Tossa de Mar Holidays

This typically Catalan town on the Costa Brava has bags of atmosphere, thanks to its old town. The Vila Vella, as it’s known, is all cobbled streets and traditional houses – there’s even an ancient castle. The surrounding countryside, meanwhile, is some of the prettiest in the Costa Brava, with mountains and valleys to explore. Plus you’ve got not 1 but 2 big, sandy beaches to hop between.

The town’s main beach, Playa Gran, is a large horseshoe bay with golden sands that shelve into warm, blue waters. You’ve got all the amenities here, including watersports, and loungers and umbrellas for rent. It’s all topped off with some sterling castle views. And when hunger hits, you can take your pick from the bars and cafés on the prom.

You’re 95 kilometres north of Spain’s most cosmopolitan city, Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. There’s so much to explore here, not least a Medieval Gothic quarter and Gaudi’s celebrated cathedral, La Sagrada Familia. After that you can sit outside a pavement café and watch the street performers on the country’s most famous street, Las Ramblas.