Platja d'Aro

Platja d’Aro’s main drag, formed by Avinguda S’Agaró and Avinguda Cavall Bernat, offers some of the region’s best shopping, with big-name designer clothes stores and some classy local establishments. Most are open all year and have extended summer hours (daily 10am–2pm & 5–10pm).

As evening suffuses into night, the pavement cafés become a popular spot for an aperitif and some prime people-watching. Later into the night a hedonistic crowd moves in, as the stylish, laid-back bars and thumping discos get going.

Every February, the same streets play host to one of the Costa Brava’s best Carnival processions, with floats and extravagant fancy-dress parades accompanied by revelry all weekend long.

On the northern edge of town is Ciutat de Palol, a small square that was the site of a wine- and oil-producing Roman villa, in use between the first century BC and the seventh century AD. Badly neglected during the tourism boom, it has now been properly excavated and saved, and what little remains has been laid out as a public area with seating.

Almost the entire length of Platja d’Aro’s beach is backed by an uneven toothy grin of high-rise blocks, interspersed with some older low-rise buildings, fronted by a pedestrianized promenade with terraces and restaurants.The sweep of coarse golden sand, shelving moderately steeply into clear water, sees families and firm-bodied clubbers working on their tans.The southern tip of Platja Gran, marked by the chic Port Nàutic and capped by the Punta de Pinell headland, gets slightly less crowded.
At the northern end of the Platja Gran, three incongruous-looking nineteenth-century villas are a reminder of how the town has changed, while 100m further on is the huge standing stone known as El Cavall Bernat, the backdrop to free summer jazz concerts. Its name came into use in the sixteenth century as a euphemism for the original Carall Bernat, thought to mean “revered phallus” (“carall” is Catalan for “phallus”).

North of Platja d’Aro, the Camí de Ronda footpath dips and climbs for 4km, from the north- ern end of the Platja Gran along the water’s edge as far as Sant Antoni de Calonge, offering paths down to some beautiful beaches.A number can also be reached by footpaths off the C253 road towards Palamós, which has roadside parking.
The first you come to is the attractive, busy Cala Rovira, originally the Roman port for the area. It’s also known as Cala dels Escalencs after the fishing families from L’Escala, who – until the advent of tourism in the 1950s – used to spend their summers here camped on the beach, fishing the waters and selling their catch in Sant Feliu de Guíxols.A terrifically colourful and emotive fiesta to mark this history takes place on the first weekend after the Diada holiday (Sept 11), when dozens of traditional Vela Llatina boats make the journey from L’Escala and families camp on the beach in makeshift shelters for two days of traditional crafts, havaneres and cremat.

Neighbouring Cala Sa Cova offers a gently shelving beach and safe bathing up to a clearly defined line of underwater rocks, and its pretty setting amid pines helps you to overlook the number of people. Smaller and more inviting is Cala del Pi, 200m further north along the Camí de Ronda; its underwater rocks and craggy point make it perfect for snorkelling.A long tunnel separates this from Ses Rodones de Terra, where stone steps lead down through clumps of bamboo to a rugged mosaic of boulders and beach, a favourite with nude bathers.

Further along the footpath, Cala Belladona is less busy than its neighbours, and you’ll find good snorkelling and swimming a long way out into the steeply shelving sea. Finally, Platja de Can Cristus, most easily reached from the road, has a good sandy beach, but can get crowded owing to the presence of two large campsites nearby.

Platja d'Aro Map

Platja d'Aro Photos

Cala Pedrosa, Platja d'Aro

Cala del Pi, Platja d'Aro

Platja Sa Conca, Platja d'Aro

Platja Gran de Platja d'Aro

Platja Gran de Platja d'Aro

Cala Rovira, Platja d'Aro

Villages near Platja d'Aro

• 
  3 miles away
  S'Agaró
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  In S’Agaró, Girona-born architect Rafael Masó (1880-1935) was commissioned to design a town-garden near the sea in a classical Noucentista (early 20th century) style in 1920. It features Greek temples, viewing points, balustrades and a legendary hotel, Hostal de la Gavina.

• 
  3 miles away
  Castell d'Aro
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• 
  3.3 miles away
  Sant Antoni de Calonge
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  Sant Antoni de Calonge is part of the village of Calonge, just 2 kms inwards, and is next to the sea. Originally a fishers area, it is now a coastline zone with sand beaches with many services by a beautiful promenade that leads to Palamós, because it is part of the bay. A spectacular coastal path, through rocky coves, leads to the south to Platja d'Aro village.

• 
  4.9 miles away
  Calonge
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  To the south of Palamós, Sant Antoni de Calonge is now a large tourist resort and, moving inland, the town of Calonge has an interesting medieval castle.

• 
  5.1 miles away
  Sant Feliu de Guíxols
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  Well connected to key locations in north Catalonia (Barcelona, Girona or Figueres), Sant Feliu de Guíxols is situated in a privileged place on the Costa Brava.

• 
  5.4 miles away
  Santa Cristina d'Aro
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  Santa Cristina d'Aro is a village of just over 5,000 inhabitants located in the Valle de Aro valley, that territory more or less flat located between the Gavarres Mountains, to the north, and the Ardenya Mountains, towards south, Tossa de Mar direction.

• 
  6.6 miles away
  Palamós
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  Palamos is located in the northern part of the bay which takes its name. This bay is frequently place for sailing, swimming and windsurfing, among other water activities.

• 
  7.6 miles away
  Romanyà de la Selva
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  The village of Romanyà de la Selva has a watchtower which affords a vantage point over the valley, the scene of a number of novels by the writer Mercè Rodoreda (1908-1983), who lived out the final years of her life here. In addition, it has a beautiful pre-Romanesque church (10th century) and an impressive megalithic tomb (the dolmen of La Cova d’en Daina).

• 
  8.7 miles away
  Vall-llobrega
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