3 Days in Tossa de Mar
What a literal breath of fresh air! Tossa de Mar has my heart. I absolutely loved our time in this village complete with stunning water and beaches, hiking, kayaking, a million adorable restaurants and cafes… oh, and a fortified medieval town (Vila Vella) . And the people were so nice! Highly recommend.
Tossa de Mar is about a 1.5 hour car or bus ride from Barcelona and is part of Costa Brava. I had originally planned on our family taking a day trip to check out some other towns in Costa Brava. However, upon setting foot in Tossa de Mar we were in immediate agreement that we would just stay put in this charming town.
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Day 1- Travel to Tossa de Mar
We rented a car from Eurocar because we would be able to return it directly to the airport (this is probably the case with other companies as well but it’s worth looking into). The drive was quite smooth, with the last leg into town being quite curvy. We were to so glad to have booked a hotel with a parking lot because the streets are narrow and parking seems like it could be a thing.
The hotel, oh the hotel- we loved it so much! The staff were wonderful, friendly, helpful, etc., etc. The rooms were beautiful and planned out so well, especially for 4 people in essentially one room. The pool area was gorgeous with breathtaking views of the tower and the beach. The reception, bar area, and outdoor breakfast area were equally exquisite.
After the pool and a beach walk, we ate dinner al fresco with the World Cup (Netherlands v Sweeden) on in background (actually, forefront- it was so fun to watch together!). We ended the day with a stroll through Vila Vella.
Day 2- Hike Cami de Ronda
Cami de Ronda is a historic hiking trail stretching along the Mediterranean cliffs in Costa Brava. Originally, it was used to patrol for smugglers and by fishermen to get to remote coves. I think that this is the most stunning hike I have ever been on.
I really can’t put into words how absolutely magical it was… And downright dreamlike to stumble (okay scale) onto a swimming cove… I probably have 502 photos from this hike. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that there was zero complaining on this hike. Zero.
When we returned, we found lunch in town then some of us went to the pool and others went fishing from the cliffs. We met up for dinner at the restaurant from the previous night to watch more World Cup. Our server from the night before came over to say hello, our current server joked around with the kids, and we loved it all.
Day 3- Rent Kayaks, Explore the Castle
While we did not have the opportunity to take advantage of the lovely breakfast, we were undeterred from taking photos of the beautiful space. Let’s take a moment to enjoy the outside space together.
On our final day, we decided to rent kayaks and explore the coves. It was a short walk over to the kayak rental and then we were off. Once again, the Mediterranean was perfection. We even spied stairs built into the cliffs. It was amazing!
We had some pool time and then walked over to the castle to catch some views from the top. From there, we spotted yet another beach with swimming. We were able to meander our way through the Vila Vella’s stone steps to find the swimming spot and stay awhile. People were snorkeling, sun bathing, and swimming. One final dip in the Mediterranean was a great way to end our stay.
Travel-Inspired Design
Below is some of the design inspiration from Tossa de Mar. The white-washed buildings with stone accents, adorable cafes and restaurants (they were too busy to include in the photos but trust me!) , rows and rows of potted plants on cobbled streets, and, of course, the brilliantly designed Elisabeth by the Sea were incredibly inspiring.
*Terracotta pots with plants lining the streets
*Cabana striped outdoor cushions (or these are lovely too!)
*Black metal outdoor furniture
Hero Outfits of the Trip
I loved my linen shift dress while in both Barcelona and in Tossa de Mar. It was perfect to beat/bear the heat. It is no longer available but this one or this one are similar.
Our daughter brought this outfit and it was perfect for hot city days as well as our hike day. Adorable!
Of course, I wore these shoes a ton. And we shared these sandals.
We both brought this brand of bracelets that were easy to bring and comfortable to wear.
