There are some places you visit and immediately think, “Why haven’t I been here before?”
For me, Tossa de Mar was definitely one of them.
We visited in July for a short break, flying into Girona, and I absolutely loved it. I knew Tossa had a lovely beach and its famous castle walls, but I hadn’t appreciated quite how beautiful the whole area would be – or how much there was to see.
Beautiful beaches, little coves, medieval streets, Roman remains, coastal walks, fantastic views and plenty of places to stop for food and a glass of wine… it was very much my kind of place!
That first view of Tossa 💙
It’s difficult not to fall a little bit in love with Tossa when you see Platja Gran, the main beach, with the medieval walls of Vila Vella rising dramatically beside it.
The combination of golden sand, blue Mediterranean water, little boats bobbing in the bay and the old stone towers makes it look completely different from your typical Spanish beach resort.
And although Tossa is certainly popular with holidaymakers, it still has so much character.
We loved simply wandering around the streets, finding little bars and restaurants and seeing where we ended up.
Exploring Vila Vella 🏰
One of the absolute highlights was exploring Vila Vella, Tossa’s beautiful walled Old Town.
Be prepared for a bit of uphill walking – but believe me, the views are worth it!
As you climb higher through the old walls, the views across Tossa, Platja Gran and the Mediterranean just get better and better. I seemed to stop every few minutes to take yet another photograph!
Inside the walls are narrow cobbled streets and old stone buildings that make you feel as though you’ve stepped away from the modern resort altogether.
Interestingly, what we tend to call Tossa Castle isn’t actually a surviving castle. A castle once stood at the highest point of the headland, but it no longer exists and the site is now occupied by Tossa’s lighthouse.
I think that makes Vila Vella even more interesting – you’re actually walking around an entire historic fortified town rather than simply visiting a castle.
The beautiful ruins of Sant Vicenç ⛪
While exploring Vila Vella we came across another part of Tossa’s history – the remains of the Old Church of Sant Vicenç.
The late-Gothic church was built in the 15th century high within Vila Vella. Today only parts of it remain, including the apse and sacristy.
I loved this part of our walk. There’s something quite special about standing amongst the remains of an old church with the Mediterranean just beyond it.
It’s another reason I’d recommend actually taking your time when you walk around Vila Vella rather than simply heading up, taking a photograph of the view and coming straight back down.
This is the lovely open stone church you can see in one of my photographs.
There’s so much tucked away up there.
And then we discovered Roman Tossa! 🏛️
One thing I hadn’t really associated with Tossa de Mar before our trip was its Roman history.
We visited the remains of the Roman Villa of Els Ametllers (Vil·la Romana dels Ametllers), which are right in Tossa.
The villa dates from the 1st century BC and continued in use into the Roman period for several centuries. It was discovered in 1914 and was one of the important villas of the Roman province of Tarraco.
This wasn’t just someone’s Roman holiday home either!
It was a substantial agricultural estate, particularly associated with vineyards and wine production. There was an impressive residential section with baths, mosaics and a dining room, while the working area was used for processing produce including wine, oil and salted goods.
We were able to walk around the remains and see the surviving features, including the beautiful mosaic in my photograph.
I love stumbling across places like this when we’re away. One minute you’re wandering around a modern Spanish seaside town and the next you’re looking at evidence of people living and working there around 2,000 years ago.
It really made me realise how much history there is in Tossa.
Walking the coast 🌊
Another highlight for me was getting away from the main streets and exploring some of the coastline.
This is where the Costa Brava really shows off.
Rocky cliffs, pine trees, turquoise water, little boats and hidden coves – there seemed to be another gorgeous view around every corner.
Tossa has sections of the traditional Camí de Ronda coastal paths, including routes north towards Cala Pola and south towards Es Codolar. The official northern route is 6.6 km and passes spectacular cliffs and small coves.
You don’t necessarily have to do an entire route to enjoy it, though. We just loved exploring and stopping to take in the views.
I’d definitely recommend proper shoes rather than flip-flops if you want to explore the paths
Beaches and hidden coves 🏖️
Of course, you can’t come to Tossa without enjoying the sea.
