Photo Essay from around Costa Brava
We love to capture our travel adventures in words. We like to put you in the moment with us as we tear around the Tuscan countryside on our scooter. Or we want you to live vicariously through us as we face our own fears when we are deep underground caving in Budapest.
However, sometimes it is just easier to paint a picture in your head with photos rather than words…
Costa Brava in Photos
If you want a place to base yourself in Costa Brava, then start in Girona. Colourful houses, cute bridges criss-cross the winding river, and enough scrumptious food to keep any foodie in heaven. Or a food coma.
Apparently 1 in 10 of these delicious salty Pimientos de Padrón (tiny green peppers an inch or two long) are a hiding a secret spiciness waiting to unleash on the unsuspecting pinxtos eater. Luckily, even though I ate a tonne, I never hit a spicy one.
When we were not eating, we were on a cycling tour along endless tracks with not a soul in sight.
And being shown incredible secret spots like this secluded waterfall by our local cycling guides. I just wish I had my swimming togs.
Costa Brava runs along the northeast coastline of Spain, so there are empty stretches of beaches like this one near the town of Palamos just waiting to be explored. Wouldn’t be a bad place to live and launch your rowing boat through your castle wall.
Sant Feliu de Guíxols Monastery.
One of just the many gorgeous sunsets we watched to finish off our incredible days during our biking adventures.
I personally couldn’t think of a better view in Costa Brava.
Disclaimer: Cole was a guest of the Costa Brava tourism board for 3 days. And although I can’t claim that I made the Spanish food and countryside look even more beautiful, my opinions and my photos are always my own.
We have been wearing out our jandals (Kiwi slang for flip-flops) on our travel adventures around the world since 2009. We love all types of adventures that make us step outside our comfort zone, in comfort, including surfing, skiing, snowboarding, diving and cruising on our bikes. You can find out more 
Some spectacular photos here! Love what you did with the shot of the church at the end – really funky stuff
Laurence recently posted..The pictures they don’t want you to see
Cheers mate. Someone showed me a trick or two recently
Well, when you’re world famous and touring the world with your camera.. just remember us
Laurence recently posted..The pictures they don’t want you to see
I will probably need someone to carry my tripod for me. Will ask Vera next time haha.
Stunning photos Cole! Glad we got to hang out in Costa Brava for a couple of days. See you (and Adela?) at WTM.
Andrea recently posted..Guimaraes: The Birthplace of Portugal
Haha she does exist and will be at WTM! Always fun catching up with you and looking forward to it again.
WHOA! Those Lightroom tips from Laurence are clearly paying off! The first and last shots are especially cool. Keep up the good work…
Bret@ Green Global Travel recently posted..Our Encounter With A Rare Amazon Manatee In Peru
Thanks Bret. Can’t take all the credit, considering how beautiful Costa Brava is
Awesome pictures, Cole – especially the HDR!
BackPackerSteve recently posted..Top 5 Travel Videos of September – monthly travel video roundup
Cheers Steve. Now if only I could find the time to put together all our video footage from that bike trip…
Awesome photos Cole, shame I missed TBEX but hopefully will catch up with you and Adela at WTM! Vix x
Vegemitevix recently posted..The Couple Date
Yup we will be at WTM so see you there! Looking forward to it.
Lovely!
Karen @ Trans-Americas Journey recently posted..Beach Bummin’ – Las Flores and Maculis Beaches, El Salvador
Thanks Karen.
Ah wow, that picture of the waterfall – it looks so un-Spanish, at least in my vision of Spain. Makes me think I really haven’t seen much of Spain yet! Love that scene. Great to hear you had such a fab time!
Christina recently posted..AWESOME road trip: announcing my Blog4NZ fundraiser
On our bike tour there are all these little secret spots hidden away that they guide you to. Well worth the uphill effort
You earned your “show and tell” by the Costa Brava Tourism Board. One photo is indeed worth a thousand words (well, some photos, like these, anyway). I now have a good excuse for returning to Spain since we never made it to the Costa Brava.
Just One Boomer (Suzanne) recently posted..Aspen, Colorado – Skis Optional
Thanks Suzanne! Costa Brava is definitely one of the best spots in Spain, although to be fair we haven’t been right down South yet. Get in touch with the Tourism Board if you ever get to go. They will tell you all the best places to visit.
(P.S. Glad to have you back again)
Wow! These are absolutely gorgeous photos! My favorite is the one of the secluded waterfall, which looks like an HDR image. Somehow, those very places that not all tourists see are the most special.
Samantha Bangayan recently posted..A Sisterhood Blogger and Expat in Peru
It was edited a little to look HDR but really was more beautiful in person
These “secret” spots you can really only access if they tell you where they are personally. That’s why I loved it so much.
Beautiful photos, Cole! Love the waterfall. I wouldn’t miss to take a dip there. It just so amazing.
Shamis @ Gawaya Travel Blog recently posted..Infographic of Hawaii Travel Trends
I only had my underwear unfortunately and didn’t want to strip off in front of the group of strangers haha. No need to terrorise them
You certainly have the photographer’s eye…absolutely stunning pictures. I hope you have printed some out and framed them on your wall as they need to be shown!
