Girona's wild coves, pine forests and artistic legacy
The "wild coast" north of Barcelona is where the Mediterranean turns rugged: pine trees grow to the water's edge, cliffs drop into coves accessible only on foot or by boat, and villages like Cadaqués have drawn artists since Dalí made the area his home. Property here tends to be more exclusive and lower in volume than Spain's southern coasts, which is exactly its appeal. Further north, Empuriabrava stands apart as Europe's largest residential marina: a planned canal town where villas often come with a private mooring and direct boat access to the open sea.
Europe's largest residential marina, with over 24 km of navigable canals. Many properties here have a private mooring right outside the door, giving direct boat access to Roses Bay and the open Mediterranean — a lifestyle unlike anywhere else on this coast.
A hilltop medieval village with a castle and some of the Costa Brava's most photographed coves: Sa Tuna, Aiguablava, Fornells.
A whitewashed fishing village, protected from mass development, forever linked to Salvador Dalí, who lived nearby in Portlligat.
A planned early-20th-century resort of Modernista villas around the Camí de Ronda coastal path.
A working fishing port next to some of the region's prettiest, most traditional coastal villages.
A medieval walled old town directly on the beach, one of the coast's most recognisable images.
Costa Brava property is scarcer than further south, with strict coastal building regulations that have kept much of the shoreline undeveloped and, in turn, kept demand for existing property strong. Proximity to Barcelona and Girona (both under an hour) and Girona-Costa Brava airport's growing low-cost network have brought a wave of Barcelona-based and international buyers looking for a weekend or full-time coastal home outside a big city. Because new supply is limited, well-located resale property has historically held its value well.
Expect rock more than sand: dramatic coves backed by pine forest, connected by the Camí de Ronda coastal footpath that runs almost the length of the coast. Inland, Girona's old town is a short drive away, along with some of Catalonia's most celebrated restaurants, including three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca.
