Guide to Estartit

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Estartit was once a small fishing village that became popular in the 1950s and 1960s when the Costa Brava was first put on the map and like many coastal resorts on the Costa Brava saw a boom in construction that overtook the original village.

The marina at Estartit

My parents visited Estartit in the early 1960s and fell in love with the town and took us to nearby Els Griells on holiday a couple of times in the 1980s. After spending a day on the beach there we would sometimes walk along the beach into Estartit for a meal, or simply to wander through the narrow streets and the shops selling seemingly exotic merchandise; today I’d call it tourist tat.

While Estartit has changed massively since the early days of mass tourism put it on the map for beach holidays, much of the town does retain its charm and it compares favourably with towns such as Lloret. For sun lovers Estartit has a fantastic beach running several kilometres south past the mouth of the river Ter, which flows through Girona, and down towards Sa Riera.

Tourists in Estartit tend to come from France, the UK and Ireland, as well as Germany and Holland and as well as staying in the many private holiday apartments and villas there are a number of hotels and campsites.

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While it is true that much of Estartit consists of rather charmless holiday homes, the heart of the village does still retain much of its charm and that combined with a gloriously long beach make it a fantastic holiday destination for families.

It is a shame that so much of the hillside was allowed to be built on, but more recent laws have sought to slow down such pace of development. The property bubble finally burst in 2008 and the economic mess suffered by Spain ever since have been the main factor in a reduced appetite for construction though.

The town has a large marina focused on leisure boats and during the summer there is much activity in the marina area. And just a kilometre or so off sure are the Medes Islands, an archipelago that has enjoyed protected status since the 1990s to allow the regrowth of coral and marine life in the area.

Traffic to the Medes Islands is controlled and nothing may be taken from there. Diver numbers are strictly controlled and divers must pay a small tax for the privilege of diving there. The result is some of the best diving in Spain, let alone the Costa Brava, with tame groupers of a metre or more in length swimming with divers. There is a cavern system in which divers can safely enter and the groupers will join divers as they go through – it’s incredible to experience.

Beach

Estartit is one of the most popular beaches on the Costa Brava. The long, sandy beach stretches for over 3km and is a great place to relax and soak up the Mediterranean sun. There are plenty of beach bars and restaurants to keep you refreshed, and the clear waters are perfect for a spot of swimming or snorkelling. The beach is wide and sandy, with plenty of room although it can get packed in August.

Estartit beach

The beach has a beach that runs more than three kilometres south from the marina and disappears down past Els Griells and to the mouth of the River Ter. The further from Estartit you go the wilder it becomes, with nothing but sand dunes  and agricultural land as you approach the Ter. The mouth of the river forms part of a natural park with the Medes islands and the Montgrí massif.  Established in 2010 the park covers 6,155 hectares of land and 2,036 hectares of water.

The beach is absolutely ideal for kids as the beach has a gentle shelf and so doesn’t get deep too quickly, which can be a problem at beaches such as Platja d’Aro. You need to get a little way offshore to get into any kind of depth.

Estartit has a couple of xiringuitos (beach bars) serving cold drinks and snacks including tapas, sandwiches and hotdogs. That way you can spend all day on the sand without having to think about taking along lunch. And there are a number of sun lounger and umbrella rentals along the beach if you don’t have your own.

There is also a smaller beach to the north of the port, La Platgeta. It’s a narrow strip of sand with a xiringuito at one end where it abuts the port and is protected by a breakwater. From the breakwater you can access a rocky beach and if you continue along the seafront you’ll reach a small rocky cove.

Where to stay

There are many holiday rentals available in Estartit, so you are sure to find the perfect one to suit your needs and budget. Whether you are looking for a cosy apartment or a spacious villa, you will be able to find it in Estartit.

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The hotels in Estartit are mostly family-run businesses, which is common in most of the Costa Brava. You won’t find the big chain hotels here. Hotel Marisqueria Cal Tet (Carrer Santa Anna, 38) is a great boutique hotel and restaurant located near the port and beach in Estartit. Guests love the location and food, and the rooms are comfortable and stylish.

Hotel Santa Anna (Carrer del Port, 46) is a great choice for exploring the port and main beach area of Estartit. The rooms are modern and clean if a little bland but the restaurant is a highlight, with exposed stone and serving up some excellent fish dishes and classic Catalan cuisine. Hostal Santa Clara (Passeig Marítim, 18) is a guest house is just opposite the yacht club in Estartit and close to the port’s car park. It’s a family run establishment that opened in 1969 with spacious rooms and stunning views of the Medes Islands from the roof terrace.

