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C o s t a B r a v a & C o s t a D e B a rc e l o n a
Llanca
1558 Puig de Comanegra
Costa Brava & de Barcelona
Cap de Creus
Figueres
Banyoles
Estartit
B r a v a
Olot
L'Escala
Salt
Mediterranean Sea
Girona
Playa de Aro
1706 Les Agudes
Sant Feliu de Guixols Tossa de Mar Lloret de Mar Malgrat / Santa Susana Granollers Pineda Calella de la Costa na Arenys de Mar elo arc e B Mataro a d Cost Sant Celoni Blanes
C o s t a
Palafrugell Llafranc Palamos
N
COSTA BRAVA & DE BARCELONA
15 km
© TUI 2006
Costa Brava & Costa De Barcelona
One of Europe's top holiday spots, this dramatic coastline has got the lot - beaches, beauty and Barcelona on its doorstep.
Average daily maximum temperature
30
80 70 60 50 40
25 20 15 10 5
London Costa Brava
°F
Apr 7 5 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Average daily hours of sunshine 8 9 10 9 7 6 7 6 6 5 Oct 6 3
°C
It's no wonder these sun-kissed coasts bring holidaymakers back year after year. A cocktail of great beaches, traditional towns and frothy resorts, one visit here has you hooked. There's Costa de Barcelona which snakes up from the big city its named after. And, a little further up the map, is the Costa Brava, Spain's original sunshine strip. In fact, this is where Britain's love affair with Spain began. Ever since Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra first visited Tossa de Mar in the 1950s, its small fishing villages morphed into bright, bustling resorts. Now what you find is a marriage of old and new - neon lights and Brit pubs sharing space with cobbles and tapas bars. The big hitters here are Platja d'Aro, Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar and Estartit. Whichever you choose, golden sands come as standard. Beach resorts aside, you've got the Spanish titan of Barcelona. With eye-popping architecture and seriously good shopping, the Catalan capital's a must. So if you're torn between beach and city, this corner of Spain delivers on both fronts.
Tossa de Mar Location 12km north of Lloret de Mar and 35km from Girona Transfer Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Stretching from the border with France to the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona, the Costa Brava is a procession of rocky coastline sprinkled with gorgeous sandy bays and irresistibly secluded coves. Inside the party towns, Lloret de Mar for example, holidaymakers are catered for with a huge array of restaurants serving both local and international food, bustling bars and world-class clubs that indulge the urge to party from dusk to dawn. But not all towns on the Costa Brava are the same. In Tossa de Mar you'll experience something delightfully different. A glimpse of the traditional old Costa Bravian way of life is still visible in the knot of narrow streets and quaint, stone houses. You'll soon see why this beauty spot has attracted so many artists and painters over the years. And when you want to kick back and relax, the gently sloping cashmere-soft beaches that sink into the sun-warmed waters are a great starting place. When you want to stretch your legs, pull on some sturdy shoes and get up close to the coast's spectacular fragrant pine forests that soften the rugged outline of the characteristic hills. And with a little exploration, it's easy to find yourself an undiscovered spot beside the sea for an afternoon's bathing and sun-basking, or in a secret place in the woodlands for a leisurely picnic. Be sure to take locallyproduced cheese, bread, chorizo, olives and wine - and a doze in the cool shade of the trees. With a good selection of hotels, restaurants and low key amenities, to boot, Tossa de Mar makes a great choice for a summer escape away from the crowds.
Visit portlandholidays.co.uk
Highlights
Montserrat by Train
Montserrat is the religious capital and most visited spot in Catalunya. You travel to an altitude of 4000 feet, where you will board the new Montserrat train, offering magnificent views of the mountainside, taking you to the entrance of the largest Benedictine Monastery in Spain. From this vantage point you have spectacular backdrops of the Llobregat valley stretching out towards the city of Barcelona. See the amazing rock formations as you travel to the largest winemaking area in Spain. There is time enough for a second train ride of the day, that climbs to the summit of Montserrat to experience breathtaking views that you will never forget.
Pineda Location On Costa de Barcelona, 15km south of Lloret de Mar and 45km
from Barcelona Transfer Time 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes If you're looking for a summer escape where you can really getaway from it all, look no further than Pineda de Mar. Because it's impossible not to relax and recuperate here. If you simply want some time to yourself, and to steep yourself in great bathing, the warm sun and good food - it sounds like Pineda is exactly the place you've been looking for. Sitting pretty on the lesser-known, but good looking, Costa de Barcelona, it's fairly unknown by the package holidaymakers, so it's not over-catered for mass tourism. This is good news for the rest of us, as a good deal of its original character still survives. You'll come across the whitewashed houses so typical of Spain, which form tiny streets that wend their unhurried way into the three main squares. And it's these that are the focus for life in the town. Take your time here to drop in on the attractive churches and there are oodles of traditional bars and open air restaurants, too, where you can tuck into an authentic meal. So, if you're looking for a holiday with two speeds - relaxation and peace on the one hand, with a large helping of nightlife on the other, Pineda will please. It has the all the serenity you could wish for, while its close neighbours have all the partying you could want, within easy reach.
The Big Day Out
Every family should visit Barcelona during their holiday. The Big Day Out will ensure the kids are entertained all day long without breaking the bank. Visit Nou Camp, the largest stadium in Europe and the home to Barcelona Football Club, it is every football fans dream! We can go one better with a behind the scenes tour that includes a visit to the locker rooms, press box, and the opportunity to take a seat for a few minutes on the bench, and feel the turf of the pitch itself! There will be ample time to visit the clubs trophy room before heading to the outskirts of the city for Barcelona Zoo once home to the late Snowflake, the world's only albino gorilla.
Up to 15% off high street brochure prices * Call us on 08712 30 50 60
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