5 paradisiacal coves on the gorgeous Costa Brava
The closest area to the city of Barcelona and the provinces of the Meseta are the regions of La Selva and Baix Empordà. There you can find dozens of coves and excellent beaches, so you can change bathing and napping places every day. On the maps there is sometimes some confusion, as some coves appear as beaches. Cove is a small bay, it is a geographical feature where there is a shelter from the wind and waves, as it represents an entrance to the mainland. The coves of Costa Brava can be very small, and so narrow that they do not even give rise to the formation of a beach (like the Cala Ametller that we mention here) or spacious (like a bay, which is a wide inlet, the case of Llorell). Now we present you some of the most beautiful ones from the south and towards the north. In which cove of the Costa Brava are you going to spend the day?
Sa Boadella Cove. | Shutterstock
Between the lively towns of Blanes and Lloret de Mar is this cove which is sometimes known as La Boadella beach. It can be reached on foot by crossing a beautiful pine grove and has a minimal infrastructure (a bar and showers). It is only about 200 metres long, and the sand is usually about 25 metres deep. In summer it gets crowded quickly. In addition to the gentle slope that allows walking, it has the particularity of its submerged rocks in which to dive to see marine life. Due to the aforementioned rocks and its size it is usually only used as an anchorage for small boats. A cove of Costa Brava perfect for relaxing.
Llorell Cove. | Shutterstock
To the south of Tossa de Mar is one of the widest and deepest coves in the area, a common place for boats to anchor. It has a wide beach of about five hundred meters long by fifty meters wide, with all the services (it is next to two urbanizations and there is parkings nearby). Its beach is divided in two by the so-called “roca plana” —a large crag about four metres high that people like to climb—. It is a very popular place to rent light boats and water sports courses.
Ametller Cove. | Shutterstock
Within the Volta de l’Ametller natural area of Sant Feliu de Guixols is this tiny cove formed by rocks. Its 30 metres wide have meant that it has almost no sand, with only a dozen metres of pebbles to throw in the towel. As it is located in a protected environment, it lacks the services of the larger coves. The beauty and tranquillity of the surroundings compensate for this limitation. It also has a fairly rocky seabed on which to dive, which is why it is rare for boats to anchor there.
Cala del Pi. | Shutterstock
To the north of Aro Beach, surrounded by a pine grove that gives it its name (pi means pine grove in Catalan), is this cove on Costa Brava which can be reached by a footpath that even includes a narrow tunnel. It includes a small beach only about 65 meters long and about 15 meters wide. As it is a rocky area, there are submerged rocks and even an attractive islet that can be reached after a short swim. It is a cove without showers, parking or beach bars (you must take your food and drink with you); and as there are no waste bins either, the civic bather must return with all the food and drink containers he or she has brought with him or her in his or her bag or backpack, as nobody is going to collect them.
Aigua Xelida. | Shutterstock
To the north of the small town of Tamariu —located between Begur and Palafrugell— located between Begur and Palafrugell – is the tiny and remote cove of Costa Brava called Aigua Xélida; so small that it does not even appear on many maps. It is a deep inlet made by the sea between medium height cliffs crowned by a dense pine forest. The length of its sandy beach is only about 25 meters long and 15 meters wide. Access is on foot, going up from the street of L’Aví Xicú de Tamariu (the nearest place to leave the car). Due to its size and complex access it lacks services, so you have to take the drink with you and return to the car with all the bottles consumed. It is an extraordinarily sheltered cove from the winds and with little swell; but due to the rocky bottom and its narrowness it is only visited by sporadic boats whose crew members come to see its beautiful surroundings and take a quick dip in its crystal-clear water.
