We have been in Catalonia for more than a decade and we are still not tired of discovering the most beautiful beaches and coves of the Costa Brava. One of our favorite areas are the coves of Begur which are located in the central area of the Costa Brava and are quite easily accessible from anywhere on the Costa Brava. The beaches of Begur and its beautiful coves are filled in summer with tourists. The wonderful Cala Aiguablava with its turquoise waters and white sand being one of the symbols of this stretch of the Mediterranean coast is perhaps the most crowded. However, as you will see in our post, the 8 coves of Begur that we present deserve to be discovered one by one and do not stay with only the Cala Aiguablava. In this post we will let you know the best coves of this beautiful area of the Costa Brava.
The 8 best beaches and coves of Begur
The coves around Begur are divided into 3 zones: south, center and north, depending on where they are located with respect to the town of Begur which is also one of the most charming villages on the Costa Brava. To enjoy one of the best weekend getaways, you will have to visit this area in Catalonia at least once in your life.
Map of the coves of Begur
The beaches and coves of the south
It is the busiest area, and this area is where is the beautiful Cala Aiguablava that attracts the attention of all visitors. In addition to the most famous cove of the Costa Brava, in this area you will also find Platja Fonda and Platja Fornells.
1. Cala Aiguablava – as in the Caribbean
It’s been more than 10 years since I first came across this fabulous cove on a walk along the “camino de ronda”, the path that runs along the most beautiful coves of the Costa Brava. It was a sunny spring day and although I already knew many beaches in Catalonia, I was speechless when I saw this fabulous cove from the path. There was no one there and I seemed to discover a piece of the Caribbean with turquoise blue waters and a white sandy beach.
Of course in summer the appearance of the cove is totally different. In high season the beach “vanishes” and is completely covered by towels, while the terraces of the restaurants are crowded and if you don’t arrive early in the morning, you won’t even be able to park. A real burden! If you want to have a chance to enjoy the beauty of this place without being overwhelmed and you also want to swim, we recommend you to go in mid-September or even on sunny days in October when the water is still warm.
2. The Calas de Fornells – small coves with clear waters
From the famous Cala Aiguablava you can reach the coves of Fornells in a few minutes along the coastal path (by car you have to drive a few laps). It is an urbanization with an important marina and around it there are several small coves without many stretches of sandy beach, but with beautiful waters for a good swim. It is interesting to know that the port of Ses Orats was the place where a century ago this stretch of the Catalan coast was baptized with the name of the Costa Brava.
From the port you can take the coastal path in both directions to find these small coves. To the north is the cove of n’Estasia, while to the south (towards Cala Aiguablava) you will find the cove of Ses Orats and the cove d’en Malaret. In these coves the sand is quite thick so the water is very clear, it is also a much quieter area than Aiguablava. It is a perfect place to take a swim and snorkel enjoying the seabed. In the southernmost cove of Fornells, the Port of Esclanyà there is no beach, but only stones, but it is another fantastic place to swim.
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3. Platja Fonda – a dream swimming pool
This is one of the beaches in Begur that we return to quite regularly. It is a beach where you can be quite quiet even during the most touristic weeks of the summer. Probably one of the reasons is that to access the beach you have to go down some pretty steep stairs, so it is not a beach so easily accessible.
Platja Fonda is a rather curious beach, protected by a huge wall that shades the beach in the afternoon. The other thing why this beach is perhaps not one of the most popular coves in Begur is because it is a deep beach where a few meters from the shore you will need to swim, so it is not a beach for small children to play in the water. We love swimming in this pebble bottom pool, a perfect place for snorkeling as well.
The best and most beautiful BEACHES of the COSTA BRAVA
The beaches and coves of the center
The central coves of Begur are located very close to the village of Begur. There are two coves, Aiguafreda and Sa Tuna that deserve your attention.
4. Cala Sa Tuna – beach with a fishing village
Sa Tuna is one of the great surprises of this stretch of coastline. Its name comes from the seafaring neighborhood that bears the same name of which are still preserved houses that have been transformed into summer residences. This authentic atmosphere makes it one of the most authentic coves of the Costa Brava. It is also worth walking among the houses of the village.
The beach in Sa Tuna is pebble, the water here is also transparent and very clean. The beach is well protected from the waves by the rocks of the Punta dEs Plom that are a few hundred meters from the coast. Although the beach next to the village is fine, we recommend taking the path in the forest to the south to the beach which is one of our favorite beaches in Begur. This place is referred to as Cala sEixugador and it is a bit difficult to walk down to the beach here, but it is a real wild paradise and always quite quiet.
5. Cala Aiguafreda – a little corner for a good swim
From Sa Tuna you can easily reach the Cala de Aiguafreda by the coastal path. This cove has hardly any sand, but is a small, sheltered harbor. However, this does not detract from the fact that it is a pleasant place for sunbathing. The environment with the views of the great arm of the sea, the Punta des Plom, is beautiful. It is the least known corner of this area, but the seabed looks beautiful, one of these summers we will surely bathe in this cove too.
The beaches of the North
To the north of Begur there is also an area with several beautiful coves, among them, Illa Roja, one of the most famous nudist coves not only in Begur but also in the whole Costa Brava. This area also has the Cala Sa Riera and Platja del Racó.
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6. Cala Sa Riera a wide beach for families
Cala Sa Rierais perhaps not our favorite beach in Begur, as it is a very popular and lively beach where you can find all kinds of services that visitors want. It is the widest cove in the whole area and is great for families and children as everyone can be very comfortable on this beach. There are a variety of restaurants with terraces, showers and even a wooden walkway for the disabled into the beach.
Sa Riera (like Sa Tuna) was a fishing village and some features of this tradition can still be observed. For example the cove is always full of small boats. Our favorite spot in this cove of Begur is the fabulous viewpoint on the coastal path leading north with panoramic views of the whole cove.
7. Cala Illa Roja – a nudist paradise
From Sa Riera or from Platja del Racó taking the coastal path you can reach another of our favorite coves in Begur. The path passes over one of the most photographed corners of the Costa Brava, the Cala Illa Roja with a huge mass of red rock that gives the beach its name. Depending on the tide this reddish rock is more or less separated from the beach.
A cliff divides this beach in two and it is one of the most popular beaches among nudists on the Costa Brava. The setting is beautiful, as Cala Illa Roja is surrounded by rock walls and vegetation. The sand on the beach is golden in color and normally because of its more difficult access it is less crow ded than other neighboring coves in the Begur area. If like us, you also like to practice nudism, this will be one of your favorite beaches in Begur.
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8. Platja del Racó – a very long beach for relaxing and practicing water sports
Platja del Racó is not one of the typical rocky coves of the Costa Brava, but a very wide sandy beach with a length of 400 meters. Although it belongs to the Begur area, this very long beach is often referred to as Playa de Pals. In summer it is very popular with those locals looking for a spacious and comfortable beach.
