In the Costa Brava, much is associated with the work of Salvador Dali: the theater and home of the great artist, the castle of Gala, which he gave to his muse and wife. Costa Brava is a treasure trove of natural, historical and cultural attractions.
Top 9 attractions of the Costa Brava
The Costa Brava is a Mediterranean coast located in the northeast of Catalonia. This land is part of the Spanish kingdom and has long been one of the most expensive resorts in Europe. Here you can find picturesque bays and gulfs, beautiful coniferous forests, beautiful sand and pebble beaches. In the mountains, tourists will see the ancient tombs, ruins of ancient castles and monasteries.
Lloret de Mar
This is the largest resort on the Costa Brava. It is home to about 30,000 locals, and in the High Season comes 10 times more tourists from all over the world. The main attraction of Lloret de Mar is a huge beach with a beautiful promenade.
At the left end of the beach you can visit the small observation deck, where there is a statue of a fisherwoman staring into the stormy sea. It was created by the Catalan sculptor Maragall in the mid-20th century.
At the right end of the beach stands the castle, which has no historical or artistic value, but which, thanks to its exquisite appearance, gives the whole area a romantic look.
Saint Clotilde Gardens
On the Costa Brava, you must see these gardens, which are a magnificent neo-Renaissance garden landscape. The gardens descend from a high hill to the Mediterranean Sea.
The area of the gardens of St. John the Baptist. Clotildes in the Costa Brava is about 24,000 square meters. They were created at the beginning of the last century at the request of the local aristocrat de Roviralt, who lived at the very top of the hill.
After his death, the Catalan authorities recognized these gardens as a national treasure and they were reconstructed. Today, the gardens of St. John the Baptist are a great place to start. Clotildes is the most beautiful attraction of the Costa Brava.
Church of San Roma
This Catholic church is another attraction of the wonderful resort. It was built in the early 16th century in the Gothic style. And in the early 20th century reconstructed in the then fashionable modernist style.
The architecture of the renovated church was a mix of Byzantine, Renaissance, and Islamic eras. During the Spanish Civil War, the church of San Roma was damaged, but it was later rebuilt, becoming one of the architectural wonders of the Costa Brava.
Jewish Quarter in Girona
What else can I see on the Costa Brava? Be sure to walk through the narrow streets of Girona’s Medieval Jewish Quarter. This image, along with the cobblestone sidewalk and old apartment buildings, is preserved today almost unchanged.
Here the tourist will find many souvenir shops, modern stores, perfectly blended with the medieval reality, and will enjoy the careful attitude of the Catalans to their past, its history and architecture.
City of Besalu
Besalú is one of the most remarkable cities in the Costa Brava, it is a must-see in Spain. In the center of the city there is a small and ancient church of St. Vincent.
In Besalu you can easily find yourself in the Middle Ages, examine the structures of that period of human existence, plunge into the tales, myths and legends of those years. There are many houses of those times and a huge stone bridge with gates.
Tossa de Mar
It is a wonderful resort that is most popular with tourists in the high season. Nearby you can see the ruins of a medieval fortress. The local church is habitually dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Vincent.
Tossa-de-Mar is one of the most famous vacation spots in the Costa Brava for European tourists. But only during the High Season. In the off-season, many stores and attractions are closed here.
Salvador Dali Museum
This museum of the world-famous artist, who enjoys unwavering popularity even today. The Dali Museum is the most sought after public in Spain after one of the world’s great Prado.
Salvador Dali himself designed this museum in his later years. In its construction, even the smallest details appropriate to the artist’s work were meticulously respected.
The tourist who comes to the Dali Museum must be familiar with his work, understand the signs and symbols of the artist. Golden mannequins, huge eggs and the decoration of the museum will be seen and truly understood only by a trained viewer.
Girona Cathedral
This attraction of the Costa Brava is simply magnificent. The temple was built in the early 14th century in the Romanesque style and a remarkable white staircase was added to it. Today it is one of the trademarks of Catalonia.
Later the temple was rebuilt into the refined Gothic. And in the 17th century it was again reconstructed in the then fashionable Baroque style. The Cathedral is a must-see in the Costa Brava.
The cathedral has a museum where exhibitions of historical relics and artistic masterpieces are regularly held. Tourists are attracted by the 11th-century Creation of the World. Many characters from the Old Testament are skillfully rendered in it.
Pubol
Here you can visit the ancient castle, built in the early 11th century. In the middle of the last century, it was bought by Dali himself and given by him to his wife Gala. In the castle, tourists will see the paintings given by Salvador to his beloved.
After acquiring the castle, Dali rebuilt it and added his own décor, including. figures of large elephants arranged in the garden, built a large swimming pool. After her death, Gala was buried in the castle in the early 1980s.
This castle is of value to anyone who is interested in the art and architecture of the early Middle Ages and is a fan of the great 20th century Catalan artist Salvador Dali.
