The Spanish Costas
From the Costa Brava at the eastern end of the Pyrenees all the way round to the Costa de la Luz and the border with Portugal, the famous Spanish Costas attract millions of holidaymakers every year. The coastline stretches for some 2,500 km (1,562 miles), from the sheltered Mediterranean to the blustery Atlantic. There are rocky coves and glorious stretches of golden sand, family resorts and jet-set ports. In spite of the much-reported ravages of extensive development and building, you can still find many charming spots along the coast. The Costas offer cheap and cheerful holidays, and a sun-and-fun atmosphere will always be a major attraction.
The Costa Brava Spain
Perhaps the prettiest coastline in Spain until package tourism arrived here in the early 1960s, the cliffs and coves of the "Rugged Coast" still conceals a handful of traditional fishing villages and secluded beaches in the north of the region. You will find the major tourism development concentrated in the south (at the Lloret de Mar resort, for instance).
Cadaques may look like the typical Spanish, whitewashed fishermen's village,
but it attracts a distinctly atypical crowd of chic, monied holidaymakers. Although it is still a working port, without a decent beach, the village has developed into something of an artists' haunt. In fact, Salvador Dali built a modest retreat here on the edge of Cadaques at Port Lligat in 1929.
On top of the old town, the 17th-century church, with a rich altarpiece, was built as a replacement for its predecessor, burned down in 1543 by Barbarossa, the infamous Barbary pirate. Art enthusiasts can admire a selection of modern masters in the PerrotMoore Museum (founded by Dali's ex-secretary); and the local
Museu d'Art also includes works by household names.
Ampurias was built by the Greeks, improved by the Iberians, and then greatly expanded by the Romans. The site was perpetually occupied for some 1,500 years. An archaeologist’s delight, here excavations have uncovered the remains of villas, temples, and marketplaces of the different civilizations. You will also find lovely sea views.
The most sensational find was a statue of Asclepius, the Greek God of medicine, which was sculpted in marble from an Athenian quarry. The original has been removed to Barcelona, but a copy stands in the ruined temple. The on-site museum displays local finds, from ceramics and jewels to household items and weapons.
In the dramatic cliff country south of Bagur, Tossa de Mar was an artists' colony before it metamorphosed into a fully developed international resort. The town remains surprisingly attractive, its Vila Vella (Old Town) enclosed by brooding 12th-century walls and guarded by three great towers. The museum here boasts paintings by Marc Chagall and other artists who visited the town.
Gerona (Girona) is the inland gateway to the Costa Brava, and is a pleasant day trip destination from the coast (30 km/20 miles west). The old town is fun to explore, with its typical medieval streets such as Caner de la Forla, once the heart of the Jewish quarter. Gerona's Gothic cathedral is said to have the widest nave in the world at 22 metres (72 feet), and the treasury, Museu Capitular, is crammed with precious gold- and silverwork, rare illuminated manuscripts, statuary, and tapestries. Close by, the 12th-century Banys Arabs (Arab Baths) are the best preserved in Spain after those found at Granada. L´Estartit, Roses, Tossa de Mar, Lloret de Mar and Blanes are among the busiest tourist resorts in the Costa Brava.
Costa Dorada
The Costa Dorada derives its name from the fine golden (daurada) sand beaches which stretch almost without a break for 241 km (150 miles) south of Barcelona. The city of Tarragona, midway down the coast, attracts visitors from all over Europe. The neo-Gothic Palau Mar i Cel (Palace of the Sea and
Sky) house a fine collection of paintings and objets d'art from around the world, plus boasts romantic sea views through picture windows.
Adjacent, Cau Ferrat (iron lair) is one of Spain's most exquisite small museums. Works by EI Greco and Picasso, ceramics, crystal, and much more are imaginatively displayed. Another good museum is the Museu Romantic, in an aristocratic mansion lavishly decorated in 19-century style.
By far the biggest resort on the Costa Dorada, Salou has few pretensions. It is a well-ordered, no-frills playground for north European package holidaymakers, offering them huge beaches and a good range of facilities and entertainment. Salou also boasts a brand-new theme park, the Port Aventura, which promises a journey of adventure through exotic lands, plus all sorts of rides, restaurants, and live entertainment. During the early evening, crowds assemble to watch the town's illuminated fountain, designed by Carlos Buigas, who is also renowned for the famous "dancing fountains" in Barcelona.
