Costa Brava Road Trip Itinerary 2026: 5-Day Driving Route from Barcelona to Tossa de Mar, Begur & Cadaqués

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This 5-day Costa Brava road trip route plan runs north from Barcelona through Tossa de Mar, Calella de Palafrugell, Begur, Girona, and Cadaqués. Driving lets you reach pine-framed coves, cliff paths, and inland stone villages that trains skip. Plan two coastal hotel bases and pre-book summer timed tickets for Salvador Dalí’s Portlligat house.

5-Day Costa Brava Road Trip Route Plan: Daily Route and Overnight Table.

According to the official Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, the Costa Brava stretches 214 km from Blanes north to Portbou at the French border. While high-speed trains reach inland Girona and Figueres, no railway runs along the rocky coves between Blanes and Cadaqués. Renting a compact car is the most practical way to connect the coastal headlands with medieval Empordà villages.

Instead of changing hotels every single night, this Costa Brava road trip route plan uses two or three strategic bases. You spend Night 1 in Tossa de Mar, Nights 2 and 3 around Palafrugell or Begur. Also, Nights 4 and 5 in Girona or Cadaqués. Before starting north, check our Barcelona travel guide for Gaudí, Gothic Quarter, and beaches.

Road Trip Day and Driving Route Leg.	Main Highways and Scenic Coastal Roads.	Key Daytime Stops and Walking Highlights.	Top Overnight Hotel Base Town.	Daily Driving Time and Parking Advice.
Day 1: Barcelona or BCN Airport to Tossa de Mar.	C-32 Maresme highway north to the GI-682 cliff road.	Marimurtra Botanical Garden in Blanes and Tossa de Mar Vila Vella.	Tossa de Mar beachfront or historic town center.	Ninety mins total driving; use covered city garages near Platja Gran.
Day 2: Tossa de Mar to Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc.	GI-682 north to Sant Feliu de Guíxols, then C-31 highway.	Sant Feliu seafront, Port Bo arches, and Camí de Ronda coastal walk.	Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc, or nearby Begur hills.	One hour driving; park in the upper public lots above Port Bo beach.
Day 3: Begur Coves Loop to Pals and Peratallada.	Local GIV-6535 cove roads and C-31 inland rural lanes.	Platja d’Aiguablava, Cala Sa Tuna, Gothic Pals, and Peratallada.	Second night in Begur, Llafranc, or Calella de Palafrugell.	Forty-five mins total driving; arrive at Begur coves before 09:30 in summer.
Day 4: Central Coast to Girona and Figueres.	C-66 inland road to Girona, then AP-7 or N-II north to Figueres.	Girona Cathedral, Call Jueu alleys, and Dalí Theatre-Museum.	Girona riverfront quarter or onward drive to Cadaqués.	One hour and fifteen mins driving; park at La Copa free lot in Girona.
Day 5: Cadaqués, Portlligat, and Cap de Creus Return.	C-260 toward Roses and the winding GI-614 mountain pass.	Portlligat Dalí House, Cap de Creus lighthouse, and return via AP-7.	Cadaqués bay or evening return to Barcelona / BCN Airport.	Two hours and thirty mins return to BCN along the AP-7 highway.

If you are flying into Catalonia mainly for this drive, compare arrival flights on Aviasales and read our Barcelona El Prat Airport car rental and hotel guide. You can reserve a compact vehicle with short wheelbase dimensions on GetRentacar for easier parking in coastal towns.

Day 1: Barcelona to Blanes and Tossa de Mar via the GI-682 Coastal Road.

Pick up your car in the morning and follow the C-32 highway northeast out of Barcelona along the Maresme coast. After sixty km, exit toward Blanes. There, The rocky formation of Sa Palomera marks the official southern start of the Costa Brava.

Marimurtra Botanical Garden in Blanes and the 365 Curves of GI-682.

Above the port of Blanes. The Marimurtra Botanical Garden sits on steep sea cliffs planted with over four thousand Coastal and subtropical species. Walk down to the Carl Faust Pavilion on the cliff edge for clear views over the first rocky coves of the coast. Parking is available on the hillside road next to the garden entrance.

From Lloret de Mar north to Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols, switch onto the scenic GI-682 coastal road. Locals call the twenty-two-kilometer stretch between Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu the road of 365 curves. That is because it winds high above the pine cliffs. Several paved pull-outs let you stop safely to look down at Cala Pola and Cala Giverola.

