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By road from central Barcelona, the Costa Brava begins about an hour away: Blanes is an estimated 70 km, about 1 h, and Lloret de Mar 74 km, about 1 h. Central towns from Sant Feliu de Guíxols to Begur take about 1 h 20 min to 1 h 45 min, and Cadaqués and Portlligat in the far north about 2 h 10 min to 2 h 15 min.
Every drive time here is an OpenStreetMap road routing (OSRM) estimate without traffic, measured from Plaça de Catalunya and checked on September 30, 2026. Traffic, parking and narrow old-town streets add time on the day.
The three stretches of the Costa Brava
The Generalitat de Catalunya's Costa Brava guide describes the coast as running from Blanes in the south to Portbou on the French border, with 206 km of coastline, and divides it into three coastal counties. Each county sits at a different distance from Barcelona, so the split is a practical way to read drive times.
- La Selva, the south. Blanes, Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar. The guide calls Sa Palomera, a rock between the port of Blanes and its beach, the symbolic milestone where the coast begins. The Tossa de Mar tourist office describes the walled Vila Vella as the sole remaining fortified medieval town on the Catalan coast.
- Baix Empordà, the center. The guide calls this county the heartland of the Costa Brava: Sant Feliu de Guíxols, S'Agaró, Platja d'Aro, Palamós, the former fishing villages of Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc and Tamariu, then Begur and L'Estartit, with the fortified towns of Pals and Peratallada inland.
- Alt Empordà, the north. Empúries and L'Escala, Empuriabrava, Roses, Cadaqués and Portlligat. The guide names Portbou, Colera, Llançà, El Port de la Selva and Cadaqués as the northernmost towns on the coast, and Figueres as the county's chief town.
Girona, which the guide calls the capital of the Costa Brava region, and Figueres are inland; both are in the table for comparison.
Drive times from Barcelona, town by town
Roughly south to north, with the roads each estimated route uses (OpenStreetMap road routing, no traffic, checked September 30, 2026). The road estimates used in this guide include no figure for L'Escala, Portbou, Colera, Llançà or El Port de la Selva.
| Town | Stretch | From Barcelona (Plaça de Catalunya) | Roads on the route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blanes | La Selva | 70 km, about 1 h | C-31, C-32 |
| Lloret de Mar | La Selva | 74 km, about 1 h | C-31, C-32, GI-682 |
| Tossa de Mar | La Selva | 86 km, about 1 h 15 min | C-31, C-32, GI-682 |
| Sant Feliu de Guíxols | Baix Empordà | 103 km, about 1 h 20 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| S'Agaró | Baix Empordà | 105 km, about 1 h 25 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Platja d'Aro | Baix Empordà | 105 km, about 1 h 25 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Palamós | Baix Empordà | 115 km, about 1 h 30 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Calella de Palafrugell | Baix Empordà | 126 km, about 1 h 40 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Llafranc | Baix Empordà | 126 km, about 1 h 40 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Tamariu | Baix Empordà | 127 km, about 1 h 45 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Begur | Baix Empordà | 131 km, about 1 h 45 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Pals | Baix Empordà, inland | 129 km, about 1 h 40 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65 |
| Peratallada | Baix Empordà, inland | 135 km, about 1 h 50 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-35, C-65, C-66 |
| L'Estartit | Baix Empordà | 140 km, about 1 h 55 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, C-66, GI-643, GI-641 |
| Empúries | Alt Empordà | 140 km, about 1 h 45 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, GI-623 |
| Empuriabrava | Alt Empordà | 152 km, about 1 h 50 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, N-II, C-260 |
| Roses | Alt Empordà | 156 km, about 1 h 55 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, N-II, C-260 |
| Cadaqués | Alt Empordà | 170 km, about 2 h 10 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, N-II, C-260, GI-614 |
| Portlligat | Alt Empordà | 172 km, about 2 h 15 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, N-II, C-260, GI-614 |
| Girona | Inland | 101 km, about 1 h 15 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7 |
| Figueres | Alt Empordà, inland | 138 km, about 1 h 40 min | C-31, C-33, AP-7, N-IIa |
What the road numbers tell you
The roads in the table come from the routing itself, and they show three ways out of Barcelona.
- South: the C-31 and then the C-32 up the Maresme coast. Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar finish on the GI-682.
- Center: inland on the C-33 and the AP-7, then the C-35 and the C-65 toward Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Platja d'Aro and Palamós. Peratallada and L'Estartit branch off on the C-66.
- North: the AP-7, then the N-II and the C-260 toward Empuriabrava and Roses. Cadaqués and Portlligat add the GI-614. The Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí's directions to its House-Museum in Portlligat match: AP-7 exit 4 (Figueres) toward Roses, then the C-260 and the GI-614.