Estartit is a great place to camp if you’re looking for a lively atmosphere and plenty to do both on and off the beach. With a wide range of campsites to choose from, you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for you and your family. There are a number located on the main road from Torroella de Montgrí, such as Cámping Estartit. All of the campsites are close enough to the town and the beach, so you won’t have to go far to enjoy the amenities.

Eating in & eating out

You’ll find some a good choice of restaurants in Estartit with plenty of family friendly places to eat as well as more upmarket options. Local specialities include paella, tapas, and fresh seafood.

If you’re looking to eat out in Estartit, N’Gruna (Passeig Marítim, 20) is a great choice. The food is fantastic and people rave about the service – you won’t be disappointed if you eat here. They specialise in a modern take on Catalan cuisine, so you can expect some delicious dishes when you visit.

For a more traditional restaurant head to Santa Anna (Carrer del Port, 46) for seafood and meat courses and while you’ll find that most restaurants are child friendly you can’t go wrong taking your kids to Pizza Mia (Avenida Grecia, 23) for authentic Italian-style pizza. And a shout out to the town’s two Indian restaurants for when nothing but a chicken Madras will do! Masala (Carrer d’Eivissa, 29) and Tajmahal (Avinguda de Roma, 46) are both highly rated.

There are a few food shops located in Estartit, so you can easily get everything you need to cook a meal in your holiday home. A number of smaller supermarkets are located near the centre of town and there are also a few smaller food shops located throughout the town. Most of the food shops are located within walking distance of each other, so it is easy to get around and find what you need.

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive shop then just on the edge of town you’ll find a Lidl, while Torroella de Montgrí has a number of supermarkets including the Spanish Caprabo and Catalan Bonpreu.

Activities

Estartit is the perfect choice of holiday destination for anyone who enjoys exploring the undersea world. The nearby Medes Islands are an extremely popular diving destination and it’s a great place to learn how to dive. This cluster of seven small islands is located a kilometre from Estartit’s port.

The islands are a popular destination for scuba divers, due to the clear waters and rich marine life. The number of divers allowed to visit the islands is limited in order to protect the delicate coral reefs. The coral reefs around the Medes islands have recovered significantly since the area was given protected status, and are now home to a wide variety of fish and other marine life.

There are a number of large groupers in the caves of Meda Petita that are so tame they’ll follow you around on a dive. some are close to two metres long so particularly impressive and a clear demonstration of how protecting the zone has benefitted the ecology of the islands.  If you prefer to keep your feet dry then you can also visit the 19th century lighthouse on Meda Gran, the largest of the islands.

There are a number of other good dive sites along the coastline towards l’Escala, including a wreck. You’ll find several dive centres located in the area near Estartit port offering both scuba diving and snorkelling trips to the Medes and other dive sites.

The port is located in a sheltered bay and has a small beach. There are a few restaurants and bars in the area, making it worthwhile exploring in the evening. The large sports marina has nearly 700 moorings for vessels up to 25 metres in length and there are a variety of boats available to rent. For those who enjoy other water sports, there are a number of companies offering windsurfing, kitesurfing and kayaking lessons and even organised kayaking tours and catamaran cruises to the Medes.

There are also a number of bike hire companies, allowing you to explore the surrounding countryside. In the town itself, there are a number of shops, restaurants and bars, as well as a weekly market.

 

How to get there

Estartit can be reached by car from the French border in less than an hour. There are a number of ways you can get there with the difference measured in minutes.

From France head south on the AP-7. Your first option is to take the N-II from junction 3 to bypass Figueres then take the C-31 to Verges, where you turn towards Torroella de Montgrí and Estartit. If you remain on the AP-7 to junction 5 then head towards L’Escala then join the C-31 at Viladamat towards Verges as above.

Or at junction 5 you can take the GIV-6234 until it meets the GI-633 and then take the second exit at the roundabout before Sant Jordi Desvalls and follow the signs to Torroella de Montgrí via Verges. These latter roads are rather narrow though so probably the first two options are better.

AD Find accommodation in Estartit
HOTELS | HOLIDAY RENTALS | CAMPSITES

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