Getaway to one of the most beautiful medieval towns on the Spanish coast

• The 20 most beautiful medieval towns in Spain

It is always in the top 10 of the lists with the most beautiful towns in Spain and any of its idyllic corners is worthy of at least one photograph to remember.

Of course, if you want to enjoy it fully and without crowds, it is better to avoid the main summer months.

has everything to make anyone who comes to this small postcard-perfect medieval town in the region of La Selva, in the province of Gerona, fall in love.

Even

herself fell in love with her when she arrived in 1950 to shoot, along with James Mason, the feature film

The town of about 6,000 inhabitants, a former fishing village with a great historical background, is today one of the

as well as the only example of a fortified medieval town that still exists on the Catalan coast.

To its main attractions, such as the wall that surrounds the historic center (in excellent condition), the battlements and homage towers, the interior of the walled enclosure and the lighthouses, we must also add the sea and the beautiful coves and beaches that bathe its turquoise waters.

In fact, one of the best views of the old town of Tossa de Mar can be enjoyed from

, located at the foot of the walled area.

The Vila Vella

The emblem of the town is the walled enclosure of the

, built in the 13th century on a promontory.

Declared a Historic-Artistic Monument, the interior is accessed through a voussoired portal that crosses a parade ground.

Crenellated walls, towers and three cylindrical towers topped by machicolations make up the wall, which retains almost all of its original perimeter.

They emphasize the tower d'en Joanàs, which presides over the bay;

the Torre de las Horas, at the entrance to the parade ground, and the Torre de es Codolar, also known as the Torre del Homenaje, on Es Codolar beach.

Strolling through the narrow and steep streets inside the walls is a trip to the past.

Through them, there are low stone houses that took advantage of the wall as a back wall and you reach the old

(15th century), in late Gothic style.

At the highest point of the walled area was the castle, which no longer exists, and in its place is the current Tossa lighthouse, with incredible views.

Outside the walls is the neighborhood of sa Roqueta, a fishermen's quarter built during the first expansion of the municipality in the 16th century.

The pleasant and crowded Paseo Marítimo also starts from the wall, bordering the coast, up to Punta de Sa Llonga.

The Town Hall offers guided tours.

More information here.

The beaches and coves

The walled enclosure of Tossa de Mar is located on a promontory on a kind of peninsula that overlooks the sea.

On the north side is the

, the urban one, the busiest and the one that receives the most photographs due to the views of Vila Vella.

This golden sand is followed by the small

.

In the southern part of the historic center is the beautiful Codolar cove, known as the old fishermen's beach.

The Big Beach.

Several trails leave from the town

and enjoying the beautiful natural environment that surrounds the town.

Some cross typical Mediterranean forests, with very dense vegetation, others border the sea on cliffs and reach idyllic coves, such as Cala Pola, and others go deeper to reach historical sanctuaries such as Sant Grau, located in the heart of the massif of Ardenya Cadiretes.

Where to sleep

Hostal del Mar

(Paseo del Mar, 13; Tel.: 972 34 00 80).

Right on the seafront promenade on Playa Grande, this family business has rooms with views of the sea and the castle and equipped with all the comforts.

Price: from 82 euros.

Reservations here.

Gran Hotel Reymar

(Mar Menuda Beach, Tossa de Mar, 972 340 312). The hotel has direct access to Mar Menuda beach and is located next to the Camí de Ronda hiking trail.

It has panoramic views of Tossa de Mar and its castle and has an outdoor pool.

Price: from 98 euros.

Reservations here.

Where to eat

Typical Mediterranean flavours, in which fresh fish and shellfish and prepared in the old way of fishermen rule, are the protagonists of Tossense gastronomy.

Noodles with fish and lobster, fish grill, Bastina amb Trumfos (ray stew with potatoes) and the best known, the

are some of the dishes to taste in the town.

Where?

In Can Pini (Carrer del Portal, 12. Tel.: 972 34 02 97), Bahía (Passeig de Mar, 19; Tel. 972 340 322) or Sa Muralla (Portal, 16; Tel. 972 341 128), among others .

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