Walking the Walled Vila Vella and Platja Gran in Tossa de Mar.

Tossa de Mar is the only town on the Catalan coast that preserves its 12th-century fortified medieval perimeter. Known as the Vila Vella. Seven stone watchtowers and crenellated walls rise straight above the main sandy crescent of Platja Gran. Walk up the cobbled ramp inside the walls to reach the old lighthouse at the top of the headland.

Leave your car in one of the covered city garages along Avinguda Catalunya or Avinguda Puerto Rico. Before Entering the walking center. Historic beachfront landmarks such as Hotel Diana. Featuring modernist stained glass designed by a disciple of Gaudí. Sit right on Plaça d’Espanya beside the beach.

Day 2: Tossa de Mar to Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc, and Camí de Ronda.

On the morning of Day 2, finish the northern half of the GI-682 cliff road into Sant Feliu de Guíxols. After a quick coffee along the palm-lined Passeig del Mar. Join the C-31 highway north past Platja d’Aro and Palamós to reach the Baix Empordà coast.

Driving C-31 North to the Whitewashed Arches of Port Bo.

Calella de Palafrugell preserves the low-rise whitewashed fishing houses. Also, Vaulted porches (les voltes) that once lined the old Catalan shore. Small wooden fishing boats still rest on the sand at Platja de Port Bo in front of the waterfront seafood spots. Because the waterfront lanes are narrow. Also, Closed to through traffic, park in the marked city lots on the upper ring road.

Two km south of town, the Cap Roig Botanical Garden terraces descend from a 20th-century brick castle down to the sea. For quieter swimming spots nearby, check our guide to hidden beaches on the Costa Brava to avoid crowds.

Walking the Camí de Ronda Footpath Between Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc.

The Camí de Ronda is a historic network of cliffside footpaths originally built by 19th-century coast guards to patrol for smugglers. The paved twenty-five-minute section linking Calella de Palafrugell to Llafranc is one of the easiest. Also. Most scenic walks on the entire coast. It climbs gently around the Punta d’en Blanc headland with stone steps and sea railings.

Llafranc curves around a calm sandy bay backed by a pine-shaded walkway and a small marina. Above Llafranc, you can drive or hike up to the Sant Sebastià Lighthouse for wide views across the Gulf of Lions. Established coastal hotels such as Hotel Sant Roc on the headland or Hotel Llafranch on the bay walkway can be compared on Trip.com.

Day 3: Begur Coves (Sa Tuna and Aiguablava) and Medieval Stone Towns.

Day 3 combines the clearest turquoise coves of the Begur massif in the morning with two preserved inland medieval villages in the afternoon. Because cove parking lots around Begur are small, start your drive before 09:00 between June and September.

Early Morning Parking at Platja d’Aiguablava and Cala Sa Tuna.

South of Begur town, Platja d’Aiguablava offers fine pale sand and shallow turquoise water sheltered by the Fornells headland. A paid car park sits just behind the beach. Meanwhile. The Parador de Aiguablava occupies the high pine cliff on the northern point. If the lower beach lot fills up by mid-morning, local traffic wardens close the access road at the top junction.

On the eastern side of the hill. Cala Sa Tuna is a pebble cove bordered by former fishermen’s cottages with painted boat doors. Park in the city lot before the final descent into the cove. Also, Walk three mins down the lane. During peak July and August weeks. The town of Begur also runs shuttle buses from the central perimeter parking lots down to the main coves.

Afternoon Drive Inland to Pals and the Car-Free Alleys of Peratallada.

When midday crowds arrive at the beaches. Drive fifteen mins inland across the flat Empordà rice plains to the hilltop town of Pals. Climb to the Romanesque Torre de les Hores. Also, The Pedró viewpoint to look back toward the Medes Islands off L’Estartit.

Continue ten mins west to Peratallada, a fortified medieval village carved straight out of natural sandstone rock. Its defensive moat, stone arches, and ivy-covered squares remain fully free of modern asphalt. Leave your car in the large city parking lot outside the eastern moat and explore the stone alleys on foot.

Day 4: Girona Old Quarter (Call Jueu) and the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres.

On Day 4, check out of your central coast base and drive forty-five mins inland along the C-66 road to the provincial capital of Girona. Spend the morning walking Girona’s medieval ramparts. Before Continuing thirty-five mins north to Figueres in the afternoon.

Crossing the Onyar River Bridges to Girona Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter.

