Epic Hike Coastal Trail

Activity Level	Medium Challenging
Accomodation Standards
Start/Finish	Girona/Figueres
Distance	90Km / 55 Miles
Tour Type	Guided Tour
Availability	5 to 12 May 2024 19 to 26 Sept. 2024

Overview

Walking Costabrava is excited to bring you this stunning journey along the magnificent Costa Brava on Spain’s eastern shores. Just one hour north of the vibrant city of Barcelona, the Costa Brava captures the essence of the Mediterranean coastline without the masses of visitors. Its name means ‘rugged coast’, and it is indeed just that: hidden coves with white sand, plunging cliffs, crystalline waters, pine trees, and charming fishing villages. Be prepared to work hard for your vistas but the reward is more than worth the effort!
Walk, breathe, feel, and experience the nature and history of our trail, dotted with castles, lighthouses and fishermen’s huts. Bring out the art lover in you and immerse in Salvador Dali’s eclectic and surreal world. Kick back at the end of each day‘s walk and enjoy our handpicked rural/boutique hotels and inns situated in unique surroundings and not forgetting, of course, that the Costa Brava is a food lover’s paradise. Come, let us tantalize all your senses...
This trip will offer you the opportunity to explore, on foot, the century-old culture, rural lifestyles and tempting culinary delights. It is a unique adventure of “undiscovered” gems. Bring your sense of adventure to this trip of a lifetime.

Experience 8 Day Adventure, hiking the Catalan Coastal trail
Immerse in Surrealism by visiting Salvador Dali’s House and Museum
Discover Romanesque arquitecture in St. Pere de Rhodes Monastery.
Wine tasting in on of Spain’s most popular region: Empordà.
Expert Leaders offering environmental and cultural awareness of destination
Full van support with healthy snacks will be provided by your guides everyday
Daily route maps and historical information
Natural Protected Areas protocol for minimizing impact
Collaboration with a local organization to support environmental awareness.

Distance Instructions

Itinerary

DAY 1. GIRONA - ST FELIU - PALAMÓS (15KM)

Meet your guide and fellow travelers at Girona General Post Office at 8am. We will then transfer to Sant Feliu de Guíxols where we begin our walk on the coastal path from the top of “Puig de les Forques” (a little ‘mountain‘ just 73m high!) to the beach of St. Pol, along a narrow track through pine trees and enjoying the dazzling views. Here is your introduction to the hundreds of stairs we will climb and descend on this trip! Upon arrival at the beach, we follow to Sant Pol, a seafront promenade, which is resplendent with fantastic examples of Modernist residential houses of XIX century. Later, we re-join the coastal trail, which winds its way up and down, in and out of sandy beaches until we reach Palamós. We will check in into our hotel and afterwards enjoy our evening activity of wine tasting followed by dinner at a local vineyard.

DAY 2. PALAMÓS - CALELLA DE PALAFRUGELL (13KM)

We start gently from our Hotel in Palamós to Platja del Castell, which means ‘Castle Beach’ in the Catalan language. Here we’ll find an Iberian archeological site dating from the VI century BC. At this point, we enter the pine-clad Natural Park of Castell-Cap Roig, a protected area with dozens of hidden coves and sandy beaches along the way; a natural paradise. Be prepared to use your hands on the steep sections of this trail, both up and down. The turquoise waters that are our constant companion will keep you motivated. Today we will enjoy lunch in Calella de Palafrugell, one of the most picturesque villages of the Costa Brava. Most of the residents come from a long line of fishermen and the village still maintains its traditional fishing culture. We will have some free time to explore or take a pre-lunch dip too. There is an optional short stroll afterwards (just over a mile) before a transfer back to our hotel for a second night. Dinner tonight in Palamós is on your own, this is a fantastic opportunity to go for Tapas evening in Palamós.

DAY 3. LLAFRANC - BEGUR (14KM)

A 30-minute drive will bring us to the St. Sebastià Lighthouse, where we will enjoy far reaching views (weather permitting of course) over the Mediterranean Sea and along the stretch of coastline that we walked yesterday. Our trail starts descending across a lush forest to Cala Pedrosa, a remote beach with an old fisherman’s hut. It then continues along an ascending, rocky pathway to connect Camí de Ronda to Tamariu, a small fishing neighborhood. The Camí de Ronda was a route used by the Guardia Civil to control the maritime border and prevent smuggling. The coast is rugged and hard to access, even today, with steps to the beaches, some of them are protected by steep, challenging pathways. We will be rewarded with our efforts with a home made picnic lunch and a perfect bathing spot at Platja Aiguablava, a breathtakingly beautiful beach. We proceed to the bay of Fornells, leaving behind the coastline, to reach the Medieval town of Begur, our home for tonight. We will have an afternoon self-guided visit to discover the colonial buildings of the “indianos”, those who during the XIX century, emigrated to the Americas and later returned to their homeland with their fortunes. Explore Begur tonight and enjoy dinner on your own.