One detail explains why the roads change between Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols. The two towns are neighbors on the coast, yet the estimated route to Sant Feliu goes inland on the AP-7 instead of along the shore. The Generalitat guide describes the coast road between the two as 25 km of bend after bend past the coves of Salions, Futadera, Giverola and Pola: a road to enjoy, not a shortcut.
From Barcelona Airport or Girona-Costa Brava Airport
Two airports serve the coast. Aena says Girona-Costa Brava Airport was built on land in Aiguaviva and Vilobí d'Onyar, south of Girona. From the airports, the road estimates used in this guide start at Barcelona Airport Terminal 1 (T1) and at Girona-Costa Brava Airport, without traffic, checked September 30, 2026:
| Destination | From Barcelona Airport (T1) | From Girona-Costa Brava Airport |
|---|---|---|
| Blanes | 89 km, about 1 h 15 min | No estimate |
| Lloret de Mar | 93 km, about 1 h 15 min | 35 km, about 35 min |
| Tossa de Mar | 104 km, about 1 h 30 min | 46 km, about 45 min |
| Platja d'Aro | No estimate | 38 km, about 40 min |
| Portlligat | 188 km, about 2 h 30 min | 91 km, about 1 h 25 min |
| Girona | 117 km, about 1 h 30 min | 13 km, about 20 min |
The drive from Girona-Costa Brava Airport to Plaça de Catalunya is an estimated 97 km, about 1 h 20 min.
If you land at Barcelona Airport and spend your first nights in the city, our guide to getting from Barcelona Airport to the city center compares the options from both terminals.
Transfer or day trip
A transfer takes you one way, to a hotel, apartment or villa on the coast. It suits a stay, and the drive time matters once. A day trip goes out and back on the same day, so the drive counts twice: Tossa de Mar is about 1 h 15 min from Barcelona, Begur about 1 h 45 min and Cadaqués about 2 h 10 min, before any traffic.
On those numbers, the south and the center leave the most hours on the ground for a day trip. The far north works as a day out when one place is the point of the day, such as Cadaqués or the Dalí House-Museum, and it works better still as part of a stay on the coast.
Dalí in the north
The Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí says visits to the Salvador Dalí House-Museum in Portlligat must be booked in advance for a date and time, in limited groups that enter every 10 minutes, and that tickets must be collected half an hour before the entry time. Book the visit first and plan the drive around it: Portlligat is an estimated 172 km, about 2 h 15 min from central Barcelona. The Foundation also says its three Dalí museums cannot be seen in a single day. For the Theatre-Museum in Figueres, 138 km, about 1 h 40 min from Barcelona, see our Figueres and Dalí Theatre-Museum day plan.
By train or bus instead
Public transport reaches a good part of the coast, and for a single town on the train line it can be the simpler choice.
- Train to Blanes. Rodalies de Catalunya's R1, popularly known as the Maresme line or the coast line, runs through central Barcelona (Plaça de Catalunya and Sants are among its stations) and up the Maresme coast to Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes.
- Train to Girona and Figueres. The R11 regional line runs from Barcelona Sants via Girona and Figueres to Portbou and on to Cerbère (Cervera de la Marenda) in France. Neither city is on the coast.
- Bus. Moventis Sarfa runs a regular line linking the Costa Brava with Barcelona and with the Barcelona and Girona-Costa Brava airports; its Barcelona lines are named for Lloret de Mar and Tossa, Costa Brava Centro and Costa Brava Norte. It also lists lines from Girona to Lloret, Tossa, Roses, Cadaqués, Palamós, Palafrugell and Begur.
- From Girona-Costa Brava Airport. Aena lists buses to Barcelona's Estació del Nord, to Girona and to towns on the Costa Brava.
Timetables change with the season, so check the operator's site before you travel.
Private tours that reach the coast
Four of the 12 private tours from Barcelona include the Costa Brava. Each is priced per group, for up to 6 guests, and starts and ends with hotel pickup and drop-off in Barcelona.
| Tour | Costa Brava stops | Duration | Price per group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medieval Girona and Costa Brava | Pals and Calella de Palafrugell, after Girona | 10 hours | €850 |
| Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar and Panoramic Boat Ride | Lloret de Mar, a boat ride to Tossa de Mar, Sant Feliu de Guíxols | 10 hours | €865 |
| The Roman and Greek heritage of Costa Brava with Panoramic Boat Ride | Empúries, Sant Martí d'Empúries, a boat ride to the Medes Islands | 10 hours | €875 |
| Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour | Coastal viewpoints, after Montserrat and Girona | 11 hours | €845 |
Each tour page lists what is included. The Tossa de Mar tour, for example, includes a professional driver-guide for the day, walking tours of Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols, and the panoramic boat ride from Lloret de Mar to Tossa de Mar. Food and drinks are not included on any of the four.