Park on the western side of the Onyar River at the large Devesa / La Copa parking area or in the covered Plaça Independència garage. Walk across the red iron Eiffel Bridge (Pont de les Peixateries Velles). Designed by Gustave Eiffel’s engineering company in 1877. To photograph the pastel riverfront houses.

Inside the Barri Vell (Old Quarter). Climb the baroque staircase to Girona Cathedral. This Holds the widest Gothic nave in the world at nearly twenty-three meters across. Below the cathedral, the Call Jueu (Jewish Quarter) preserves a steep labyrinth of medieval stone courtyards. Also, The Museum of Jewish History. You can also walk along the Passeig de la Muralla atop the ninth-century Roman and medieval city walls.

Timed Entry Tickets and Parking for the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres.

After lunch in Girona, take the AP-7 or N-II north to Figueres, the birthplace of surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. According to the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Dalí designed the Theatre-Museum himself over the burned ruins of the old city theater. Its glass geodesic dome. Also, Red walls topped with giant white eggs make it the most visited museum in northern Catalonia.

Book a timed entry ticket online before your trip to avoid waiting outside Plaça Gala-Salvador Dalí. Follow the blue city parking signs to the covered Saba garage on Avinguda Salvador Dalí. Five mins on foot from the museum entrance.

Day 5: Cadaqués, Portlligat Dalí House, and Cap de Creus Natural Park.

Your final day explores the wind-carved slate peninsula of the Alt Empordà around Cadaqués. Also, The easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula. From Figueres, drive east on the C-260 past the wetlands of Aiguamolls de l’Empordà and climb the winding GI-614 road over the Pení pass.

Driving the Winding GI-614 Road Over the Pení Pass into Cadaqués.

The fourteen-kilometer GI-614 mountain road twists over dry slate hills and olive terraces. Before Dropping down to the white bay of Cadaqués. Keep in a low gear on the descent and do not attempt to drive into the narrow cobbled alleys of the old waterfront. Turn right away into the large Saba Riera de Sant Vicenç car park at the town entrance.

Walk down to the whitewashed Church of Santa Maria for views across the bay to the Es Cucurucuc rock islet. If you are returning to Barcelona tonight and still need a city room, see our guide to the best hotels in Barcelona by areas.

Pre-Booking the Portlligat House and Summer Shuttle Rules at Cap de Creus.

One kilometer north of Cadaqués. The tiny cove of Portlligat holds the interconnected fishermen’s huts where Salvador Dalí and Gala lived and worked from 1930 to 1982. The Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí admits only small groups of eight guests at a time into the house. Advance online bookings are mandatory, as same-day walk-up tickets are rarely available.

North of Portlligat, the road enters the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus toward the lighthouse and Sant Pere de Rodes monastery area. Between June and September, park rangers close the final road between Corral d’en Morell. Also, The Cap de Creus lighthouse to private cars during daytime hours. During those summer months, you park at the Corral d’en Morell lot. Also, Ride the official shuttle bus to the lighthouse trails. Afterward, return to Barcelona Airport in two and a half hours via the AP-7 highway.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Are there tolls on the AP-7 highway from Barcelona to the Costa Brava?

No, the AP-7 highway north from Barcelona to Girona, Figueres. Also, The French border is fully toll-free. The C-32 North highway along the Maresme coast toward Blanes is also free of tolls.

What size rental car is best for driving the Costa Brava?

A compact five-door hatchback or small crossover is the easiest car size for the Costa Brava. Narrow medieval village gates, tight covered parking ramps. Also, Cliffside pull-outs are difficult to maneuver in a large SUV or van.

Can I visit Salvador Dalí’s house in Portlligat without booking ahead?

No, you must reserve a timed ticket online through the official Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation website before arriving in Portlligat. Because tours enter in small groups of eight people, tickets often sell out weeks ahead in spring and summer.

When is the best month for a 5-day Costa Brava road trip?

May, June, September, and early October offer warm sunny weather, open coastal hotels, and much easier parking at Begur and Cap de Creus. July and August bring warm sea highs but require early-morning parking and shuttle buses at popular coves.

Official sources and method: Coastal routes and city parking data were verified against the Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, museum ticketing rules via the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, and seasonal road access limits via Parcs Naturals de Catalunya (Cap de Creus). Route notes and hotel location examples rely on official schedules. Also, Published property specs rather than in-person hotel stays.