Platja Gran is the obvious beach and has that incredible backdrop of Vila Vella, but I loved seeing some of the smaller coves too.
That’s one of the things that makes this stretch of the Costa Brava so attractive to me. Rather than one continuous built-up beachfront, you have rocky headlands with little beaches and coves tucked between them.
Some feel a world away from the main resort.
It’s the sort of coastline that makes you want to keep walking just to see what’s around the next corner.
Sometimes it’s nice to wander… 🍷
You don’t need to spend every day sightseeing either.
Some of my favourite holiday moments are simply wandering – and Tossa is perfect for that.
Away from the waterfront there are narrow streets, traditional buildings, shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. We could explore for a while, stop somewhere for a drink, carry on walking and then find somewhere else for food.
No timetable. No rushing around.
Sometimes those are the best holiday days.
Tossa de Mar at night ✨
And then there’s Tossa after dark.
Just look at my photograph of Vila Vella illuminated at night!
The old walls glowing above the beach are absolutely beautiful and give the whole place a completely different atmosphere.
We loved being able to go out in the evening, have dinner and drinks, wander around and then see the castle walls lit up beside the sea.
It’s lively enough to have an atmosphere without needing to be a huge nightlife resort – which suited us perfectly.
My practical tips for visiting Tossa de Mar ✈️
A few things I’d recommend from our own trip to Tossa de Mar:
✈️ Fly into Girona if you can – Girona-Costa Brava Airport is only around 38km from Tossa de Mar, making it a really convenient option for a short break. We flew into Girona and found Tossa perfect for a few days away.
👟 Pack comfortable shoes – Tossa itself is very walkable, but Vila Vella has cobbled streets, slopes and steps. If you want to explore the coastal paths too, decent footwear is definitely worthwhile.
🏰 Don’t just admire Vila Vella from the beach – walk up and explore it properly. The little streets, old walls and views over the Mediterranean are beautiful, and the climb is well worth it.
🏛️ Don’t miss the Roman Villa of Els Ametllers – it’s easy to overlook, but I’m really glad we visited. It gives you another glimpse into just how much history there is in Tossa beyond its famous medieval walls.
🌊 Explore beyond the main beach – Platja Gran has that iconic view of Vila Vella, but there are also smaller beaches, coves and coastal paths to discover.
🌅 See Tossa at different times of day – one of my favourite things was simply wandering. Vila Vella looks gorgeous in the sunshine, but there’s something particularly special about Tossa in the evening when the lights come on and you can stop for dinner and a glass of wine.
🗓️ Give yourself more than a day if you can – Tossa is sometimes visited as a day trip, but I think staying for a few nights lets you experience a completely different side of it. You have time for the beaches and sights without rushing, as well as those lovely relaxed evenings when the day-trippers have gone.
And perhaps my biggest tip? Don’t try to plan every minute. Tossa de Mar is one of those places that’s perfect for simply wandering, stopping when somewhere catches your eye and enjoying the views with a cold drink or glass of wine. 🍷
Who would I recommend Tossa de Mar to?
I think Tossa is a brilliant choice if you’re someone who gets bored with a holiday that’s just hotel–pool–beach–repeat.
You can certainly have relaxing beach days, but you’ve also got history, lovely walks, beautiful scenery and plenty to explore right on your doorstep.
I’d particularly recommend it for couples, friends, families and anyone who likes combining relaxation with a bit of exploring.
And if, like me, you enjoy discovering somewhere new and then rewarding all that walking with a nice meal and a glass of wine, even better! 🍷😂
Would I return to Tossa de Mar?
Without hesitation.
Our break wasn’t particularly long, but Tossa really surprised me.
I came home remembering the gorgeous sea views, walking around Vila Vella, discovering the Roman remains, exploring the coastline, finding little coves and wandering through the streets.
It’s somewhere that manages to combine beach holiday, history, scenery and traditional Spanish charm in one relatively small resort.
And now that I’ve experienced Tossa de Mar myself, it’s somewhere I’m very happy to recommend to my own clients.
If you’re considering the Costa Brava and aren’t sure which resort would suit you, get in touch. I can help find the right holiday for you – and with Tossa, I can now give you some first-hand tips too. 💙✈️
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