Sunny Spain
The Costa Brava offers Alan Young and family a lovely mix of lounging by beaches and pools with exploring medieval towns and Roman ruins
A family camping holiday on the Costa Brava
Where is it?” “How do you work this thing?” “Why don’t they have better signs in Spain anyway, is this some kind of punishment for Brexit?” The air conditioning inside our hire car was working overtime as the temperature rose to the oven like levels outside. “Hold on I think I see something... is that... no it can’t be... it is... it’s a giant green dolphin.”
The fibreglass structure rising from the roadside as if a beacon to weary travellers was a welcome, if slightly bonkers sight. It announced that – inability to work a Spanish satnav apart – we had arrived.
Almost two hours north of Barcelona on the Costa Brava, El Delfin Verde (green dolphin) was to be our home for the next seven days for a camping holiday courtesy of the nice people at Eurocamp.
We had set off at stupid o’clock from Edinburgh on the red eye Ryanair to Barcelona (that is me, my wife, and two very sleepy little ones). Arriving at the impossibly clean but amusingly named El Prat airport by mid-morning, we secured the car and were on the road with minimal fuss.
This helpfully enabled me to channel all of the stress and panicking normally reserved for dealing with airport officialdom into driving on the wrong side of the road and failing to work the satnav.
I had no cause to worry. Annoying lack of road signs apart, Spanish roads are fantastic. The journey from the airport took us almost straight onto the motorway and – only a few cross words later – we were anxiously dolphin spotting in the hunt for the campsite.
And so, temperature inside the Fiat Tipo cooling again and excitement mounting, we turned off down the narrow lane towards the holiday park.
El Delfin Verde
It was clear the moment we negotiated the security barrier into the site that this was no bargain basement offering.
Six swimming pools, eight tennis courts, half a dozen cafes and restaurants, a gym, spa, hairdresser, shops, supermarket... and I was pleased to note a massive outdoor TV screen showing the World Cup. Then there was the kids club and entertainment throughout the day, crazy golf (if you like) or fitness classes (who goes on holiday to get fit?). Oh and it also happens to be on a beautiful beach.
Sure the institutionalisation of a campsite where your biggest decision of the day is whether to go to the beach or the pool isn’t for everyone but as a sunshine holiday with small kids, it’s quite simply the best.
Issued with a map of the site and wristbands (tip – don’t discard these after an hour as we did, turns out they are important), we set off to find our accommodation.
Home for the week was a three berth mobile home and very nice it was too, with comfortable accommodation inside and a large veranda and eating area outside. It wasn’t luxury living but it had everything you could reasonably need – air conditioning, cooker, microwave, fridge, shower, etc. Let’s face it, we weren’t planning on spending too long cooped up inside anyway.
What there wasn’t, perhaps understandably for such a popular resort, was very much room between the mobiles. Great for the kids making friends, not the best if peace, quiet and privacy is your thing.
Assuming you don’t mind the close quarters you could easily spend your entire holiday inside the park and never venture further than the beach. Many people there told us they were doing exactly that. That’s not for us though and so after a day or two of the beach or pool debate, we left the sun loungers behind and hit the road.
As a sunshine holiday with small kids, it’s quite simply the best
Figueres
Even before we left Scotland, we had identified the Salvador Dali Theatre-museum at Figueres as a must-do trip. We visited his seaside home at
Portlligat a few years ago, and found the kids enthralled by his splendidly silly surrealism. The combination of brilliant art which doesn’t bore the pants off kids and a cultural experience to tick off the list on an otherwise lazy holiday was too good to miss.
It was around 45 minutes from our camp to Figueres, Dali’s birthplace and where he is buried in a crypt underneath the museum (he was famously exhumed last year during a bizarre paternity court claim where it transpired his famous moustache is still intact).
The Theatre-museum is described as the largest surrealistic object in the world. It’s located in the former Municipal Theatre, a 19th century construction destroyed at the end of the Spanish Civil War. As you do, Dali decided to create his museum on its ruins. The result is a building in which you could easily lose yourself for the day. There’s floor upon floor of artwork with a spectacular and obscure sculpture at its centrepiece. Tickets are reasonable but booking in advance is essential.
The historic town itself is well worth a wander afterwards.
www.salvador-dali.org
Pals
A mere 10km from camp, meanwhile, was the stunning medieval town of Pals. The Gothic Quarter of the town, featuring more history than you could throw a cobble at, has been substantially restored over the years. The town wall contains four square towers which date from the 4th century and, baking heat dependent, it’s well worth the hike up the winding streets to the summit and the Romanesque tower to soak in the 360 degree views of Catalonia. On the way, you can stop for a browse in the eclectic selection of independent arts and craft shops. Great place for original if pricey souvenirs.
Close by, the beach quarter, Playa de Pals, is a bustling and lively holiday resort with inflatable unicorns on every corner. The contrast really couldn’t be greater.
www.spain-holiday.com
Roman ruins and hidden beaches
As mentioned before, El Delfin Verde has a pretty agreeable beach and there’s no real reason to go looking elsewhere. The best experiences though always seem to be the ones which you stumble upon – and on the Costa Brava it always pays to take your swimming stuff with you.
We had headed to Empuries, between the town of L’escala and the tiny village of Sant Martí d’empúries to take a look at the famous Roman and Greek ruins. Founded in 575 by Greek colonists, it was later occupied by the Romans but abandoned in the early Middle Ages. Excavation has been ongoing since the early 20th century and continues today. Considering only 20 per cent of the Roman city has so far been uncovered, they have a fair bit of work still to do. It’s a fascinating place to visit which should be done on a cooler or overcast day as the site is completely exposed and it’s a decent walk around the ruins.
Toddling back to the car park, we chanced upon the charming beach in front of the Hostal Spa Empuries. So lovely in fact, with beautifully clear water, that it’s hardly a surprise the Romans built their city so close by. Off the beaten track havens like this are dotted all around the coast and the only way to find them is word of mouth or pure luck.
Returning to camp, the evening entertainment was just beginning – a live action version of the Lion King performed (admirably I thought) by the campsite Animation team. Ordinarily I’d hate this sort of thing but in this context, with the late evening sun, San Miguel in hand, and smiling faces all around .... well it was pretty perfect.
Never did work out the satnav though.
www.visitlescala.com We flew from Edinburgh to Barcelona direct with Ryanair, www.ryanair. com; the nearest airport to the camp is Gerona, 58km away. Accommodation was in a three berth mobile home at the five star El Delfin Verde Campsite, Torroella De Montgri, Costa Brava (www. eurocamp.co.uk). It costs £350 per
party for seven nights in a 3 bed 1 bath Vista arriving May 2019. The park is open from May to mid-september.