Salou's more classy neighbour is an attractive fishing port turned resort. Cambrils has a long seafront and a charming oddity in its large fleet of baus-small fishing boats carrying somewhat oversized lamps for night duty. Their daily catch is bought up by the many good waterfront fish restaurants. Cambrils is a Catalan gourmet town with a garland of Michelin stars.
The Ebro delta is the largest wetlands in Catalonia and, after France's famous Camargue, the most important aquatic environment in the western Mediterranean. It is a major breeding ground for waders, waterfowl, and sea birds. Some 7,700 hectares (19,000 acres) of the delta wetlands have been set aside as a protected National Park, truly making this a birdwatcher's paradise.
There is a tourist office at Deltebre which can supply general information, maps, details of boat excursions, and birdwatching sites. Non-birdwatchers can enjoy the wide open spaces, the glittering green rice paddies (the basic ingredient for paella is grown here), and glimpses of the sleepy rural lifestyle.
Tortosa held a key strategic role for centuries as the last major town before the sea, guarding the Ebro River. The fortress at the top of the town, La Zuda, was built by the Moors. Later it became a royal residence of the Aragonese kings. The cathedral in the old town was built between the 14th and 16th centuries, and is a fine example of Catalan Gothic. Inside are a beautiful triptych and two carved stone pulpits.
Costa del Azahar Spain
The "Orange Blossom Coast" begins south of the Tarragona provincial border and stretches for 112 km (70 miles) down a section of coast well-endowed with beaches backed by citrus groves and olive orchards.
Crowned by a medieval castle, picturesque Pefiiscola is built on a rocky promontory jutting out into the sea. Its sloping streets of whitewashed houses are regularly invaded by tourists, but it's still a pretty place, and looks even better when it's floodlit at night.
The castle, built by the Knights Templar on the ruins of a Moorish fortress, has two claims to fame: Pope Benedict XIII found asylum here after being dismissed from his position until his death in 1423; and the castle featured in the film EI Cid, starring Charlton Heston. There's a museum and terrific sea views from the restored ramparts. To the north, there are two popular, but much less crowded, fishing-port-cum-beach resorts, located in Benicarl and Vinaroz.
The nine-month siege of Sagunto (Roman Saguntum) by the Carthaginian general Hannibal in 219 B.C., ignited the Second Punic War. The inhabitants burnt the city and themselves to avoid capture, but when Saguntum was eventually retaken, the Romans redeveloped it on a grand scale. Today, Sagunto's Roman monuments include the heavily restored Roman theatre. Nearby, a modest archaeological museum exhibits Iberian, Roman, and medieval relics. From the hilltop acropolis, known as Castell de Sagunt, sweeping views reach over the citrus orchards to the sea.
The Costa del Sol Spain
The Costa del Sol (
or more literally Sun Coast) is a region in the south of Spain that attracts visitors from all over the world. The Costa del Sol is situated in the autonomous community of Andalusia and it comprises coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline in the province of Malaga. The Costa del Sol is situated between two lesser known Costas – the Costa de la Luz to the west and the Costa Tropical to the east. Formerly made up of small fishing villages, the region has been completely transformed by tourism. Tourist resorts in the Costa del Sol include Torremolinos, Malaga, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, San Pedro de Alcantara, Estepona, Manilva, Velez-Malaga, Rincon de la Victoria, Nerja and Torrox, plus the communities of Sotogrande, San Roque and La Linea de la Concepcion. Malaga Airport serves the Costa del Sol and if you plan to tour the area you can pre-book cheap car hire from at Malaga Airport.
The Costa Blanca Spain
The Costa Blanca, wi
th its wonderful beaches attracts millions of tourists every year. In the north the Costa Blanca starts with Denia and Javea two wonderful towns at the bottom of a mountain. In the south the Costa Blanca goes down to Guardamar and Torrevieja, and includes Elche, the palm tree capital of the world. You can travel along the Costa Blanca by hire car from Alicante Airport, along the national motorway, which runs all the way along the coast. Tourist attractions include the Terra Mitica Entertainment Park in Benidorm, the bays of Altea and Calpe, and small villages such as Villajoyosa just south of Benidorm. Old world villages and modern facilities combine to make the Costa Blanca one of Spain´s most attractive tourist resorts.
