Costa Brava – Spain

Lloret de Mar

I think Pat wanted to move on to a different area more than me, as the tour book described it as a tourist madhouse. It is about an hour away from Barcelona. It’s so amazing to see the coast along the way. We stop at the tourist bureau for information on where to park. The lady is very helpful and could speak English. The area jammed everywhere. Finally we wind our way through town and find a parking lot place up the hill.

Restaurant POPS

By now it 1:30 so we decide to find a nice lunch place first. We stop at a place called Pops . It overlooks the beach area and we can even see the castle from our seats, We order an octopus salad and Pat’s favorite calamari. Both are really delicious .

Castell de Sant Joan

After lunch we roam along the beach front. Taking pictures and enjoying the spectacular views. I have never seen a beach with a castle on one end before. No wonder it is a tourist destination.  We learned later it completed in the forties, after the end of the Spanish civil war.

Tossa del Mar 

It gorgeous here and easy to find parking and then walk to the beach. By now we are ready for a swim. The waves are rough and there is a big downward slope to the water and it’s deep. A fabulous swim but colder than expected. We lie on the beach and relax for close to an hour.

Medieval castle or Vila Vella

We see 12th-century castle featuring expansive fortification walls with numerous towers.