Costa Brava

Costa Brava – What you should know

The Costa Brava is Spain's northernmost stretch of Mediterranean coast and noticeably cooler than the south. January highs sit at 13°C with nights at 2°C — figures closer to southern France than to Andalusia. Summer makes up for it at 30°C in July and August, across just three to four rain days.

The defining feature is the tramuntana, a cold dry northerly that comes over the Pyrenees and can blow for days, especially in winter and spring. It produces exceptional visibility — the bay of Roses and the cliffs at Cadaqués are at their best then — but makes swimming unpleasant and occasionally halts boat traffic to the Medes Islands.

Water is the limiting factor: it reaches 24°C in August and falls to 13–14°C by January. The swimming season is therefore considerably shorter than further south, running effectively from July to September. For walking the Camí de Ronda along the cliffs, May and October are the best months: 22–23°C, little rain and empty paths.