The Best Adventure Activities To Do On The Costa Brava

The Costa Brava runs all the way down from the French border to the town of Blanes, where it meets the region of Barcelona. It’s characterised by lush green hills, small quaint villages, historic towns and rocky coves – ideal for a number of adventure activities, from diving to cycling and hiking. Here’s our pick of the best adventure activities to do on the Costa Brava.

Sea kayaking

One of the best places to go kayaking is up the coast from Cadaques. You can rent your kayak from the beach at Cadaques, then paddle up towards the Cap de Creus Natural Park, exploring all the small coves and inlets along the way.

Sea swimming

Sea swimming is a very popular activity in the Costa Brava. Here it’s not just about paddling around coves and bobbing in the waves, it’s more about long distance, serious swimming. To help swimmers, the Costa Brava created the Vies Braves swimming lanes – safe, natural swimming trails, which follow the coastline.

Canyoning

Canyoning for those who are not familiar with it, is the process of following a river to the sea. It involves scrambling up rocks, abseiling down them, jumping off cliffs, and a little bit of swimming (or simply being gently swept down stream by the currents). Due to its various rivers and being a coastal region, the Costa Brava is an excellent spot for canyoning. It’s also possible to do aqua trekking for those who want to experience the river in a calmer way.

Hiking

The Costa Brava is an excellent hiking destination with many well-signposted footpaths all over the region. It’s also home to the famous GR92 hiking route which follows the whole coastline all the way along the region. In total there are 20 different stages – it measures 583km in total.

Hot air ballooning

Because of its spectacular landscapes, the Costa Brava is an excellent place for hot air ballooning too. One of the best places to go is La Garrotxa Natural Park, where you float over an area of ancient volcanoes.

Cycling

Cycling of course is a hot sport in the Costa Brava, and many professional cyclists live or train in and around Girona. The region has excellent cycle tracks, as well as excellent hilly terrain for some serious training. There are a few excellent places to hire bicycles from in Girona city if you’re here on holiday and want to have a go. Many even offer group tours and provide maps too. Among them are Bike Breaks and Happy Bikes.

Diving

Diving in the Mediterranean can be a rewarding experience, discovering what lies beneath the waves. One of the best places for diving is just offshore around the Islas Medes Marine Reserve. Book your activity from one of the various diving companies located in Estartit.

Snorkelling

If you don’t know how to dive or have children, snorkelling can be a great alternative. There are many small coves around the Costa Brava where you can snorkel using your own gear.