The Costa Brava Spain
Perhaps the prettiest coastline in Spain until package tourism arrived here in the early 1960s, the cliffs and coves of the "Rugged Coast" still conceals a handful of traditional fishing villages and secluded beaches in the north of the region. You will find the major tourism development concentrated in the south (at the Lloret de Mar resort, for instance).
Cadaques may look like the typical Spanish, whitewashed fishermen's village,
but it attracts a distinctly atypical crowd of chic, monied holidaymakers. Although it is still a working port, without a decent beach, the village has developed into something of an artists' haunt. In fact, Salvador Dali built a modest retreat here on the edge of Cadaques at Port Lligat in 1929.On top of the old town, the 17th-century church, with a rich altarpiece, was built as a replacement for its predecessor, burned down in 1543 by Barbarossa, the infamous Barbary pirate. Art enthusiasts can admire a selection of modern masters in the PerrotMoore Museum (founded by Dali's ex-secretary); and the local
Museu d'Art also includes works by household names.
Ampurias was built by the Greeks, improved by the Iberians, and then greatly expanded by the Romans. The site was perpetually occupied for some 1,500 years. An archaeologist’s delight, here excavations have uncovered the remains of villas, temples, and marketplaces of the different civilizations. You will also find lovely sea views.
The most sensational find was a statue of Asclepius, the Greek God of medicine, which was sculpted in marble from an Athenian quarry. The original has been removed to Barcelona, but a copy stands in the ruined temple. The on-site museum displays local finds, from ceramics and jewels to household items and weapons.
In the dramatic cliff country south of Bagur, Tossa de Mar was an artists' colony before it metamorphosed into a fully developed international resort. The town remains surprisingly attractive, its Vila Vella (Old Town) enclosed by brooding 12th-century walls and guarded by three great towers. The museum here boasts paintings by Marc Chagall and other artists who visited the town.
Gerona (Girona) is the inland gateway to the Costa Brava, and is a pleasant day trip destination from the coast (30 km/20 miles west). The old town is fun to explore, with its typical medieval streets such as Caner de la Forla, once the heart of the Jewish quarter. Gerona's Gothic cathedral is said to have the widest nave in the world at 22 metres (72 feet), and the treasury, Museu Capitular, is crammed with precious gold- and silverwork, rare illuminated manuscripts, statuary, and tapestries. Close by, the 12th-century Banys Arabs (Arab Baths) are the best preserved in Spain after those found at Granada. L´Estartit, Roses, Tossa de Mar, Lloret de Mar and Blanes are among the busiest tourist resorts in the Costa Brava.
Costa Dorada
The Costa Dorada derives its name from the fine golden (daurada) sand beaches which stretch almost without a break for 241 km (150 miles) south of Barcelona. The city of Tarragona, midway down the coast, attracts visitors from all over Europe. The neo-Gothic Palau Mar i Cel (Palace of the Sea and
Sky) house a fine collection of paintings and objets d'art from around the world, plus boasts romantic sea views through picture windows.Adjacent, Cau Ferrat (iron lair) is one of Spain's most exquisite small museums. Works by EI Greco and Picasso, ceramics, crystal, and much more are imaginatively displayed. Another good museum is the Museu Romantic, in an aristocratic mansion lavishly decorated in 19-century style.
By far the biggest resort on the Costa Dorada, Salou has few pretensions. It is a well-ordered, no-frills playground for north European package holidaymakers, offering them huge beaches and a good range of facilities and entertainment. Salou also boasts a brand-new theme park, the Port Aventura, which promises a journey of adventure through exotic lands, plus all sorts of rides, restaurants, and live entertainment. During the early evening, crowds assemble to watch the town's illuminated fountain, designed by Carlos Buigas, who is also renowned for the famous "dancing fountains" in Barcelona.
