Last updated on October 23, 2025
This summer JC and I wanted to explore the Costa Brava, the coastal region north of Barcelona, Spain. Now that we’re newly settled in Barcelona, what better way to take advantage of our new home than a road trip along the beach? The Costa Brava is known for its beautiful coastline and beautiful beaches. We decided to base it on family friendly Palafrugell Calella. Read below how you too can plan a wonderful summer holiday with the family to the Costa Brava in Spain.
How to plan a family trip to the Costa Brava – when to go and where to stay
If you are planning a trip to the Costa Brava in August, it can be difficult to find accommodation. Actually, the whole of Spain is on holiday in August. The children’s schools are closed all month, which means that most parents also take holidays during this period. This also means that accommodation can become very expensive. We were recommended this real estate agency for apartments in Calella from Palafrugell. Palafrugell Calella 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 walk from the beach. For 1 week in August it cost 2400 EUR. The same apartment cost EUR 800 in the last week of August/first week of September. It is precisely for this reason that we decided to travel at the end of August/beginning of September. My advice would be to travel in September and pay a fraction of the price and miss the big crowdsif you can.
How to plan a family trip to the Costa Brava – Which beaches should you visit?
Platja de Llafranc is a great sandy beach option
While staying in Calella de Palafrugell our apartment was the closest The beacha very small sand and pebble beach. It was a convenient option as it was only an 8-10 minute walk from our apartment, and there are many restaurants nearby. However, if you just want a bigger beach and sand, Llafranc Beach 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 travel from one to the other in 5 minutes and there is a parking lot close to Platja de Llafranc. The walk is breathtaking. I would recommend doing it once, just for the view. The beach is considerably larger than La Platgeta and completely sandy. The entry into the water is shallow, so good for children. There are also many restaurants along the beach.
Drive to Cala de la Fosca for a fantastic large sandy beach
Our favorite beach of the trip was Cala de la Foscaabout 20 minutes drive from our apartment, towards Palamós. We loved the la Fosca because it is a huge sandy beach, there are no waves and the entrance to the sea is very shallow. Perfect for children. If we make a return trip, we would definitely choose to stay closer to la Fosca instead of Palafrugell. Calella de Palafrugell is very cute and charming; However, in terms of beaches, La Fosca is far superior.
How do you plan a family trip to the Costa Brava? Which day trips are best to make?
Take a day trip to Peratallada, a beautiful medieval town
Going to the Costa Brava is not all over the beach (although that is the main draw). There are also some beautiful cities to discover that are not located on the sea. One such city is mentioned cut off. Peratallada is an incredibly picturesque medieval town with a beautifully preserved historic center. It’s worth just wandering the beautiful cobbled streets and taking photos. We also climbed the historic tower in the center and were treated to a beautiful panoramic view of the city. Peratallada is just a 25-minute drive from Calella de Palafrugell – well worth the trip!
Be sure to visit the medieval town of Pals
The second historic medieval city we visited was the city Friends. And while Peratallada was breathtaking, Pals was even more beautiful. It is a bit larger, with a cathedral and the city walls overlook beautiful grasslands. The highlight of Pals, however, was definitely the food. We ate Restaurant El Pedro and it was by far the best meal we ate all trip. Make sure you book in advance and order the ‘arroz de Pals con marisco y bogavante’, a rice dish with seafood and lobster. It’s out of this world delicious! Just trust me and order it!
How do you 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’s definitely worth having an apartment with a full kitchen to make some meals at home. We generally ate all our breakfast at home, lunch at the beach, and dinner at home. This was the easiest for us because we didn’t have to think about packing meals for the beach. Also, eating at home with kids is usually easiest if you want to get the kids to bed at a reasonable time. If you have a car, be sure to check out the supermarkets closer to the highway, such as Mercadona, as they are much cheaper than the small supermarkets near the beach. In terms of restaurants, that was the best restaurant we ate at besides El Pedró in Pals The Blue in Calella de Palafrugell. Order one of their many rice dishes (I loved the arroz negro).
Another tip! For whatever reason, most restaurants in Calella de Palafrugell not have high chairs! So be sure to bring your own travel copy if you want to eat without your child on your lap!!!
And those are all our tips for planning a family trip to the Costa Brava! We hope you find this post useful. Have you been to the Costa Brava? Which beaches would you recommend with small children? Let us know in the comments below!
