Spain was like that perfect dream that you never want to wake up from. Barcelona was everything I ever hoped it would be and more, but I'm going to begin part one of my Spain series specifically on our time along Costa Brava. It was so unexpected & probably one of our favorite destinations to date.
We actually rented a car from Barcelona & drove out to our first detionation--Tossa De Mar. It's only about an hour outside of Barcelona and is a painless drive. There are a few tolls, but other than that not much to watch out for.
This picture above is not edited at all--the water and sky were really that blue. It was so heavenly. I've been to so many beautiful places, but this was by far some of the most captivating shoreline and ocean I have ever seen.
Tossa Del Mar is nestled around the charming old town and Castell Tossa De Mar (the castle). Behind me you can see the old town, where people still live, and you can find lots of little restaurants and quaint bed & breakfasts.
We were spoiled this day to have our friends Erin and Mark with us. We were able to get lots of couples shots without the painstaking process of waiting for cannon-savvy people to take our pics. This is a shot of us up on one of the castle arches.
This had definitely become his new "thing". For those of you who haven't seen this before, my husband Rob pretty much high-jumps everywhere we go now. He's freakishly strong and flexible.
Cobblestone streets. Like walking in a real-life fairy-tale. I love this man so much.
This boy loves him some castles. That being said, it's time for a small history lesson.
Medieval Tossa dates back to the year 966. The castle was built in 1187 and was constructed on the headland to defend the town. The walled enclosure, built in the 12th and 14th centuries has been preserved along with the original towers, which have become the emblem of Tossa de Mar. This is pretty cool--the enclosure is the only surviving example of a fortified medieval town on the entire Catalan coast.
Up next, we went over to L'loret de Mar--a Mediterranean coastal town in Catalonia. It is apparently one of the most popular holiday getaways in that area.
There area many things to do and see there, and we decided to spend the majority of our afternoon at the Santa Clotilde gardens.
Our crew for the day! So fun to have Erin and Mark with us. They may just be one of our new favorite couples.
The cutest couple.
These gardens were straight out of my travel board on Pinterest. I honestly could not have been happier as we wandered and made our way through these beautiful grounds. The gardens were designed in an Italian Renaissance style by Nicolau Rubió i Tuduri, and they are situated on top of a cliff so you have amazing views of the sea as well.
High-kickin' round the world.
....and again. Impressive, right?
It's a lovely stroll around the park, and makes for a relaxing afternoon. I would most definitely recommend it!
After a fun-filled day we took a walk down to the coast, enjoyed some gelato, and then said our goodbyes to Costa Brava.
I have to admit, it was one of the saddest goodbyes I've ever had to make. I fell in love with this place. It was perfect.
“This is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it.” -Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
To see a short video on Tossa Del Mar you can visit here.
As always, if you have any experiences in Costa Brava please share & if you have any questions for me, ask away! Stay tuned this week for more on Barcelona, London, The Cliffs of Dover & a whole guide on the do's and don'ts of renting a car in the UK (Trust me, we've done it all as far as driving on the opposite side of the road goes!)
xoxo.
[…] This picture I’m particularly fond of because my good friends Erin, Mark and myself are standing at the top of Mount Tibidabo…and for those of you that aren’t Friends fans like we are, just take a minute to enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HguzO9KmHBU […]
ReplyDeleteVisiting here in August with our two kids (4 and 5). Debating on getting here frm Barcelona either by train to Blanes and then taxi to Costa. But, after reading your blog, car rental might be the easiest. Was it difficult driving in Tossa and Lorret? We are staying in Tossa for 3 days. And where are good places to eat?
ReplyDeleteMary, thanks for your comment! With google maps or GPS it really isn't bad at all! I admit, I had the advantage of having a husband with me that speaks spanish and did most the driving! We asked for directions one or two times, but I would say (especially with the two kids) that having a car might be lovely. It really isn't very difficult to get around at all. And the highway from Barcelona out to the Coast just has a couple of tolls, so make sure you have some euros. Let me know if you have any other questions!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful trip :) I particularly love Tossa de Mar... If you ever think coming back we can get you a vacational house on the most beautifully places of Costa Brava check it out: http://sweethomecostabrava.com
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After landing at the airport in Spain, travellers can rent a car to visit Costa Brava not only to enjoy wonderful trip day over there but also capture golden moments at the sea.
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