Travel Guide on Costa Brava, Spain, Holiday

With more than 3,000 miles of coast, Spain can offer a Costa for every taste. Costa Brava is a hundred-mile section of this coastline with golden beaches stretching from Blanes, 60km northeast of Barcelona, to the French border. Costa is the Catalan and Spanish word for 'coast', and Brava means 'rugged' or 'wild', and the area's rugged coast mirror this with its rolling mountainous terrain and find sandy beaches.

Part of the reason that Costa Brava holidays are so popular is the climate, with hot summer tipping 29 degrees Celsius and a more temperate autumn and spring ideal for lazing in the sun. Winter temperatures reach high of 13 degrees Celsius meaning that holidays to Costa Brava are year-round crowd- pleasers.

But if you are planning a Costa Brava holiday then I recommend stepping off the sun-lounger to explore some of the region's rich heritage with its ancient ruins, Catalan culture and more recent cultural contributions from artists such as Salvador Dali and architects including Antoni Gaudi. There are also many little gems like the towns of Tossa De Mar and Roses.

Catalonia is an historical region, which once spread through northeast Spain, including what is now the Costa Brava. Throughout the region the Catalan culture can be seen with its distinctive food, language and heritage. The Catalan language, along with Spanish, is spoken widely in this area and the architecture reflects the ancient traditions and legends of the Catalonian people. There are also Catalonian days of celebrations, including the summer solstice on June 23, when bonfires are lit and spectacular firework display take place in all the towns and villages, along with live music and processions. Other days of celebration include St George's Day and Catalonia Day.