Last Updated on October 23, 2025
This summer, JC and I wanted to explore the Costa Brava, which is the coastal region north of Barcelona, Spain. Now that we are newly based in Barcelona, what better way to take advantage of our new home than a beach bound road trip? The Costa Brava is known for its stunning coastline and beautiful beaches. We decided to base ourselves in family-friendly Calella de Palafrugell. Read below for how you too can plan a beautiful family summer trip to the Costa Brava in Spain.
How to Plan a Family Trip to the Costa Brava – When to go and where to stay
Planning a trip to the Costa Brava in August, it can be tricky to find accommodation. Basically the entire country of Spain is on vacation in August. Kids’ schools are closed all month, which means that most parents also take holiday at this time. This also means that accommodation can get very expensive. We were recommended this real estate agency for apartments in Calella de Palafrugell. Calella de Palafrugell is known for being very family friendly. However, prices in August were not very wallet friendly. We looked at a 3-bedroom apartment 10 minutes walking from the beach. For 1 week in August, it cost 2400 EUR. That very same apartment the last week of August/ first week of September cost 800 EUR. We decided to travel at the end of August/beginning of September for this exact reason. My advice would be to travel in September and pay a fraction of the price and miss the big crowds, if you can.
How to Plan a Family Trip to the Costa Brava – Which beaches should you visit?
Platja de Llafranc is a great sand beach option
When staying in Calella de Palafrugell, our apartment was closest to La Platgeta, a very small, sand and pebble beach. It was a convenient option because it was only 8-10 minutes walking from our apartment, plus there are many restaurants nearby. However, if you want a bigger beach and sand only, Platja de Llafranc in Llafranc, next to Calella de Palafrugell, is a great option. It is about a 20 minute walk between the two beaches. However, by car you can easily get from one to the other in 5 minutes, and there is a parking lot right by Platja de Llafranc. The walk is breathtaking. I would recommend doing it once just for the views. The beach is significantly bigger than La Platgeta and completely sand. The entrance to the water is shallow, so it is good for kids. There are also many restaurant options lining the beach.
Drive to Cala de la Fosca for a fantastic large sand beach
Our favorite beach of the trip was Cala de la Fosca, about a 20 minute drive from our apartment, in the direction of Palamós. We loved de la Fosca because it is a huge sand beach, there are no waves and the entrance to the sea is very shallow. Perfect for kids. If we make a return trip, for sure we would choose to stay closer to la Fosca as opposed to Palafrugell. Calella de Palafrugell is very cute and charming; however, in terms of beaches, la Fosca is by far superior.
How to Plan a Family Trip to the Costa Brava – Which day trips should you take?
Take a day trip to Peratallada, a beautiful medieval town
Going to the Costa Brava is not all about the beach (although that is the main draw). There are also some beautiful towns to be discovered which are not seaside. One such town is called Peratallada. Peratallada is an incredibly picturesque medieval town with a beautifully preserved historic center. It is worth visiting simply to roam the beautiful cobbled streets and take photos. We also climbed the historic tower in the center and were treated to a beautiful panoramic view of the town. Peratallada is only 25 minutes driving from Calella de Palafrugell – well worth the trip!
Be sure to make a visit to the medieval town of Pals
The second historic medieval town we visited was the town of Pals. And while Peratallada was breathtaking, Pals was even lovelier. It is somewhat larger, with a cathedral and the town walls look out over beautiful grasslands. The highlight of Pals, however, was definitely the food. We ate at Restaurant El Pedró and it was by far the best meal we ate the entire trip. Be sure to make a reservation in advance and order the ‘arroz de Pals con marisco y bogavante’ which is a rice dish with seafood and lobster. It is out of this world delicious! Just trust me and order it!
How to Plan a Family Trip to the Costa Brava – to eat out or cook at home?
Eating out every day, every meal while on vacation can get very pricey. It is definitely worth it to have an apartment with full kitchen to eat some meals at home. In general, we ate all our breakfasts at home, lunch out by the beach and dinner at home. This was easiest for us because then we did not have to think about packing meals for the beach. Also, with kids, eating dinner at home is usually the easiest if you want to get the kids to bed at a reasonable hour. If you have a car, be sure to check out the grocery stores closer to the highway, like Mercadona, as they are much cheaper than the small grocery stores near the beach. For restaurants, the best restaurant we ate at besides El Pedró in Pals, was La Blava in Calella de Palafrugell. Order one of their many rice dishes (I loved the arroz negro).
One more tip! For whatever reason, most restaurants in Calella de Palafrugell do not have high chairs! So be sure to bring your own travel one if you want to eat without your child in your lap!!!
And that’s all of our tips on how to plan a family trip to the Costa Brava! We hope you find this post helpful. Have you been to the Costa Brava? Which beaches would you recommend with small kids? Let us know in the comments below!