DAY 4. BEGUR - PERATALLADA (16KM)

We leave our hotel on foot and follow quiet and relatively flat inland tracks today into the region known as “La Selva”, the jungle. This refers to a dense pine forest with a cool shade that will keep us protected from the sun. Rural trails will take us through beautifully cultivated farmlands to the quaint village of Pals, one the most important historic-artistic sites in Catalunya. We’ll take our time exploring the narrow, cobbled streets of this walled enclosure, a village which will bring us back in time to the Middle-ages. Later in the day, we continue to follow quiet back roads through the villages of Palau-Sator and Peratallada, a great example of the cultural heritage and nature of “el Baix Empordà”, the heart of the Costa Brava. Lunch will be on your own as you explore Peratallada. After lunch, sit back and take in more of this gorgeous scenery on our drive up the coastline to the magical coastal town of Cadaqués (1.5-hour transfer). We will stretch our legs once more as we walk through the town out to our hotel on the Punta da Bou Marí. We will dine together at our hotel this evening, a delightful three course set menu.

DAY 5. CADAQUÉS - CAP DE CREUS LIGHTHOUSE (10KM)

From our hotel, we start walking to Cap de Creus Natural Park; the most easterly point on the Iberian peninsula and probably one of the wildest areas on la Costa Brava. Breath taking is simply not an adequate description. A narrow rocky trail, between stone walls (up and down of course!) will lead us to the lighthouse, where we will stop for a well-deserved lunch. After indulging in a home cooked lunch local specialty, we will transfer to Dali’s house in Portlligat to visit his home where he lived for most of his life. Afterwards we return on foot to our hotel in Cadaqués (about 1 mile.) We will have time to relax and enjoy the enchanting village of Cadaqués, known as the pearl of the western Mediterranean. Dinner will be on your own.

DAY 6. CAP DE CREUS - PORT DE LA SELVA (12KM)

We will have a short transfer to the trailhead in the Natural Parc of Cap de Creus. Our hike today is through strikingly dramatic rocky landscape that played as a backdrop of Salvador Dalí’s artistic mind. Surrounded by surreal shapes, we strike our way inland then back out to the coast through the Natural Park to Port de la Selva, a quaint little village by the sea. We will follow part of the GR-11, marked with white and red stripes. This route is one of the long-distance trails of Europe, in this case the long traverse that joins the Cantabrian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea through the Pyrenees Mountain range. We dine at a local restaurant.

DAY 7. PORT DE LA SELVA - LLANÇA - ST. PERE DE RODES - FIGUERES (9KM)

This morning we will leave on foot, and for the last time follow alongside the Mediterranean Sea. Our gentle trail takes in sweeping vistas of the border with France from the dramatic headland of Cerbère and inland along the Pyrenees, the mountain range that forms the frontier. Just a few more flights of steps, will allow us to arrive into the fishing port of Llança. Enjoy lunch in the town before a transfer by coach for a self-guided visit to St. Pere de Rodes monastery. The monastery is considered the best example of Romanesque architecture in Catalonia, and together with Santiago de Compostela, one of the most important pilgrimages in the Iberian Peninsula during the middle ages. Hence, it is from this exceptional building where the Catalan “Camino de Santiago” takes off to the West. Look out for the all familiar yellow arrows. After our visit we will be transfered to Figueres by coach, check in at the hotel, and have time to prepare for the special farewell dinner.

DAY 8. FIGUERES MUSEU DALÍ & DEPARTURE

After breakfast, we will visit Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres with a private guide. Prepare to be astounded! We will say our goodbyes by noon and part ways.

What's Included

INCLUDED

7 nights Accommodation 3/4* Hotel
7 breakfasts + 4 dinner + 2 lunches
Full support Van with snacks + water
Skip the line tickets to Dalí House+Museum
8 full day leader expert on tour
Daily maps of the route
Walking sticks and water bottle

EXCLUDED

Accommodations

Extensions

Information:

TOUR STARTS: Girona General Post Office at 8am
TOUR ENDS: Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres
This itinerary may change slightly due to accommodation availability, rain, festivals and spontaneous side trips.
We have the luggage van to transport your luggage and you if you feel you need some assistance while on this journey.
This is not an endurance race, nor a competition. Please be respectful of all the different paces and walks of life that come together on this group trip. The walks are all guided

PRE STAYS & POST STAYS in Barcelona.
Further information and booking please contact: hola@walkingcostabrava.com
Walking tours are led in Catalan, Spanish, English and French by professional licensed guides.
Walkingplanets! Is fully covered with Hiscox Insurance Company Ltd with a policy of 300.000€.