We will once we settle down and have somewhere to hang them
What a beautiful area! I’ve been to Barcelona but not the Costa Brava area. Jealous that you got to go to TBEX. Hope you had a great time but I know you enjoyed the views!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..A Costa Rica Travel Guide for budget travelers
Was a great event and would like to get to the North American TBEX sometime in the future. Bit far for us though.
Wow, beautiful shots! Your colors are exquisite!
laini recently posted..Doors of Cusco [PHOTO ESSAY]
Thanks Laini
Not hard to take good photos with a landscape like that!
I am really looking forward to taking a long trip to Spain one of these days, and these photos inspire me to visit Costa Brava. Looks like such a great mix of history, natural beauty, and culture.
Jenna recently posted..ArtSmart Roundtable: The Architecture of Oscar Niemeyer
We have spent 4 weeks there now and cannot get enough. Need to head further south on our next visit I think! See ya there
Such a vibrant tour through Costa Brava my friend. Gorgeous pics! I would have loved to visit the Sant Feliu de Guíxols Monastery pictured above. And relieved to hear that you never hit a spicy Pimientos de Padrón! Great post!
Jeff Titelius recently posted..ArtSmart Roundtable – the Emergence of Gothic Architecture
I kind of wanted to eat a spicy one to see what all the fuss is about… But glad I didn’t haha. You definitely would have loved the architecture around some of the Spanish villages we visited.
I love reading travel blogs-fun places to visit. Photos are wonderful!
Come back any time Sharon
Great shots! Are those deep fried chilis? Were they hot! Yum!
Marlys recently posted..Yes We Cannes
Definitely fried in something and quite salty. Luckily they are sweet, apart from 1 in 10 apparently.
Stunning, stunning photos. It looks gorgeous! The waterfall looks so inviting!
I wanted to just dive right in Debbie!
Really awesome pictures. They make me miss Spain a lot! Although I am a sucker for beaches, I’d have to go with picture 1 or 4 for creativity and perspective.
Andy recently posted..Hostel People – The people at your hostel
I prefer the last photo but just because the ocean looks inviting and the clouds just pop!
Wow. Absolutely stunning. I just got home from the region Tuesday, and you make me want to turn around and head back. Sorry I didn’t meet you at TBEX, but hopefully soon.
Jeff Dobbins recently posted..Imagining the Lowline
Unfortunately I probably only met about 25% of the people I was trying to meet up with! Would definitely be keen to catch up though Jeff if you make it to Scotland or somewhere else on our travels.
The cornfields look like a blast! I’d love to cycle through there.
Audrey recently posted..Damyang Bamboo Forest in Jeollanam-do, Korea
Very relaxing cycle and such a beautiful spot to do it.
Beautiful stuff
Spain is high on my list of places to head to after I finish up in South America, and these photos only reinforce the desire. Good times, good times
Maybe we can swap places then Tim! We want to get to South America sometime soon
We completely fell in love with the Spanish coast earlier in the year. Discovering the area on a bicycle sounds especially nice.
It is great because you can escape all the crowds you usually get in these beautiful coastal spots.
Great pics…I definitely missed out at TBEX it seems!:)
Try and get to the one in Toronto. Even if you buy a ticket now and have to sell it because you can’t go. Totally worth it.
Some really nice shots Cole, I especially like the road through the corn fields. It is composed really well.
I’m really bummed we didn’t make it over for TBEX, but we’ll get to this region eventually.
Would have been great to finally meet you guys Pete. Oh well, next time for sure!
Beautiful pictures, it’s a stunning region!
Great pics guys! Definitely this place is a little treasure in the whole region. I’ve been able to explore it slowly since living in Barcelona. Totally worth it! Glad you enjoyed. Cheers!
Cheers Mariana
You are super lucky to be living in Spain!
It looks so gorgeous! I especially love that last photo.
Not hard to take good photos of beautiful spots
Girona is so photogenic, isn’t it? Of course, so is most of Costa Brava. I loved it there. I wish I could have taken a cycling tour like you did. Looks like a great area to do that.
Peaceful, relaxing and easy cycling. Couldn’t ask for much more than that
I like your pictures of the tourist sports of Costa Brava. It is really inviting me or making me go there very soon! I appreciate the waterfalls! By the way, I must commend you for taking great captures!
Thanks Mike. Costa Brava is one very beautiful place to visit.
Aww, I want to go to that waterfall!
crazy sexy fun traveler recently posted..Geo and Medieval tour in the Northern Portugal – day 2
Get on ya bike then
Absolutely stunning pictures there! Going through these
images leaves a lingering image of Costa Brava. It is just so fabulous. It is
amusing that not one of those green peppers turned hot and spicy
I finally got a hot pepper! But it wasn’t in Costa Brava, was down in Vigo
Love it, your pics really show a lot of the gorgeous sides of the Costa Brava. It’s like a whole bunch of reasons to go all in photos.
PurpleTravelKate recently posted..A Goth’s Guide to Gothenburg
Thanks Kate! It is easy to take photos of beautiful places though so I can’t take much credit
Yeah, but a good eye always helps!
PurpleTravelKate recently posted..Purple 10: Famous Movies Located in Greece