The Coast of Catalonia

Relaxed walking & fun by the sea

•self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking (with notes) • sandy bays with shallow waters perfect for swimming • family-friendly hotels, all with a pool • luggage transported • leisurely walking routes • bustling fishing villages, popular with locals

This gentle route is an ideal way for your family to enjoy the small coves and succession of sandy beaches for which this part of the Costa Brava is renowned. There are plenty of opportunities to have fun by the sea and to enjoy convivial lunches at authentic restaurants along the way, just two of the many highlights of the holiday. All three 3- and 4-star hotels have a pool and offer a lively, welcoming atmosphere which the whole family will love.

Nights: 7
Grade: 1 - easy to moderate walking
Terrain: sandy coastal trails, some beach sections
Hotels: two 3-star hotels; one 4-star hotel
Meals: dinner & breakfast each day (and 1 lunch in July & August)
Climate: this sunny Mediterranean region sees average temperatures ranging from 17°C in April to 27°C in July, and is a great choice for walking in both spring and autumn.

Yachts set sail

Pool at Hotel Ancora, La Fosca

S'Alguer (day 2's walk)

Pool at Hotel Garbí, Calella

Seafood paella is often found on menus

The coastal path

Starting point: Hotel Ancora (3*), La Fosca. With its cool, airy rooms, this is a pleasant base. Make the most of the hotel’s outdoor pool, tennis court and mini-golf too, and enjoy dinner in the lively restaurant - popular with local families.

Day 1: you can spend your day here simply relaxing by the pool or enjoying the shallow waters of La Fosca’s 1.5-kilometre-long sandy beach - one of the best on the Costa Brava - which is just a few minutes’ walk away. You could also walk (or take a taxi - pay locally) to the bustling nearby port of Palamós for water sports and a good choice of restaurants.

Accommodation: Hotel Ancora, as above.

Day 2: from La Fosca a memorable walk leads through a small pine wood to the authentic, protected fishing hamlet of S'Alguer. The path then heads inland, across fields and through woodland of pine, olive and oak trees, before returning to the coast for a splendid, and very scenic, section along the coastal path, passing enormous numerous secret coves. (10km, 2.5hrs)

Accommodation: Hotel Garbí (3*), Calella. So family-friendly is this hotel that it even has a miniature train track running around its grounds! The location is ideal, just a short walk from Calella's beach - a favourite of Spanish holidaymakers - and it also boasts a heated outdoor pool. You stay in 4-star standard bedrooms complete with a sea-facing balcony, air conditioning, jacuzzi bath and satellite television.

Days 3 & 4: take time to relax on the local beaches of Calella - setting for the amazing ‘Cantada de Havaneres’ (Cuban sea shanties) festival during the first weekend of July when melancholy songs picked up from the Caribbean by sailors in the 19th century are performed and cups of cremat (hot coffee flambéed with rum) are served to the crowd. Palafrugell with its market (daily except Monday) and cork museum is also within easy reach, as is the nearby fishing village of Llafranc - a great place to enjoy a delicious fish or seafood lunch. You can also take a short walk to admire the colourful and fragrant botanical gardens of Cap Roig complete with a Lovers' Garden, lily ponds, a cactus garden and a collection of indigenous plants.

Accommodation: Hotel Garbí, as above.

Day 5: your route from Calella is rockier than the previous walk, but is very rewarding. The first of several highlights comes early on, when you reach the San Sebastián lighthouse to be rewarded on clear days with spectacular views over the sea and inland across to the Pyrenees. You then follow the coastal path from the idyllic, rocky bay of Cala Pedrosa (a good spot for swimming), past a pine forest, to the rocky headland of La Musclera, another pleasant spot to sit and take the sun before you head across the rocks to the lovely, sandy bay at Tamariu and finish with a short uphill section to Aiguablava. (15km, 4hrs)

Accommodation: Hotel Aigua Blava (4*), Aiguablava. Located close to the sea on the edge of a tiny natural harbour, the smart hotel offers easy access to the small beach. There is a pleasant sea-water pool, a tennis court, volleyball facilities and attractive gardens planted with yuccas and palms. Most of the air-conditioned bedrooms have a terrace or balcony, and are equipped with satellite television and a minibar.

Day 6: on your final day, we include lunch at the Aigua Blava during the hotter months, which can be taken on the shady terrace overlooking the sea. Outside July and August, we suggest a fine circuit to Aiguafreda Bay, returning via Begur, a lovely medieval town with a ruined castle from which you can look across to the sea. (15km, 3.5hrs)

Accommodation: Hotel Aigua Blava, as above.

Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ. Only the days where walking routes are provided are included on the chart:

Prices & travel 2008:

Start: any day
Nights: 7
Meals: 7 breakfasts, 7 dinners (and 1 lunch in Jul & Aug)
Recommended airports: Barcelona & Girona
Latest flight arrival time: Barcelona 1800; Girona flexible
Earliest flight departure time: Barcelona 1300; Girona flexible
*Connecting travel from Barcelona: return rail & private taxi (out 1h45/home 2h45) £185 for a family of up to 4, £245 for a family of 5+
*Connecting travel from Girona: private return taxi (out 0h45/home 1h) £145 for a family of up to 4, £195 for a family of 5+
Book your flights through us and we’ll find the best route, times and price to suit you

Recommendation for extra nights: Hotel Aigua Blava

Or why not add on a visit to the city from which you are flying home? Stay in bustling Barcelona at the 4-star Hotel Colón, close to the medieval cathedral, or the 2-star Peninsular in Girona, historic and beautiful 'city of a thousand sieges'.

Click here for more family walking holiday ideas.

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