Salou's more classy neighbour is an attractive fishing port turned resort. Cambrils has a long seafront and a charming oddity in its large fleet of baus-small fishing boats carrying somewhat oversized lamps for night duty. Their daily catch is bought up by the many good waterfront fish restaurants. Cambrils is a Catalan gourmet town with a garland of Michelin stars.
The Ebro delta is the largest wetlands in Catalonia and, after France's famous Camargue, the most important aquatic environment in the western Mediterranean. It is a major breeding ground for waders, waterfowl, and sea birds. Some 7,700 hectares (19,000 acres) of the delta wetlands have been set aside as a protected National Park, truly making this a birdwatcher's paradise.
There is a tourist office at Deltebre which can supply general information, maps, details of boat excursions, and birdwatching sites. Non-birdwatchers can enjoy the wide open spaces, the glittering green rice paddies (the basic ingredient for paella is grown here), and glimpses of the sleepy rural lifestyle.
Tortosa held a key strategic role for centuries as the last major town before the sea, guarding the Ebro River. The fortress at the top of the town, La Zuda, was built by the Moors. Later it became a royal residence of the Aragonese kings. The cathedral in the old town was built between the 14th and 16th centuries, and is a fine example of Catalan Gothic. Inside are a beautiful triptych and two carved stone pulpits.
Costa del Azahar Spain
The "Orange Blossom Coast" begins south of the Tarragona provincial border and stretches for 112 km (70 miles) down a section of coast well-endowed with beaches backed by citrus groves and olive orchards.
Crowned by a medieval castle, picturesque Pefiiscola is built on a rocky promontory jutting out into the sea. Its sloping streets of whitewashed houses are regularly invaded by tourists, but it's still a pretty place, and looks even better when it's floodlit at night.
The castle, built by the Knights Templar on the ruins of a Moorish fortress, has two claims to fame: Pope Benedict XIII found asylum here after being dismissed from his position until his death in 1423; and the castle featured in the film EI Cid, starring Charlton Heston. There's a museum and terrific sea views from the restored ramparts. To the north, there are two popular, but much less crowded, fishing-port-cum-beach resorts, located in Benicarl and Vinaroz.
The nine-month siege of Sagunto (Roman Saguntum) by the Carthaginian general Hannibal in 219 B.C., ignited the Second Punic War. The inhabitants burnt the city and themselves to avoid capture, but when Saguntum was eventually retaken, the Romans redeveloped it on a grand scale. Today, Sagunto's Roman monuments include the heavily restored Roman theatre. Nearby, a modest archaeological museum exhibits Iberian, Roman, and medieval relics. From the hilltop acropolis, known as Castell de Sagunt, sweeping views reach over the citrus orchards to the sea.
The Costa del Sol Spain
The Costa del Sol (
or more literally Sun Coast) is a region in the south of Spain that attracts visitors from all over the world. The Costa del Sol is situated in the autonomous community of Andalusia and it comprises coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline in the province of Malaga. The Costa del Sol is situated between two lesser known Costas – the Costa de la Luz to the west and the Costa Tropical to the east. Formerly made up of small fishing villages, the region has been completely transformed by tourism. Tourist resorts in the Costa del Sol include Torremolinos, Malaga, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, San Pedro de Alcantara, Estepona, Manilva, Velez-Malaga, Rincon de la Victoria, Nerja and Torrox, plus the communities of Sotogrande, San Roque and La Linea de la Concepcion. Malaga Airport serves the Costa del Sol and if you plan to tour the area you can pre-book cheap car hire from at Malaga Airport.The Costa Blanca Spain
The Costa Blanca, wi
th its wonderful beaches attracts millions of tourists every year. In the north the Costa Blanca starts with Denia and Javea two wonderful towns at the bottom of a mountain. In the south the Costa Blanca goes down to Guardamar and Torrevieja, and includes Elche, the palm tree capital of the world. You can travel along the Costa Blanca by hire car from Alicante Airport, along the national motorway, which runs all the way along the coast. Tourist attractions include the Terra Mitica Entertainment Park in Benidorm, the bays of Altea and Calpe, and small villages such as Villajoyosa just south of Benidorm. Old world villages and modern facilities combine to make the Costa Blanca one of Spain´s most attractive tourist resorts.
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