Daytripo
EN
Plan your day
Costa Brava

Day trip from Barcelona Costa Brava

The rocky coast north of Barcelona, from Tossa de Mar up to Cadaqués. The nearest beach town, Tossa, is about 1 hour 20 minutes away by direct bus.

Only with a tour
Our verdict

Is Costa Brava worth a day trip from Barcelona?

Only with a tour, or settle for Tossa.

Only with a tour, unless one beach town is enough for you. The villages people have in mind, Cadaqués, Pals and Calella de Palafrugell, are far apart and poorly linked by public transport. The one easy independent option is Tossa de Mar: Moventis Sarfa buses run direct from Estació del Nord in about 1 hour 20 minutes. We could not confirm the current fare on the operator's site, so check it when you book. For more than one stop, the coach tours cover in 10 to 11 hours what you cannot do alone. Go between May and early October. In winter the coast is quiet.

The decision sheet

Travel time
1 h 20
to Tossa de Mar; some buses take 1 h 35 min · one way · Rome2Rio (Moventis Sarfa service)
Transport
Direct bus to Tossa de Mar
Rome2Rio (Moventis Sarfa service)
Self-guided cost
Not verified yet
Tour price
From € 49.68
Civitatis catalogue
Time needed
4–6 h
Daytripo editorial
Closed days
Not verified yet
Best time
May to early Oct
Daytripo editorial
Verdict
Only with a tour
Daytripo editorial

What to see and do in Costa Brava

  1. 01

    Vila Vella of Tossa de Mar

    A walled medieval quarter on the headland above the beach, with seven towers still standing. Walk up through the lanes to the lighthouse at the top. Allow an hour, with stops for the views.

  2. 02

    Tossa's beaches

    Platja Gran lies right below the walls. Mar Menuda, ten minutes north, is smaller and good for snorkelling. Es Codolar is a cove tucked behind the old quarter, reached through a gate in the walls.

  3. 03

    Cadaqués

    A white fishing town at the end of a winding road over the hills, reached on the tour. You get about 1.5 hours, enough for the waterfront, the church above it and a coffee.

  4. 04

    Pals and Calella de Palafrugell

    The small-group tour stops at Pals, a restored stone village on a hill, and at Calella, a fishing village of coves and arcades. Expect about an hour in each.

Good forCoast and islandsOld towns and villagesNature and hiking

How to spend the day

For Tossa alone: take a morning Sarfa bus from Estació del Nord and book the return seat at the same time. Walk up through the walled Vila Vella to the lighthouse, swim at the main beach, eat, and take a late-afternoon bus back. For Cadaqués or Pals, the tours leave around 08:00 to 09:00 and return 10 to 11 hours later.

Costa Brava in summer and in winter

Summer

June to August

June to August is the reason to come. The sea is warm enough to swim from mid June, the buses run their fullest timetable and every restaurant is open. It is also packed: Tossa's main beach is full by 11:00 and bus seats sell out, so book both legs. Late June and early September give the same sea with fewer people.

Winter

December to February

From December to February the coast is quiet to the point of closed. In Tossa many hotels, beach bars and restaurants shut from November to March, and the sea is too cold for swimming. The walled quarter and the coast path are still open and empty. Go for a walk on a sunny day, or choose Girona instead.

How crowded it gets

Very busy
Busiest
Mid Jul-late Aug, daily 11:00-18:00
Quietest
May, early June, late Sep; Nov-Mar is empty

In high summer take the first bus, swim in the morning and climb to the Vila Vella at midday, when the beach is fullest. Mar Menuda and Es Codolar fill later than Platja Gran.

Weather in Barcelona month by month

How do you get to Costa Brava from Barcelona?

Organized tour

Travel time
10 to 11 hours door to door
Frequency
Daily
Cost
From € 49.68
Departs from
Plaça d'Anna Lizaran, by Estació del Nord

The most reviewed tour reaches Cadaqués after stops in Girona and Figueres, 1.5 hours each. The small-group alternative goes to Girona, Pals and Calella with hotel pickup, and leaves time for a swim if the day allows. Neither is a beach day.

Bus to Tossa de Mar

Travel time
About 1 h 20 min
Departs from
Estació del Nord (Carrer d'Alí Bei, 80)

Moventis Sarfa runs the direct line to Lloret and Tossa de Mar, also from the airport terminals. Seats are numbered, so buy the return in advance in summer. Fares and times are on compras.moventis.es. We could not verify them for this page.

Practical: clothes, food and money

What to wear

Swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and a hat in summer, plus water shoes if you want the rocky coves. Trainers for the climb to the lighthouse and the coast paths. A windproof jacket outside summer.

What to eat

Tossa's own dish is cim i tomba, a fishermen's stew of fish and potatoes with garlic mayonnaise. Along the coast, look for suquet, rice with seafood and anchovies from L'Escala. Restaurants sit in the lanes behind Platja Gran. A picnic works well on the smaller coves.

What you will spend

With the tour€ 49.68

The beach and the walled quarter cost nothing. Your money goes on the bus, whose fare we could not confirm, and on lunch, which is dearer on the seafront. The tours run from € 49.68 by coach to € 98.50 in a small group. Lunch is extra on both.

How to get the most out of the day

  • The road to Cadaqués has about 20 minutes of tight bends. Sit at the front of the coach if you get travel sick.
  • Tossa's bus station is a ten-minute walk from the beach. Note the return time and be there early, because seats are assigned.
  • The coast path north from Mar Menuda gives views back to the walls within 15 minutes, without a long hike.
  • On the tour that includes Cadaqués, the swim stop depends on timing and weather. Do not plan the day around it.

How long do you need in Costa Brava?

Plan 4–6 h on site, plus 1 h 20 of travel each way from Barcelona.