Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Visit Spain’s Costa Brava

The charms of Spain’s Costa Brava (which translates as “wild coast”) are well known. Stretching north from Barcelona to the French border, the rocky stretch of coastline is beloved for its picturesque seaside towns, exquisite beaches and coves, and for being the playground of some of the most influential artists of the 20^th century—from long-time resident Salvador Dalí to Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Truman Capote, who penned his masterpiece, In Cold Blood, from the fishing village of Palamós. 

While the sun has never stopped shining on the Costa Brava, a new creative energy can be felt along its shores. It’s all thanks to a younger generation of artists and creators who have emerged across the region, breathing new life into its fishing villages and medieval towns. Some are newcomers to the region, while others are descendants of Costa Brava’s old guard. Take James Pons, the proprietor of the 12-room Casa Nereta guesthouse, in Cadaqués, whose grandfather Joan Ponç—a friend of Dalí and a member of the Dau Al Set artistic movement—lived and worked in what is now the reborn hotel.  

Elsewhere are new breezy seaside restaurants, art galleries, and tailormade adventures like foraging excursions with plant-obsessed perfumer Ernesto Collado. Now, the Costa Brava is making room for a wider set of travelers beyond sun-seekers and fans of Surrealist art—giving the neighboring Balearic Islands a run for their money.