Catalonia has a great landscape wealth and one of the best Mediterranean coasts in Spain. However, we consider that it is not necessary to be in Barcelona, Tarragona or Gerona to enjoy the beauty of its coasts, since it is often enjoyed much more in small towns, which are much quieter and much more beautiful. We list below the most beautiful coastal towns in Catalonia , ideal for a weekend getaway or for a long weekend.
The most beautiful coastal towns in Catalonia
If you are looking for quiet places on the coast to spend a weekend or several days, we will tell you which are the most beautiful coastal towns in Catalonia.
1. Cadaqués
Cadaqués is one of our favorite towns and we consider it one of the most beautiful towns on the Catalan coast. It belongs to the Alto Ampurdán region (Alt Empordà in Catalan), in the town of Gerona (Girona in Catalan).
It is a fishing village with beautiful beaches and coves . In addition, its old town , where you can still see the traces of the sea, makes it a place of great cultural value.
We recommend you visit the Salvador Dalí House Museum . This is located on Portlligat beach and it was where he lived and worked from 1930 to 1982, the year in which his wife, Gala, passed away. Salvador Dalí himself described Cadaqués as one of the most beautiful towns in the world.
2. Empuriabrava
Empuriabrava is a town that we fell in love with because it reminded us of Venice. In fact it is known as the Venice of the Costa Brava . Like Cadaqués, this beautiful town is located in Alto Ampurdán, Gerona.
It is a beautiful town where it is possible to enjoy quiet beaches , do water activities and all kinds of activities, and get to know the rich architectural heritage of Castelló d’Empúries .
But what most attracts the attention of this small town are the approximately 25 km of navigable channels that cross it, a characteristic that makes it one of the most beautiful coastal towns in Catalonia.
3. Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell is another town that we recommend you visit. We believe that there is no town in Catalonia that preserves all its seafaring essence so well. This town is located in the Lower Ampurdán (Baix Empordà in Catalan), Gerona.
If you decide to stop by Calella de Palafrugell you will see that its houses and the houses in which the fishermen lived are still preserved. Here we have avoided introducing new architectures and modernity in order to preserve all its traditional essence. Hence, it has also become one of the most beautiful towns in Catalonia and the Mediterranean.
4. Begur
Begur is also located in Bajo Empurdán, Gerona. It is a town where sea and mountains intermingle to create a beautiful and spectacular landscape.
The most beautiful thing about Begur is that it is a mountain town that touches the Mediterranean, so in addition to small beaches and coves you will also find cliffs and forests . We also highlight its cultural and historical heritage , with defense towers from the 16th and 18th centuries; mixed with the modernist touch of the houses that were built between the 19th and 20th centuries.
5. L’Escala
L’Escala another town in Alto Empurdán, Gerona, which deserves to appear on the list of the most beautiful coastal towns in Catalonia.
In this town it happens a bit like in the previous one, it has a great variety of landscapes because it has rocky areas as well as beautiful beaches and coves with very fine sand . We recommend visiting l’Escala if you like to practice scuba diving , since here you will find the best conditions to do so. In addition, we advise you to visit the Greek ruins that are in the place and that are about 2000 years old.
6. Tossa de Mar
Tossa de Mar is another beautiful town that belongs to the town of Gerona, but, unlike the rest, this is in the region of La Selva.
This town on the Costa Brava is full of history, art, leisure, gastronomy, medieval fortifications and corners where some movies have been shot , such as Pandora and the Flying Dutchman , with Ava Gardner and James Mason; and Lend it to me tonight , with Manolo Escobar; among other.
7. Sitges
Of all the towns in Barcelona, Sitges is one of the most beautiful. In addition to being one of the most important for being the place where the Sitges Film Festival (International Fantastic Cinema Festival) is held annually.
But the film festival is not the only interesting thing in this town of Barcelona, since it has a wide gastronomic, leisure and cultural offer . All this between beautiful beaches, a beautiful old town, museums and modernist buildings.
8. Deltebre
Deltebre is one of the most beautiful towns in Tarragona and also in Catalonia. In addition, it is totally different from what we have been describing so far because it is surrounded by the most important wetlands in Spain and has the Delta del Ebro Natural Park .
We recommend that you pass through this town if what you are looking for is the beach, tranquility, bird watching, kayaking on the river and enjoying a very good gastronomy , where rice and the product of the sea and river are the main protagonists.
9. Tamarit
Tamarit is another town in the province of Tarragona that we love. It is located to the right of the mouth of the Gaià river, on a rocky elevation.
In Tamarit we highlight some of its beaches and coves , such as Cala Fonda, Playa Larga and Playa de la Mora. We also find all its walled enclosure and the remains of its castle very interesting.
Unlike other towns, this one stands out for being very quiet and not being excessively crowded with tourists. Something that does happen with Sitges or some of the towns that we have named in the town of Gerona. So if you are looking for beauty and tranquility, we believe that Tamarit may be one of your best options.
10 Cases d’Alcanar
And the last town that we choose as a coastal town that you have to visit in Catalonia for its beauty is Cases d’Alcanar . It is very close to the Ebro Delta and belongs to the town of Alcanar, very close to the Autonomous Community of Valencia.
In this quiet town of Tarragona we highlight its 12 km of beautiful beaches , in addition to its gastronomic wealth . We recommend you taste their paella, prawns and rice with espardeñas. One of the best places to spend a weekend full of relaxation, tranquility and beauty.
This town is also very quiet and is not usually crowded with tourists, something that we sometimes look for when we want to disconnect from the city and its hustle and bustle.
These are the 10 most beautiful coastal towns in Catalonia that you must visit and that are perfect for a short getaway of two or three days . And, as an extra recommendation, in order not to forget the province of Lleida, the only one in Catalonia without a coast, we advise you to visit Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici , a corner that has fascinated us. It is close to the Pyrenees and has some of the most beautiful valleys and forests not only in Catalonia, but in the whole country. Of all those we have named, which one do you prefer?
