Costa Brava, Spain
Once you have a family tent in the basement, there is nothing stopping you from opening the car’s trunk, throw inside everything what is needed for 1 week camping, fill up the tank with gasoline and hit the road. It doesn’t take much time if you have done this many times before and you know exactly what you need. No need to make any bookings, not many people decide to go camping in October. The only which is needed is a couple of addresses of campsites which are open at this time of the year. So we hit the road and arrived at Camping Internacional de Calonge in Calonge, Costa Brava.
Our base at Camping Internacional de Calonge
Camping Internacional de Calonge is located directly at the sea at about 200m walking distance from sandy beach Playa de Can Cristus. The walking distance to the beach varies from ca.150m to 500m depending on your location at the camping. There is a bridge crossing the main street which connects the camping directly with the beach. No need to cross any roads which makes it very safe for the kids. The campsite covers about 130000 m2 and has great facilities including football and volleyball pitches, playgrounds, table tennis, swimming pool, small shop, bike rental. etc. In October the campsite was quiet, with not many tourists and we were the only ones in a tent :).
Night ambient at the campsite. Five Billion Star Hotel 🙂
The location of the campsites makes it a great starting point to explore the nearby cities and beaches. Coastal footpaths run through the Playa de Can Cristus leading South to Calonge and Palamos, and North in direction Platja d’Aro. We did the walk to Platja d’Aro which leads through many beautiful, small beaches: Play Ses Torretes, Cala Belladona, Cala de Cap Roig, Cala del Pi. The path is very interesting with many stairs, tunnels, bridges etc. which have been constructed in the rocks along the shore. The prize at the finish line in Platja d’Aro was a big cone (cucurucho) with delicious ice cream.
Cala Belladona
Heading from Playa de Can Cristus towards Platja d’Aro
Cala de Cap Roig
Beach Cala del Pi was particularly good for snorkeling. The seabed was flat with many rocks covered with various plants and lots of fishes around.
This beach is the highlight of the hotel Hotel Spa Cala Del Pi which is located just above. They have a great video on youtube where the beach can be seen from a drone perspective VIDEO.
Aerial photo of Cala del Pi taken from the promotional video of Hotel Spa Cala Del Pi
Beach Cala del Pi
At the end of our staying the weather got pretty bad with heavy rains and thunderstorms. Our tent’s waterproofing was tested by the nature. The rain was much heavier that the rain which we have encountered during our canoe trip in Finland. The Outwell Nevada tent proofed to be water-resistant enough and we had no water inside. 5 stars rating for Outwell :).
The sea was not calm anymore and waves up to 3m were building up. Snorkeling was not possible anymore and swimming either. What was left was playing with the big waves and building sand castles.
Playa de Can Cristus
The great location of Camping Internacional de Calonge allows easy and quick access to many beautiful coastal towns lying along Costa Brava. Because the weather was not good we have done more sightseeing as we normally do. We visited Calella de Palafrugell nad Llafranc (our favorite places) and also Sa Tuna, Begur, Sant Antoni de Calonge, Tamariu.
Tasty meat at Carnicería in Platja d’Aro
Calella de Palafrugell
View from Begur towards l’Estartit and Illes Medes
Playa Sa Tuna
The most dangerous species in the sea - all created by the most civilized species on this planet
Playing at the beach in Llafranc
LINKS:
www.intercalonge.com – Camping Internacional de Calonge
Hotel Spa Cala del Pi – impressing promotional video
www.playas.es/girona – Beaches in Girona province
www.visitemporda.com – Tourist information for Emporda region
www.catalunya.com – Catalunya Tourist information
costabrava.org – Coastal footpaths in Costa Brava
www.spain.info – Spain tourist information
www.girona-tourist-guide.com – Girona Tourist Information
www.mapaidec.icgc.cat – Very useful topographic map of Catalunya
www.idee.es – Topo Map of Spain
www.feec.cat – La Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya (FEEC)
www.walkingclub.org.uk – Topographic map of Spain
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