Skip to main content

MEMBER LOGIN

Departures Logo Created with Sketch.

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design
Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design

FOLLOW US

LOGIN

NEWSLETTER

More In City Guides

This Blue City Is the Most Beautiful Place in Morocco

And it has much more to offer than stunning blue-hued streets.

This Airline Has the Best Wine List in the Skies
The Belmond British Pullman Has Announced a New Michelin Dining Series
Richard Branson Reveals His Biggest Travel Pet Peeve

More In Travel

  • Hotels
  • Travel Guides
  • Restaurants

A Look Back at British Airways' Fashionable Uniforms Through the Years

British Airways has epitomized flight attendant glamour with years of on-trend uniforms.

Iconic Karl Lagerfeld Design Moments Through the Years
Iconic Fashion Designer Karl Lagerfeld Dies at 85
Stylish Kentucky Derby Hats to Round Out Your Outfit for the Big Day

More In Fashion

  • Style
  • Shopping

This New Robot Science Museum Is Going to Construct Itself

Yes, you read that right.

An Entire Town in Italy Went Completely Silent to Listen to a Violin
John Hardy Creative Director’s Guide to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
The Optical Illusions In This Bookstore Are Worth a Trip in Themselves

More In Art + Culture

  • Books
  • Philanthropy
  • Film

Creative Easter Basket Ideas That Aren't Just for Kids

These six unique ideas will give the Easter Bunny a run for her money.

Best Wellness Home Decor to Help Deal With Spring Fatigue
The Best Living Room Color Schemes for a Sophisticated Look
A Look Inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio

More In Home + Design

  • Art + Design
  • Architecture
LOGIN
NEWSLETTER
  • City Guides
  • Travel
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Travel Guides
  • Fashion
    • Style
    • Shopping
  • Art + Culture
    • Books
    • Film
    • Philanthropy
  • Home + Design
    • Art + Design
    • Architecture
  • MEMBER LOGIN
  • JOIN OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
  • Contact Advertise Sitemap
Home / Travel
Travel

The Other Catalonia: Begur

By Jackie Cooperman on May 11, 2017

A short drive from Barcelona, Begur, Spain, is a summertime secret on the Mediterranean.

© Getty Images

SHARE:

To sophisticated American travelers, Spain’s northeastern Costa Brava may seem too touristy to consider. But in and around Begur, about an hour and a half north of the Barcelona airport, is where smart Barcelonans have vacationed for generations. The quaint coastal town is crowned by hilltop ruins of a 16th-century castle that overlooks the central Plaça de la Vila, pedestrian-only streets, secluded coves along the Mediterranean Sea, and Cuban colonial mansions built by local Begurencs who, in the 19th century, left town for Havana and returned after making small fortunes. There are a few hotels in Begur’s medieval center and some options outside of town, but villa rentals are the way to go. The best months to visit are May, June, July, and September to avoid crowds.

 
Courtesy Aiguaclara

Sleeping: Aiguaclara Hotel & Restaurant

On the street that rings Begur’s central plaza, the stylish Aiguaclara Hotel & Restaurant (rooms from $85; hotelaiguaclara.com) offers ten rooms and one apartment in an 1866 residence and is run by a couple who relocated from Barcelona. The junior suite Aiguaclara has a private terrace and a living room.

Courtesy Mas de Torrent

Sleeping: Mas de Torrent

A 12-minute drive west, Mas de Torrent (rooms from $320; mastorrent.com) is a Relais & Châteaux property with a pretty outdoor pool, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a Natura Bissé spa. On the grounds of an 18th-century farmhouse, the hotel has 38 suites, 10 in the main building and the rest in the gardens. The Jardín suites have terraces; the Naranjo suites, with plunge pools, afford privacy.

Plateresca / Getty Images

Eating In Town: Casa Juanita

One block north and run by the Barreda Martin family since 1978, Casa Juanita (restaurantcasajuanita.es) isn’t fancy, but its eight tables make booking ahead essential. The menu showcases local catches like hake and sea bass prepared in an oak-wood-fired oven.

Getty Images

Eating In Town: El Tapas de Begur

El Tapas de Begur (34-61/695-5980), a tiny bar in Plaça de la Vila with coveted outdoor seating under an olive tree, is a nightly party. It has strong gin and tonics and tapas like avocado purée in pastry cups, spinach pies, and cod balls.

Courtesy Rostei

Eating In Town: Rostei

More upscale, Rostei (rostei.com), a short walk south, has a two-story open-air dining room shaded by a 200-year-old wisteria tree. Chef Josep Maria Esteban changes the menu weekly; order the duck breast if it’s available.

Courtesy Toc al mar

Eating at the Beach: Toc Al Mar

A ten-minute drive south of town, Toc Al Mar (tocalmar.cat) borders the popular Aiguablava beach and serves seafood like grilled octopus with potatoes romesco. Reserve a table for lunch.

Courtesy Tragamar

Eating at the Beach: Tragamar

Another ten minutes south by car, in Calella de Palafrugell, Tragamar (tragamar.com) has outdoor seating with a view of Canadell beach and serves simple salads, such as lentils with red pepper, purple onion, and feta. The ten-minute walk between Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc winds above beaches and passes art installations.

Courtesy Far Nomo

Eating at the Beach: Far Nomo

In the hills overlooking Llafranc, the team behind Barcelona’s Japanese restaurants Nomo and Kuo recently opened an indoor-outdoor sushi spot, Far Nomo (gruponomo.com).

Courtesy Castaner

Shopping: Castañer

Espadrilles are the signature fashion of the region, and the small but well-stocked Castañer (castaner.com) in the nearby town of Llafranc is where to pick up a pair. The brand, founded in 1927, was put on the map when Yves Saint Laurent featured it in a 1960s collection. It has since expanded across Europe, but this is the company’s first shop.

Courtesy Pou Nou

Shopping: Abril Boutique

For locally produced cotton and linen clothes that transition from beach to town, Abril Boutique (34-97/262-3326) specializes in Spanish brands like Pou Nou and Magan.

Explore More in Travel

tout-img

This Blue City Is the Most Beautiful Place in Morocco

tout-img

This Airline Has the Best Wine List in the Skies

tout-img

The Belmond British Pullman Has Announced a New Michelin Dining Series


Marketing Events & Promotions

Become a DEPARTURES VIP

Join our Weekly Newsletter

Privacy Statement
Join our Weekly Newsletter
Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design
FOLLOW US
Other Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group websites: 
  • Travel + Leisure
  • Food & Wine
  • Wallpaper
Related Websites for DEPARTURES International Editions:
  • DEPARTURES-International.com
Learn more about the American Express Platinum Card® benefits

View Terms of Service  and  Privacy Statement.   Ad Choices EU Data Subject Requests All users of our online services subject to Privacy Statement and agree to be bound by Terms of Service. Please review.

© 2019 American Express Company. All rights reserved. Departures® is published by Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group, a subsidiary of Meredith Corporation. Departures is a trademark of
American Express Marketing & Development Corp. and is used under limited license. Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group is not affiliated with American Express Company or its subsidiaries.

  • RSS
  • Advertise
  • Advertise
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Promotions
  • Site Map

Member Login

The current issue of DEPARTURES is available exclusively to American Express Platinum Card® Members.

Cancel