When a private car is the better fit
The train is hard to beat for a day in Blanes, and the buses cover the main resorts. A car with a driver makes more sense when:
- the address is a villa, a hotel outside a town center or a cove away from the bus stops;
- you are a family or a group with bags, or you are arriving on a flight at either airport;
- you want several stops in one day, such as Girona and the coast, or Figueres and Cadaqués.
Chauffeur Hire Barcelona quotes every journey on request. Send the route, the date and time, your flight number if you are flying in, and the number of guests and bags. The Barcelona to Costa Brava transfer and Barcelona Airport to Costa Brava transfer pages cover the drive, with pages for towns such as Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar. Our Costa Brava chauffeur service page covers transfers from Barcelona and both airports to the coast and day trips out of Barcelona, and the long-distance chauffeur service page covers drives from Barcelona down the coast south of the city and to other Spanish cities.
Sources
- Generalitat de Catalunya: Costa Brava guide (PDF), checked 2026-10-03
- Tossa de Mar Tourist Office: The walled Vila Vella, checked 2026-10-03
- Aena: Girona-Costa Brava Airport history, checked 2026-10-03
- Aena: Girona-Costa Brava Airport, getting there by bus, checked 2026-10-03
- Rodalies de Catalunya: Line R1, checked 2026-10-03
- Rodalies de Catalunya: Line R11, checked 2026-10-03
- Moventis: Moventis Sarfa, buses to the Costa Brava, checked 2026-10-03
- Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí: FAQ, booking and getting there, checked 2026-10-03
- OpenStreetMap road routing (OSRM): road estimates without traffic, checked 2026-09-30. Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Questions travelers ask
How long does it take to drive from Barcelona to the Costa Brava?
It depends on the town. From Plaça de Catalunya, Blanes is an estimated 70 km, about 1 h, Tossa de Mar 86 km, about 1 h 15 min, Begur 131 km, about 1 h 45 min and Portlligat 172 km, about 2 h 15 min. These are OpenStreetMap road estimates without traffic, checked September 30, 2026, so allow extra time on busy days.
What is the closest Costa Brava town to Barcelona?
Blanes, at the southern end of the coast, is the nearest in these road estimates: an estimated 70 km, about 1 h by road without traffic. Lloret de Mar follows at 74 km, about 1 h. The Generalitat's Costa Brava guide treats Sa Palomera, a rock in Blanes between the port and the beach, as the symbolic start of the coast.
Which airport is closer to the Costa Brava, Barcelona or Girona?
Girona-Costa Brava Airport. By road without traffic, the coastal points in these road estimates run from 35 km, about 35 min (Lloret de Mar) to 91 km, about 1 h 25 min (Portlligat) from Girona, and from 89 km, about 1 h 15 min (Blanes) to 188 km, about 2 h 30 min (Portlligat) from Barcelona Airport Terminal 1, per OpenStreetMap estimates checked September 30, 2026.
Can I visit the Costa Brava as a day trip from Barcelona?
Yes, and the south and center work best, since towns such as Tossa de Mar (about 1 h 15 min) and Calella de Palafrugell (about 1 h 40 min) leave most of the day on the ground. Cadaqués, at about 2 h 10 min from Barcelona without traffic, makes a long day out and back. The private tours that reach the coast run 10 to 11 hours.
Can I get to the Costa Brava by public transport?
Yes. Rodalies line R1 runs up the Maresme coast to Blanes, and the R11 reaches Girona and Figueres inland. Moventis Sarfa runs buses linking the Costa Brava with Barcelona and with both the Barcelona and Girona-Costa Brava airports, and Aena lists buses from Girona-Costa Brava Airport to Girona and coastal towns. Check timetables with each operator before you travel.
Which private tours from Barcelona visit the Costa Brava?
Three name coastal stops: Medieval Girona and Costa Brava (€850 per group, 10 hours), Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar and Panoramic Boat Ride (€865 per group, 10 hours) and The Roman and Greek heritage of Costa Brava with Panoramic Boat Ride (€875 per group, 10 hours). The Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour (€845 per group, 11 hours) adds coastal viewpoints. All four are for up to 6 guests.
Chauffeur Hire Barcelona
Going to the Costa Brava? Ask for a quote or see the coast tours
Airport, cruise port and station transfers, a driver by the hour, day trips and long-distance journeys from Barcelona, plus 12 private tours priced per group.
