Empuriabrava camping guide

Empuriabrava offers a good choice of facilities for camping close to the long sandy beaches of the Alt Empordà.

Empuriabrava is well known for its marina, which is one of the largest in the world. But while its extensive canal network and abundant moorings makes it a great destination for boat owners, the town is also close to the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà nature reserve.

The marina at Empuriabrava is one of the largest in the world. Photo via Pixabay.

It’s also a good destination if you like sandy beaches. As well as the 1.6km town beach tween the mouth of the Muga and the entrance to the marina, the sand continues 2km northwards towards Santa Margarida and to the south all the way to L’Escala. This beach is internationally recognised for wind and kite surfing.

And as well as the beaches, the town is well positioned to visit Girona or Figueres, where you can visit the Dalí museum. It’s 20 minutes from the Greco-Roman ruins near L’Escala. And it’s near to the natural park of Cap de Creus and the quaint seaside town of Cadaqués.

While the majority of tourist accommodation is comprised of private villas and apartments, Empuriabrava also has plenty of camping.

Among the 70,000 or so tourists who visit every summer, a sizeable proportion stay on one of the town’s four campsites with pitches for tents, caravans and camper vans.

But as well as camping facilities, the they also offer bungalows and with running water and private bathroom facilities for anyone looking for budget accommodation without going back to basics.

The Campsites

This family campsite first opened in 1972 and offers a choice of pitches for a tent, caravan or camper van as well as bungalows and mobile homes. Dogs are allowed on the pitches provided they are supervised, but not in the bungalows or mobile homes.

Camping Mas Nou is around 3 km inland which means it’s not as simple as stepping straight onto the beach, but there is a swimming pool as well as restaurant and bar on site and a supermarket nearby. There is a bus to the beach in the summer though.

The bungalows and mobile homes come with sheets and blankets, a kitchenette and a bathroom with shower, but you’ll have to supply your own towels. While the mobile home sleep four, the bungalows sleep between two and six and include a small terrace area to enjoy the summer evenings.

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If you prefer a campsite near the sea then Camping Laguna may suit you perfectly. It’s a huge campsite with more than 750 pitches, some of which are right next to the beach. As well as pitches, the campsite also has well equipped bungalows for four to six people with a terrace.

The campsite is on the edge of the Aiguamolls d’Empordà natural park, which is great for bird watching, and borders the Muga river. On the other side of the river lies Empuriabrava. There is also a lagoon within the grounds of the campsite from which it takes its name. The campsite extends across 400 metres of sandy beach, which extends 4km south down towards L’Escala. This stretch of beach is well known for wind and kite surfing.

On site you’ll find facilities such as a restaurant and several bars where you can get drinks and fast food. As well as swimming pools, the campsite has a well stocked supermarket and a doctor’s surgery is open six days a week during the summer. There is also a disco, mini-golf, ATM, dog baths(?!!!) and a car wash.

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Rubina Resort is another campsite just 200 metres from the beach while still being close to the centre of Empuriabrava too. It gives you all the advantages of getting away from it all but close enough to get to the shops, restaurants, bars and nightlife.

On site there is a restaurant serving Catalan and international food, as well as several bars. It also has a comprehensive supermarket, a HUGE swimming pool and once again the campsite has dog washing facilities. If you like to be active there is also a gym and various organised fitness activities.

Most pitches at Rubina Resort have water and dogs are allowed. It also has bungalows for two to six people where you can take your dog, but dogs are forbidden in the two-six person apartments.

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A fairly small campsite located 250 metres from the beach, Camping Castell Mar offers camp pitches, bungalows and mobile homes.

Despite its modest size, Camping Castell Mar has an on-site restaurant, which serves local dishes such as grilled meat, paella and fish. It also has a pizzeria where, as well as the obvious, you can get roast chicken, burgers, hot dogs sandwiches and snacks.

Other facilities include a swimming pool, ATM, washing machines, car wash and car rental. The campsite also has a variety of sports facilities.

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For a more complete list of campsites see Costa Brava camping.