If you’re looking at beach options on the Costa Brava and you still haven’t considered Pals, you’ll change your mind very, very quickly if you keep reading.
Pals isn’t the best known, but it has something many more famous beaches lack: plenty of space and an enviable natural setting.
It’s in Baix Empordà, within the Montgrí Natural Park, very close to the Medes Islands and the Baix Ter. Just with that preview… you already feel like visiting it, right?
Beach features and services
The beach is 3.5 km long and is divided into two areas: Platja Gran, with beach bars, showers, sun loungers, toilets and a tourist information point, and Platja del Grau, much more natural, with dunes and very little infrastructure.
There is parking, but it’s paid in high season, so if you arrive late and it’s summer, you’ll have to walk quite a bit to reach it—or use the car park, which is quite small, by the way.
And now for the important part: what the beach is like. It has fine sand in a deep golden colour, with around 70 metres of width down to the shoreline and, as you’ll know, in the Mediterranean there’s hardly any tidal rise and fall, so that space for laying down your towel will stay —more or less— the same.
The water quality is certified by the Catalan Water Agency, and the waves are usually quite lively—something surfers surf lovers appreciate, as do those who want a bit of movement while swimming.
What doesn’t it have? Well, there’s no seafront promenade, but instead there are wooden walkways that cross the dunes; a much nicer solution, and far more respectful of the surroundings, than the typical concrete promenade.
Activities and water sports you can do at Pals Beach
The easterly wind and the tramontana, which give this coast its character, make Pals Beach a go-to spot for windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing. If you do any of these, you should know the conditions here aren’t just good—they’re fantastic!
There are also companies in the area that offer equipment hire for kayaking and paddleboarding. And, of course, it’s perfectly fine to come with the sole idea of laying your towel on the sand. That’s up to you.
Oh! And out of the water, in the surrounding area, you’ll come across several hiking routes —which you can also do by bike— through the Montgrí Natural Park, and a golf course —the first ever on the Costa Brava— that winds its way between dunes and pine trees.
How to get to Pals Beach
By car from Barcelona, you can take the AP-7 motorway towards Girona and exit at junction 6. From there, continue on the C-66 towards La Bisbal d’Empordà and follow the signs to Pals; after that, it’s straightforward.
You can also get there by bus with Moventis —formerly Sarfa— which connects Barcelona and Girona with Pals Beach. The train doesn’t reach Pals, but there’s a nearby station called Flaçà, from where you’ll only need a taxi or a bus to get to the beach.
The best option? Go by car.
Natural surroundings and wildlife in Pals
The wildest part of the beach visually connects with the Pals rice fields, which isn’t something you expect to see when you think of a Mediterranean beach.
Right next to it are the Basses d’en Coll, a protected wetland area that’s home to a surprising number of birds. If you like wildlife watching, it’s worth coming with your camera or binoculars. In this protected environment you’ll also find squirrels, snakes and scorpions.
And while we’re at it, we’ll tell you a very curious story. For decades, in the dune area of Pals Beach —which is now designated as “protected”— Radio Liberty operated: a CIA-funded station that, from 1959, broadcast towards the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries.
That’s why thirteen antennas, the tallest at 169 metres, took advantage of the sea acting like a reflecting mirror to extend the signal all the way to Moscow, 2,700 km away. Pretty amazing, right?
The locals in Pals, who saw those huge structures from the beach without really knowing what they were, speculated that they could be missile ramps or a submarine base hidden under the sand. In 2006 they were removed from the Pals skyline, leaving what you’ll find on your trip: a beautiful, very welcoming beach.
Restaurants and food by the sea
The star product of Pals Beach —and of Baix Empordà in general— is rice. It’s been tied to the town for centuries, and you’ll find it on pretty much every menu in the area. You can try it soupy, dry, black, with lobster, or with Palamós prawns—another gastronomic highlight of this coast you shouldn’t overlook.
If you want to eat with sea views, Solimar is a great option, with a menu packed with dishes focused on fish and rice. For something more informal, we recommend Les Dunes, where you’ll find creative tapas and small plates to share.
Here are more options. At Es Portal, a 16th-century farmhouse featured in the Michelin Guide, you can also try rice dishes along with other seasonal produce, and at Can Ruben you’ll find excellent value for money for dishes starring the local favourite: rice.
Fancy discovering Pals Beach?
To make the most of Pals Beach, explore its rice fields and savour several dishes from its local cuisine, the ideal thing is to stay in the area for a few days.
Want to do it with the assurance that your accommodation will be just as spectacular as Pals Beach? Then you need to choose yours at Homes in Costa Brava.
We promise none of them is missing a thing, and we’ll be delighted to welcome you!
