Hotels in Tossa de Mar

Tossa de Mar

Tossa de Mar is a small town on the Costa Brava in the comarca of La Selva, about 100 km north of Barcelona, between Lloret de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols. Its landmark is the Vila Vella, the walled medieval town on the headland of Mount Guardí, enclosed by walls and towers since the 12th century and crowned by a lighthouse. The main beach, Platja Gran, about 380 m long, curves beneath the walls, La Mar Menuda across the bay has water-sports hire, and El Codolar is a small cove tucked behind the walls. Tossa was ceded to the Abbey of Ripoll in 966 and received its town charter in 1187. The remains of the Roman villa of Els Ametllers, lived in from the 1st century BC to the 6th century AD, still show mosaics and a bath complex. The old hospital of Sant Miquel, founded in 1773, now houses the town's cultural centre next to its chapel. Until mass tourism arrived in the 1950s the town lived from vines and cork, and a few fishing families still sell their catch to local restaurants. The GR 92 coastal footpath passes through Tossa, with stages north to Sant Feliu de Guíxols (20 km) and south to Lloret de Mar (14 km) along wooded cliffs and coves. Its compact centre, beaches and cliffs make it popular with couples and families looking for a more traditional town than the larger resorts. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is about 45 minutes away by road, and buses link Tossa with Lloret, Girona and Barcelona.