Costa Brava Hotels and Apartments

Costa Brava Hotels & Accommodation in Costa Brava

Hotels in Costa Brava cover the whole, 100-mile section of this wild and lively coast. That means there are all sorts of accommodation in Costa Brava to choose from. You could loosen the purse strings and enjoy the height of luxury, with French chateaux-style mansions on the clifftop ridges and bubbling hot tubs overlooking the Med. Or, you could seek out the wealth of cheap Costa Brava hotels on offer in the major resorts. Those usually mean simple, stripped-down suites with balconies and breakfast spreads – perfect for a family summer holiday in the sun-kissed region.

All About Costa Brava

Crashing down from the sometimes-snow-topped peaks of the haute Pyrenees, the heights of the Catalan mountains finally reach the sea. The point where they cascade into the Med, running for nearly 85 miles from the French border to the whitewashed fishing towns north of Barcelona, is known as the Costa Brava: The Wild Coast. It''s an apt name, as craggy headlands rise and fall into the salt-spraying waves, rugged calanques dip down to the sea, and scrub-capped hills form the backdrop. These days, the place is slowly being tamed by resort towns like Blanes and Lloret de Mar, which pulse with party bars and holidayers throughout the whole summer.

Where to stay in Costa Brava

There are many faces to the Costa Brava. You can choose to join the crowds in the popular resort towns of Blanes, Tossa de Mar and Lloret de Mar, where family hotels spill out onto the beachfront promenades and cheap Costa Brava hotels house partiers ready for the strip. Or, you can look elsewhere for your accommodation in Costa Brava, perhaps with a rustic clifftop guesthouse on the less-trodden Cap de Creus, or between the sun-baked hills of Baix Empordà. Meanwhile, there are cheap all inclusive hotels in Costa Brava, too, giving the perfect affordable stays for families in places like Calella de Palafrugell and Malgrat de Mar.

Top Things to See and Do in Costa Brava

Sun, sand and sea is the usual routine of a holiday on the Costa Brava. It''s easy to see why. Beaches so beautiful they look like sizzling magnesium strips under the Spanish skies run from ochre-hued Empuriabrava in the north, through palm-shaded Cala Rovira, and all the way down to the lively bays of Blanes and Lloret de Mar. And talking of lively resorts, partying is another of the major attractions, with countless karaoke joints and thumping clubs coming alive at night time. When the sun rises again, be sure to consider donning the SCUBA gear and heading out to the craggy coves of the Medes Islands, or pulling on the walking boots and hitting the trails of the wild Les Guilleries.

Nightlife in Costa Brava

If you''ve opted for a stay in one of the many cheap all inclusive hotels in Costa Brava resorts like Lloret de Mar, then it''s likely you won''t have to stray far from the door of your room to find some seriously hedonistic partying spots. You can check out strips like Avignuda Just Marlés (Lloret de Mar) and Passeig Pau Casals (Blanes) to flit between English pubs and breweries, sports bars and beat-thumping chart discos, or opt to settle in the more refined boating clubs and cocktail haunts along the marinas of the smaller towns. There''s also some wholesome nightlife available in these places, in the form of cinema shows and theatres for the whole family to enjoy.

What to Eat in Costa Brava

With Barcelona so close and France just a hop, skip and jump over the peaks of the Pyrenees, the Costa Brava boasts a fusion of Iberian and Francophone flavours. Of course, much of the influence comes from the sea, with lemon-doused fish cuts often found sizzling on open coals, and bubbling suquet de peix (Catalonian seafood stews) broiling away in the local cantinas. Meanwhile, the major resort towns of the coast come with their own smattering of international eateries, where that ubiquitous medley of Anglo-inspired and other Mediterranean menus means plenty of Full English breakfasts, Italian pizzas and Spanish paella.

Shopping in Costa Brava

One of the real benefits of finding cheap Costa Brava hotels is that it should free up just a little more spending money for those shopping jaunts down the strips of the Costa Brava. There''s loads to get through, from the endless outlets and designer brand shops of the La Roca Village on the way to Barcelona to the high-street strips of Girona city and beyond. However, there''s surely no substitute for the local Catalonian marketplaces that erupt in the mountain towns each week. You''ll have to venture into the bucolic reaches of the massifs a little away from the coast for these, but get ready to enjoy local famers touting fresh veg, regional meat cuts and Spanish cheeses.

The Price of Things in Costa Brava

Costa Brava hotels can be truly affordable, starting from as little as EUR 60 a night for a double room in a local resort with a pool. What''s more, flights into the regional airport hub at Barcelona are now run mainly by low-cost airlines out of London, Manchester and other UK cities, meaning you can expect to get return connections in the region of EUR 50 without checked baggage. Then there are the wallet-friendly food prices, with fast food coming in at around EUR 4 a hit and beers costing as little as EUR 1.5 during happy hours in the main resorts.

Fast Facts About Costa Brava

• Currency: Euro
• Language: Spanish
• Direct flight time to Barcelona from London: 2.3 hours
• Transfer time from Barcelona to Blanes: 40 minutes
• Transfer time from Barcelona to Lloret de Mar: 1 hour