to be converted into a museum, which opened in its current guise on June 15, 2023. The space pays tribute to the legacy of elBulli by Chef Ferran Adrià, who was internationally renowned for his creativity and was an icon of the gastronomic revolution of the 20th century.
elBulli1846 is a unique place, located in Cala Montjoi, created and designed to transmit what the restaurant represented, generate educational content, and promote innovation and self-learning in gastronomy. In short, the visit aims to confirm what elBulli was: a benchmark in the Catalan, Spanish, and world gastronomic scene.
Dinner
After the tour of the museum, which lasts about two hours, head to the Promenade of Roses, where you will have dinner at ROM. The restaurant offers an updated version of traditional cuisine that includes fish, meat, and rice dishes. The project is the work of businessman Fausto Rom and was launched in 2017 under the stewardship of Pere Planagumà (the former chef of Les Cols), and is currently led by the Sevillian Moisés Vega and his Head Chef Toni Romero. Another dining option in Roses is the restaurant Sumac. It's a family-run place with cooking based on local and market produce, overseen by Head Chef Jordi Dalmau and Carina Juárez, who runs the service. Emphasizing the commitment to regional ingredients, one of the dishes spotlights Wagyu beef from Empordà.
To stay, opt for Vistabella, one of the most luxurious hotels on the Costa Brava. It is located on a cliff at the northern end of the bay of Roses, just above Bonifaci beach. It's been one of the favorite places of the jet set since the '60s, boasting 34 rooms and suites, a spa, and an indoor pool, and is located very close to the sea.
Day 3: Palafrugell, Palamós, and Tossa de Mar
Morning
After breakfast at Vistabella, head to L'Escala to taste or buy its legendary anchovies. Ideally, you want to buy them in one of the establishments that belong to La Unió d'Antics Saladors d'Anxova, an association formed by the five companies in L'Escala that specialize in anchovies, some of them with more than a hundred years of history. Among them, the oldest is Callol Serrats, with a century of experience in the selection, salting, maturation, and treatment of this seafood specialty. They apply maturation times of more than a year to the produce and respect the time it needs to reach the required quality.
After the stop in L'Escala, continue your route towards Palafrugell, where you can check in at Can Mascort Eco Hotel. It's situated inside a renovated 300-year-old house, centrally located, and was this year awarded with a MICHELIN Key. It consists of 15 rooms and suites and is considered a model of sustainability as, among other things, it uses local natural materials and manages resources such as water and energy responsibly.
Set up your headquarters here for several excursions to nearby villages. This way, before returning home the next day, you can enjoy the hotel's breakfast with a wide variety of dishes. If desired, the hotel staff can recommend which culinary options are the most appropriate depending on the activity you will be doing. In addition, if you wish to be out for the whole day, the hotel offers the possibility of preparing a healthy picnic. The establishment also has a store where you can buy natural and local produce.
Afterwards, head to Palamós, 15 minutes' drive on the C-31.
Lunch
Here, we recommend eating at La Salinera or DVISI. The first is located in front of the port of Palamós, in an old salted fish factory, with its own fish farm and a menu of Mediterranean cuisine prepared with local produce, in which fish, seafood, and rice dishes stand out. At the head of the establishment is Josep Alsina, in the kitchen, and his wife Montse Riera, running the front of house. It's a great place to try the famous Palamós prawns.Another option is DVISI, located in the garden area of the Casa Vincke hotel. The dining room is nice and bright, thanks to the large window overlooking the pool; next to this, there is a space that functions as a terrace. The project is run by Laura Vicente and Jordi Simón, who offer a creative menu using local produce as a base, but with nods to further afield in the execution. As a bonus, they have a strong selection of oysters. La Salinera and DVISI are open for both lunch and dinner.
Afternoon
On the last day of your visit, it's well worth taking a trip to Tossa de Mar, separated from Palamós by around 46 km on the C-31 and the GI-681. Don't forget that after dinner you will have to drive back to Palafrugell, where you have set up base.One of the main attractions of Tossa de Mar is its castle and old town, a medieval ensemble from the 12th century, in which it's a pleasure to immerse yourself. In the highest part you'll find the lighthouse that replaced the old castle that crowned the enclosure and, during the ascent on foot, look out for two authentic cannons that were rescued from the sea. Among the cobblestone streets, you'll see plenty of places to have a drink, watch the sunset, and admire the scenery.
Dinner
After the visit to the old town, have dinner at La Cuina de Can Simón, run by the Lores-Gelpí family since 1988. Its gastronomic offering takes the form of a modern menu, blending traditional and contemporary flavors, but always using seasonal produce. It's firmly Mediterranean cuisine, with seafood and rice dishes aplenty, which often pay tribute to painters, the family's grandparents, and the fishermen of the area.
Address Book
Can Mascort. Carrer Raval Inferior 23-25 17200 Palafrugell, Girona. Tel.: 623 188 828Callol Serrats. Carretera d'Orriols, km 20.9 17130 L'Escala. Tel.: 972 77 25 77
Casa Museo Dalí. Platja de Port Lligat, 17488 Cadaqués, Girona. Tel.: 972 25 10 15
Castillo de Peralada. Carrer Sant Joan, s/n, 17491 Peralada, Girona. Tel.: 972 53 81 25
Compartir Cadaqués. Riera de Sant Vicenç, s/n, 17488 Cadaqués, Girona. Tel.: 972 25 84 82
Dvisi. Carrer de l'Avió, 5, 17230 Palamós, Girona. Tel.: 673 55 74 87
ElBulli1846. Carrer la Roca, 4, 17480 Roses, Girona. Tel.: 638 00 18 46
Hotel Vistabella. Avinguda de José Díaz Pacheco, 26, 17480 Roses, Girona. Tel.: 972 25 62 00
La Cuina de Can Simon. Carrer del Portal, 24, 17320 Tossa de Mar, Girona. Tel.: 972 34 12 69
La Salinera. Avda. Onze de Setembre, 17230 Palamós, Girona. Tel.: 972 31 64 74
Miramar. Passeig Marítim, 7 17490 Llançà, Girona. Tel.: 972 38 01 32
Pastelería Mallorquina. Plaça Doctor Trèmols, 8, 17488 Cadaqués, Girona. Tel.: 932 13 35 40
Rom. Passeig Marítim, 43, 17480 Roses, Girona. Tel.: 972 15 11 94
Sumac. C. del Cap Norfeu, 22, 17480 Roses, Girona. Tel.: 673 108 589
Hero Image: The forested coast of Palamós (© Palamós Jordi Renart Arxiu Imatge PTCBG)
