Costa Brava

Based in Begur for its proximity to beautiful beaches, we managed to evade high season bitches by visiting one week prior to the start of summer. In an area with four different types of sand, the green jagged coastline and teal water make it one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Located near the medieval towns of Ullastret, Peratallada, and Pals, our first afternoon was spent exploring each one. While the streets of Ullastret were mostly empty, save for a couple of lounging cats, both Peratallada and Pals were livelier. Peratallada, filled with artisan shops and restaurants, offered up delicious magdalenas from the Cal Tuset Magdaleneria, which we would have for breakfast the following morning, and Pals, lined with small street fairs, led us to buy a bottle of craft beer from Minera and hunks of sobrasada and cheese from De Menorca Alimentación Artesanal, which we would have for dinner the following evening.

Later that day we took a walk up to Begur Castle, which more accurately could be described as Begur Castle Ruins, from which there were breathtaking panoramic views of the region. That night we went out to dinner at [redacted], a terrible tourist trap that served up low-quality fare and Cigyones, a delightfully refreshing local rosé, and the highlight of the meal. From there we made our way to a bustling bar, and a night out on the town.

In the morning we ambled along a path through the forest to Sa Punta, where we went for a swim in the still chilly waters of the Mediterranean before continuing on to El Recer de la Mar where, contrary to the night before, we had a wonderfully prepared meal of local fare with a Thai twist. From there we walked back to our lodging along more forest paths and settled in for an evening of Women’s World Cup matches and artisanal snacks.

The weekend came to a close and that Monday we briefly stopped by Platja Fonda and less briefly had a delicious lunch of rice and lobster before heading back to the city. Driving in the opposite direction of most of the traffic, we made good time.