A day trip to Tossa de Mar
It’s definitely calmer on a sunny winter day .vs during the summer, and even if it’s December, the temperature is around 20 degrees, full of sunshine, the key bars are open, and if you are brave enough, you can seriously consider having a bath in the Mediterranean Sea!! ☀️
Tossa de Mar is relatively close to Barcelona, by car you can be there in 1,5 hours. If you fly, the closest airports are in Girona and Barcelona. Tossa is a relatively small village with 5,5 thousand inhabitants, but of course, during the summer season this number should be multiplied…to over 60.000 people.
When you close your eyes and think of Tossa de Mar, mainly you would think about the tourist paradise, the crowd, and packed beaches… but if you disregard all of these, and ideally you choose a day to visit out of season, it’s much more than this place can actually offer. Tossa de Mar is a charming village on Costa Brava, is an ideal place to enjoy a day of beach, culture, and nature at the same time. A place full of beauty and pleasures that we would never want to leave.
The other beauty of Tossa de Mar is that there are no high rise apartments, no 20 story hotels. It is a quaint village. Tourism has indeed come and left its mark. But comparing especially with Lloret de Mar, still on a reasonable level.
The promenade of Platja Gran (Playa Grande) of 385 meters in length with crystal clear waters and an exceptional seabed. It should be said that the many beaches of Tossa have become a paradise for scuba diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Platja Gran is the main beach. It is large, especially compared to many of the coves along the Costa Brava. This beach is close to the town, has the beach walk full of restaurants flanking it so whenever you are hungry or need a coffee, ice cream, or a bit more of shade you can slip into one of the numerous restaurants. The west end of the beach gives you a view of the medieval village.
La Mar Menuda is a smaller version of the main beach. It is on the other side of the bay and more protected from the winds. It also is a more gradual incline into the water so if you have small children you may prefer this beach.
If you are in Tossa de Mar you can’t miss a stroll through the walled part of the city, Vila Vella. It is an imposing medieval village with its stone houses and walls, of which almost all the original perimeter and three large cylindrical towers known as Codolar, Ses Hores and Joanàs have been preserved. Its stone walls are a wonder that houses and protects the narrow roads that will give the area known as the old quarter, the only example of the fortified medieval population that still exists on the Catalan coast.
“Crossing through the archway and stepping onto the cobblestone streets is like walking into a storyland. Climbing a little higher you will start to see views of the crystal waters of the Mediterranean over the walls. Meander through flower-covered buildings to eventually get to a lookout and lighthouse where the original castle used to be. Every step will give you a new view and have you grabbing for your camera.”
“ Vila Vella is an enchanting place of cobblestone streets, flower-covered brick walls, little nooks, and crannies leading to more flower and ivy-covered alleys. In its height, it had over 80 homes built within the walls.”
Did you know that Marc Chagall, the French painter, loved the quality of their life there is so much that he actually nicknamed Tossa de Mar, The Blue Paradise? ☺️
Originally published at http://besidestheobvious.net on December 16, 2019.
