July

If you’re heading out to the Costa Brava in July you’ll find it getting up to 30°C+ during the day with mainly clear blue skies.

Want to know what the weather will do on the Costa Brava? Here’s the 25 day forecast.

But the very start of the month remains relatively quiet, waiting for the influx of tourists to begin in earnest.

The coast does start to get busy after schools Spanish close in mid-June when locals from the big cities head for the coast. It gets much busier in July and August though, as the tourist season hits its peak. Holidaymakers arrive from all over Spain – as well as the rest of the world!

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What’s on in July

As the season ramps up in July the big summer events begin. Here are the biggest of events and festivals for you to plan your cultural activities while on holiday here.

Palamós: Menú de Gamba

The annual menú de gamba – prawn menu – in Palamós started in May, continued throughout June and runs until mid-July. A number of restaurants in Palamós, Calonge, Sant Antoni and Vall-Llobrega offer a menu based around the prawns for which Palamós is famous.

L’Escala: Portal Blau

Portal Blau is a festival of concerts, exhibitions and workshops through much of July and finishing in early August at various locations in L’Escala. The festival seems aimed purely at locals with the website in Catalan only and the information infuriatingly vague. If you’re in l’Escala while it’s on maybe you’ll find it worthwhile.

Girona: Guitar Festival

The Guitar Festival in Girona runs from July until September. As well as taking place at a variety of venues in Girona itself, some concerts take place in coastal resorts. Tickets are low cost or free.

Platja d’Aro: Nits de Jazz

Every year Platja d’Aro puts on Nits de Jazz, a series of Friday night open air jazz concerts. It kicks off in late June and runs until the last Friday in August. Most concerts are at 23:00 on the main beach, with the opening concert  at Masia Bas at 20:30 (close to the large free car park as you reach the town centre from the C-31).

Begur: Music Festival

The Festival de Música de Begur takes place from late July for three or four weeks with a variety of mainly local acts.

Estartit: Jazz Festival

The Estartit Jazz Festival runs from Thursday to Sunday on the last weekend in July. Over the course of those four days you get the chance to see a number of bands play live. If you love jazz and are in Estartit during that time it’s definitely one to look out for.

Sant Feliu de Guíxols: Porta Ferrada festival

The artists at Porta Ferrada Festival vary quite widely from year to year, which this year takes place from early/mid July until the third week of August. Porta Ferrada is mainly a music festival but not entirely so and the selection of artists can be pretty eclectic. As well as local artists you can often expect to see some big international acts on the roster.

Concerts take place on a stage set up in the port area and it’s well organised with seating for most shows. If you’re in Sant Feliu and find something that interests you then go along. The audience is mainly local and tend to be enthusiastic.

Calella de Palafrugell: Cap Roig Festival

Held in the botanical gardens of Cap Roig castle, near Calella de Palafrugell, Cap Roig Festival features performances from a diverse range of artists from late July until the third week of August. Like Porta Ferrada, many acts are selected for local audiences rather than tourists, but there are some big names too.

Festival Castell Peralada

Another festival with an eclectic mix of artists is the Festival Castell Peralada.  It runs from early July through until mid August with performances that include rock and pop, opera, ballet and pretty much anything else they can think of.

Blanes: firework competition

Blanes firework competition is held at the end of July each year to coincide with the feast of Santa Anna, the town’s patron saint, on 26th July. These are big pyrotechnic displays and can be seen and heard from miles away.

Fireworks are scheduled between 7pm and midnight over a number of days leading up to the finale. If it’s something you want to see just head down to the beach on those days.