The Costa Brava is the coastal region of north eastern Catalonia, stretching from Blanes in the south to the border with France in the north. With an excellent summer climate and one hundred and sixty kilometres of sandy beaches, the Costa Brava is an ideal holiday destination.
The Costa Brava has many resorts along its long coastline. These vary in character from the modern high rise hotels, apartments and villas, to the traditional fishing villages where time appears to have stood still. The nightlife provides something for everyone. From romantic moonlit dinners for two to child friendly restaurants, from tapas bars and pubs to partying into the small hours, or to simply sipping sangria on the beach, the Costa Brava has it all.
Holiday makers of all ages and interests flock to the Costa Brava. The splendid golden beaches make it the perfect destination for families with small children. The more energetic visitor will enjoy a range of activities from water sports to hiking in the pine clad hills. Those whose perfect holiday is to lounge on the beach by day and liven up when the moon rises will find all they need in Costa Brava.
April to October is the best time to visit Costa Brava when the Temperature ranges from 20 degrees rising to 30 degrees in the summer months.
The Costa Brava literally means the wild coast and the landscape is certainly as dramatic as it is varied. The long stretches of sand, the wide bays, and the quiet sheltered coves, give way to pine covered hills leading to the hilltop towns and villages. There, waiting to be explored among the narrow cobbled streets are medieval castles and fortresses.
Although the Costa Brava is well developed as a tourist area, it remains possible to find resorts, such as the Bay of Roses, that retain their traditional charm.
Europe's largest water park is found at Lloret de Mar and is a great favourite with both adults and children alike. Attractions such as a children's zoo and a marine land park are also found in the area.
Excursions to Barcelona with its outstanding architecture, brilliant museums and churches and vast boulevards are not to be missed.
The family is very important in Spain where the people usually have a close extended family. They are a warm friendly people welcoming visitors and helping them to have an enjoyable holiday.
Music and dance festivals are very popular particularly during the summer months.
The Costa Brava is host to many lively night spots from pubs to clubs, karaoke to disco, nightclubs to casinos. If a more sedate pace is your preference there are many waterfront bars and restaurants where you can relax listening to the water breaking on the shore.
There are a number of markets and fairs where you can find locally produced goods as well as those from further afield. A trip to Barcelona would fulfil any shoppers dream with its boutiques and markets.
The Costa Brava has a wide variety of culinary choices to offer holiday makers ranging from the traditional local dishes such as paella, tortillas, tapas and chorizo to an extensive choice of international cuisine.
Spain is a Roman Catholic country and many festivals are connected with the church. Festivals on patron saints days are of particular importance. When visiting churches, particularly in rural areas, shoulders and legs should be covered to avoid offence.
The best time to pick up a cheap Costa Brava holiday deal is outside the summer season. Winter is a good time to look for holidays to the area providing you steer clear of the major public holidays such as Christmas, New Year and the children's half term and school holidays.
There may also occasionally be cheap deals in early May or October which will also save you some money. Because of the decrease in the number of tourists visiting the area at this time, the prices of drinks especially, and sometimes food will be cheaper. As a result, you might be better off booking into a half board basis hotel and use the extra money you'll save for eating out in the many high quality restaurants.
The temperature in Costa Brava isn't usually below 20ºC, even in the winter months, so if you were to take an out of season holiday, there's still plenty of chance that you'll pick up a nice tan.
The Costa Brava golden beaches can of course be visited all year round, as well as many of the other tourist attractions such as the worlds largest water park which can be found at Lloret de Mar, or the children's petting zoos and marine land parks in the area.
Costa Brava is an incredibly popular destination throughout the year, however if it's a cheap Costa Brava holiday that you're looking for, the best time to go is outside the peak summer period in the Winter, or in May and October.
