Tossa de Mar

Tossa de Mar: The Costa Brava's Medieval Jewel by the Sea

Tucked into a curved bay on Catalonia's rugged Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar Spain is the kind of place that stops you in your tracks the first time you round the coastal bend and see it. Golden stone towers rise straight out of the Mediterranean, terracotta rooftops tumble down to a crescent of sand, and fishing boats bob in water so clear you can count the pebbles beneath them. Marc Chagall famously called it "Blue Paradise" after spending the summer of 1933 painting here — and nearly a century later, the description still fits.

Unlike the resort sprawl further south, Tossa has managed to stay a proper Catalan town. Locals still gather in Plaça de l'Església for evening chats, the fish market opens at dawn, and grandmothers walk their dogs along the promenade at sunset. It's small enough to explore on foot in a day, yet layered enough to keep you happily wandering for a week.

The Vila Vella: Spain's Only Fortified Medieval Village on the Coast

The showstopper is the Vila Vella ("Old Town"), the only remaining example of a fortified medieval town on the entire Catalan coast. Its honey-colored walls, built between the 12th and 14th centuries, still bristle with three cylindrical towers, and a walk along the ramparts is essential.

Enter through the arched gateway at the north end of the main beach and climb the cobbled lanes. You'll pass whitewashed houses draped in bougainvillea, tiny artisan shops, and family-run restaurants tucked into stone alcoves. Keep climbing to the Tossa de Mar castle ruins at the summit — technically the remains of a governor's palace — where a bronze statue of Ava Gardner gazes out to sea, a nod to the 1951 film Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, which was shot here and put Tossa on the international map.

The view from the top is worth every step: the whole bay curves below you, the lighthouse (now home to a small Museum of Lighthouses of the Mediterranean) crowns the headland, and on clear days you can see all the way south to Lloret de Mar. Go at sunset if you can — the walls glow a deep amber and the crowds thin out.

Beaches: More Than Just the Main Bay

Tossa de Mar beach — Platja Gran — is the postcard shot, and rightly so. It's about 400 meters of coarse golden sand with the Vila Vella framing one end. The water shelves gently, making it excellent for families, and you'll find kayak and paddleboard rentals right on the sand for around €15–20 per hour. Sunbed and umbrella rentals run about €6–8 per piece.

But don't stop there. Tossa's real magic is in its hidden coves:

• Cala Bona — A pebbly cove reachable by a short cliff path or by boat taxi. Superb snorkeling.
• Cala Pola — Around 3 km north, backed by pines and campsite pines, with a rustic beach bar (chiringuito) serving grilled sardines.
• Cala Giverola — A wider sandy cove with a hotel and watersports.
• Es Codolar — A tiny fishermen's beach tucked directly beneath the castle walls, accessed through the Vila Vella.

The Camí de Ronda coastal path links many of these coves. The stretch from Platja Gran north to Cala Pola takes about two hours one way and delivers some of the most spectacular walking on the Costa Brava Tossa coast — think plunging cliffs, umbrella pines, and turquoise water below.

Eating Like a Local

Tossa's culinary calling card is cim i tom, a rich seafood-and-potato stew born in local fishermen's kitchens. You'll find it on menus around the old town, often at family-run spots like Can Simon or La Cuina de Can Simon (which holds a Michelin star and sits right against the Vila Vella walls).

Other things to seek out:

• Arrossejat — A dark, garlicky rice cooked in fish stock.
• Suquet de peix — Fisherman's stew, usually with monkfish and prawns.
• Vi de l'Empordà — The crisp local white wine, perfect with lunch on a terrace.

For casual meals, head to Carrer Portal and Carrer Estolt in the Vila Vella, where menus del día run €16–22. For breakfast, grab a bikini (grilled ham and cheese) and cortado at a café on Passeig del Mar for around €5.

Best Time to Visit

May, June, and September are the sweet spot. You'll get warm sea temperatures (20–24°C), sunny days in the high 20s Celsius, and none of the July–August crush when the population swells fivefold with French and Spanish holidaymakers. October is still lovely for hiking the Camí de Ronda, though some beach services wind down after mid-month.

Winter is quiet — many hotels close from November to March — but if you're after a moody, atmospheric visit with the town mostly to yourself, it has its own charm. The annual Festa Major de Sant Pere (late June) fills the streets with music, fireworks over the bay, and sardana dancing.

Getting There and Getting Around

Tossa has no train station, which is part of why it's stayed so unspoiled. The easiest approach:

• From Barcelona: Take a Moventis Sarfa bus direct from Estació del Nord (about 1h 20m, roughly €13 one way). Buses run several times daily.
• From Girona airport: About 40 minutes by car or transfer taxi (€60–75).
• By car: The GI-682 coastal road from Lloret de Mar to Tossa is one of the most beautiful drives in Catalonia — winding, cliff-hugging, and dotted with viewpoints. Drive it in daylight.

Once you're in Tossa, everything is walkable. Parking in summer is tight; use the paid lots on the town's edge (around €18–22 per day) rather than searching the center.

Practical Tips

• ATMs and card payments are universal, but small chiringuitos on remote coves may be cash-only.
• Sun protection is essential — the Mediterranean glare off the water is fierce even in June.
• Water shoes help on pebbly coves like Es Codolar.
• The tourist tax in Catalonia is €1–3.50 per person per night depending on accommodation category.
• Book restaurants in the Vila Vella ahead in July and August — the good ones fill by 8 pm.

Tossa de Mar rewards travelers who slow down. Spend a morning swimming, an afternoon wandering the castle walls, an evening watching the sky turn pink over Platja Gran with a glass of Empordà white in hand — and you'll understand exactly why Chagall never quite got over it.