A road trip to Costa Brava: Jardins de Cap Roig, Cala Massoni and Llafranch

Can you guys believe that summer is almost over? Here in Barcelona it’s different and it will surely last few weeks more, but still… August passed so quickly! It’s been a very intense month full of travels and personal experiences. I celebrated my 30th Birthday five times in one month! You know how much we both love to travel, so we always organize a trip for each other as a gift. This year Edwin took me to Costa Brava for two days and despite the fact that we already know Costa Brava very well, he still surprised me with new spots that I had no idea about. It was a very romantic and surely unforgettable trip 🙂 Maybe our post will inspire you to organize your next holidays? Check out our itinerary to Jardins Cap Roig, Cala Massoni and Llafranch!

Jardins de Cap Roig

My Birthday trip started with Jardins de Cap Roig. We arrived at midday and it was very hot outside, so it was a perfect destination to hide from the sun. Few weeks ago we wrote about our visit in Marimurtra, the Botanical Garden in Blanes. I was amazed with the views, so I couldn’t wait to walk into Jardins de Cap Roig. The entrance is for free if you are from Caixa Bank and the itinerary is approximately 2-3 hours. Part of the route was closed for tourists due to renovation, but it didn’t affect our experience at all.

These beautiful gardens were created by the Woevodsky couple in 1927. It’s a home to more than 1000 plant species originating from all regions of the world. It’s also the setting for the Cap Roig Festival, known as the biggest musical event of the year in Costa Brava!

Cala Massoni and la Bañera de la Rusa

Cala Massoni is located at the southern end of Cap Roig, just below the Botanical Garden. It took us about 20 minutes on foot to get there from the parking. There is a beautiful rock bridge over clean waters known as la Bañera de la Rusa. Its name is a reference to the founders of the garden – Woevodsky couple. We were stopping every second to take pictures on on our way down because the views were simply breathtaking. Cala Massoni is a completely rocky cove and the turquoise water makes you wanna stay there forever. We loved the fact that there were very few people with us – just few family boats. It’s really difficult to find uncrowded cala in Costa Brava these days, so we enjoyed our stay there to the fullest! Edwin was snorkeling and I was sunbathing on the rocks 🙂

Llafranch

To be honest, I thought any town in Costa Brava could impress me as much as Calella de Palalfrugell or Tamariu, but when Edwin took me to our hotel in Llafranch, I was speechless. The view from our room made me cry. Did you know that the Telegraph featured the beach of LLafranch as one of the best beaches in Costa Brava and one of Europe’s top hidden seaside resorts? I didn’t know it neither but now I couldn’t agree more. Llafranch is a luxurious coastal town with glamorous yachts, but I think everyone can find something for himself there. Llafranch is a great spot just to slow down and relax, where the most stressful point of your day will be choosing your lunch 🙂

For those who prefer activity, you should follow the route of Camino de Ronda or take the trail to the old lighthouse. When it comes to food, you HAVE TO try the local paella! My favorite part of stay was late afternoon after sunset – sitting on our balcony with a glass of wine and admiring the changing lights over the promenade. I have the most romantic boyfriend!