Costa Brava Adventures: Family Fun Under the Spanish Sun
A simple image search of Costa Brava will reveal the allure that captivated us – the golden sands and cobblestone streets of Tossa de Mar, the crystal-clear waters, and the lush surroundings. It presented a serene escape from Barcelona’s bustling atmosphere. While searching for the perfect Airbnb, we found so many with pools, yet they were unheated—a tease for our girls as if we were dangling candy before them. Then, we stumbled upon a gem: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/NNBxyujh a stunning house nestled in the hills, boasting not just a heated pool but also an all-glass pool house. It seemed like a slice of Beverly Hills tucked away in Spain. Upon meeting the owner and touring the property, we were so amazed that we extended our stay by two nights. The advantages of off-peak travel: availability and affordability!
The beautiful view from our Airbnb
The pool at our Airbnb
Navigating Costa Brava with Kids in Tow
The property we stayed was technically in Santa Maria de Llorell, a quiet gated community that even had a private beach that you could get to in 2 minutes by car or a 10 minute walk that winded down the mountain. Every home in this community had its own unique design and architecture – we’d happily move into any of them!
The girls started every day in the pool and once they were waterlogged, we headed out on little adventures to the neighboring towns including:
Llorette de Mar - The botanical gardens at Santa Clotilde Gardens - Lloret de Mar were a perfect place for the girls to run and explore, and find all the mermaid statues. And you can’t beat the views.
Fountain at Santa Clotilde Gardens
View from Santa Clotilde Gardens
Calella de Palafrugell - The girls loved exploring the beaches, seeing the sailboats but most of all, the gelato. The downside was when our 3 year old found a friendly caterpillar that she carried around. Within 10 mins she started itching and breaking out in hives, and a quick google search confirmed it was a Pine Processionary Caterpillar so off to the pharmacy we went for Benadryl and antihistamine.
Boats of Calella de Palafrugell
Our '“itchy” caterpillar friend
Tossa de Mar – This was everyone’s top town to explore. Nothing tops the cobblestone streets and the tower overlooking the Medeteranian. It is open year round and free. The perfect amount of hiking for their little legs The walled Vila Vella – Oficina de Turisme de Tossa de Mar (visittossa.com)
The beach up to the tower
Wandering the streets
Tasty Treats: Kid-Friendly Eats
With three kids and five adults, it always seemed like someone was hungry. The perks of being at an Airbnb included having a full kitchen, which was especially convenient for our family. As diehard Aldi shoppers back home, we were thrilled to find plenty of Aldi stores in Spain. However, these Aldi stores had an added bonus: a fresh bakery section with soft pretzels, donuts, and a fresh-squeezed orange juice machine. Our kids made a beeline for these treats as soon as we entered the store. For the adults, there was an excellent selection of inexpensive wine and beer. All the groceries we bought would tide us over for late-night dinners. In Costa Brava, it’s common for stores and restaurants to close between 3-8 pm, so our girls got accustomed to eating around 9 pm. This late dining schedule made car rides home easier, as at least one child would always fall asleep. While we typically avoid revisiting the same restaurant on vacation, our girls fell in love with the pizza at Mestre d'Aixa – Restaurant Forn de llenya (mestredaixa.net) in Tossa de Mar, along with their delicious focaccia bread. We also explored other restaurants in the charming beach towns, where tables overlooked the sandy Mediterranean. Beyond just food, Costa Brava offered a taste of joy, curiosity, and shared moments.
If we came back with older kids…
One thing is certain, we would stay at the same Airbnb we booked! In addition, we would have done more hiking (Costa Brava has a plethora of but our kids were a little too young), and waterparks (it wasn’t peak season)
Hiking: When we come back, we would love to explore the Camí de Ronda (Coastal Path). It runs along the entire Costa Brava coastline, stretching from Blanes to the French border at Portbou. Originally used to watch out for smugglers, these coastal paths offer breathtaking views. It is over 120 miles long but there are shorter stretches to explore between the towns.
Waterpark adventures: in the bigger, busier towns like Lloret de Mar, there were a lot of advertisements for aquatic adventures. One that looked like the perfect spot to beat the summer heat was Water World with daring slides, pools and lagoons Inici - Water World.
Costa Brava has a special place in our hearts, the views, the pool and the neighboring towns that each have their own unique style, we will certainly be back!
