The Costa Brava’s best beaches #3: Empúries

L’Escala has a number of beaches but the problem with many of them is they simply get far too packed in summer. Riells beach is great in the off season, but come July it’s difficult to even approach the water’s edge thanks to the bodies parked in the way.

However, the beach at Empúries has a couple of advantages and, while it can certainly get busy at weekends when the locals arrive from Barcelona and Girona, we have always found enough space to put up a parasol and put down our towels without invading someone else’s patch.

Part of the reason is that it takes a little bit of work to get to (not too much) and is slightly set away from the main town. Right next to the Greco-Roman ruins it has a historic link and close by is the old Greek port (Moll Grec). That is some bit of constructon work.

The other reason that many people may not like it is that there is no free parking; parking is currently €1.20 per hour, which adds up if you’re there all day, but it also makes the beach comfortable, so worthwhile paying in my view; many tourists seem to try to avoid any costs at all though.

Empúries is in a small bay (actually there are several bays here that are worthwhile checking out), with rocks either side, but with the wind in the wrong direction it can get a little rough and full of litter and Neptune grass.

Otherwise it is kid friendly, with a shallow slope out to the marker buoys, where it is probably around four or five metres deep. There are also rocks to explore with a facemask, snorkel and fins and you can hire sun loungers and parasols for a few euros for the day.

Tags: Beaches, Costa Brava beaches, Empuries, L'Escala, socialmedia