Many pages has been written about Costa Brava, a part of the Catalonian region of Girona in Spain, which has captured the whimsy of writers, the imagination of visual artists and the glamor-seeking appetite of stars for decades.
As is often the case with such fascinating places, the first-time visitor might feel overwhelmed by all the beauty and the myriad possibilities in terms of sights and opportunities for fun. First off, let it be said that the best possible way to see Costa Brava is in a self-catering vacation, which you, too, can afford via Whitebeach Holidays. Then, if you’re feeling up for some planning, we’ve compiled a map of Costa Brava, containing information and facts about the area’s three foremost tourist landmarks.
1. Cap de Creus Natural Park
This natural park is one of the world’s most expansive, as it literally covers an entire peninsula at the northern end of the Costa Brava region. Beneath it lie 450 million years of evolution—the nether regions of El Port de la Selva, La Selva de Mar, Cadaques, and several other municipal areas. The most amazing thing about this park is, believe it or not, its rocks, in the shapes of which some have seen animals and have consequently ascribed mythical or otherwise mystical powers to them. Check out the Eagle of Tudela and the Lion of Cap Gros, in order to come face to face with some rather impressive mineral formations. Also, depending on the season during which you find yourself here, you are also likely to witness the visually resplendent migration of the birds, which rest here, at the farthest east point of the Iberian Peninsula, before they head out further south.
2. The Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery
This impressive monument of history and architecture is located in Alt Emporda, also in northeastern Catalonia. The closest municipal area is that of El Port de la Selva. Not much fact can be discerned from its lengthy history, spanning well over one thousand years, but we do know it was dedicated to Benedictine monks, who chose this particular spot, in one side of the Verdera mountain range, in order to make sure the monastery is fully protected from all possible attacks. If you’re in the area, do also visit the nearby medieval town, currently in ruins, but clearly an impressive sight to see.
3. The City of Cadaques
Cadaques is a lovely, typically Catalonian town with a population of little over 2,600. But those 2,600 also count some famous figure among their rank: Picasso, Joan Miro, Magritte, Disney and Salvador Dali all lived or stayed here at some point in the town’s history. You can now visit Dali’s house in Cadaques, which he himself built and has since become a museum. Other popular tourist attractions include the 17th century Church of Saint Mary, as well as the Hermitage of Sant Sebastia—which is not open for the public, but looks absolutely amazing, steeped into the slope of the nearby Peni Mountain.
