Platja Gran (Tossa) Tossa town Underground Parking Platja Gran (~€19.75/day) or street blue zone; fills by ~10:00 in August In town — fully paved, walkable from the bus station Lifeguard, chiringuitos, toilets, showers, sunbeds Tossa's main golden-sand beach beneath the medieval castle — full facilities, walkable, and a 2026 Blue Flag. Mar Menuda (Tossa) Tossa town Town blue zone / Platja Gran lots; fills by ~10:00 in August In town — paved and flat, walkable from the bus station Lifeguard, bar-restaurant, showers, dive school, disabled access The best family and snorkelling beach in town: the rocky 'Banyera de ses Dones' pool shelters toddlers and marine life. Es Codolar (Tossa) Tossa town No direct parking — use the town lots and walk ~5 min Pedestrian steps through the castle gate; no car access to the sand Beach bar, showers Tiny, photogenic fishermen's cove under the Vila Vella walls with quick deep-water snorkelling. Cala Figuera South (campsite coves) Paid at the Cala Llevadó campsite barrier GI-682 to the Cala Llevadó turn-off, then on foot None Small undeveloped naturist cove reached through the Cala Llevadó campsite; clear water and no services. Cala Llevadó South (campsite coves) Paid at the Camping Cala Llevadó barrier (~€6–10/day) GI-682 turn-off; park at the barrier, then a steep stair descent (2WD fine) None on the sand Dramatic cliff-framed dive cove — one of the best snorkelling and scuba spots near Tossa. Cala d'en Carlos South (campsite coves) Paid at the Cala Llevadó campsite GI-682 to the Llevadó turn-off, then walk through the campsite (2WD fine) Beach bar, toilets, showers, sunbeds Pine-backed coarse-sand cove with a rich seabed; quieter than the town beaches but still serviced. Cala Llorell South (campsite coves) Gated estate — €10–15 per vehicle at the barrier GI-682 turn-off into the Santa Maria de Llorell gated estate (2WD fine) Lifeguard, restaurant, toilets, showers, sunbeds, watersports Spacious serviced resort beach behind a gated-community barrier; calmer crowds, full facilities. Cala Pola South (campsite coves) Camping Cala Pola lot ~€20/day; fills by ~10:00 GI-682 to the Camping Cala Pola turn-off, short walk down (2WD fine) Beach bar, toilets Sheltered coarse-sand family cove ringed by pines, with offshore reefs for easy snorkelling. Cala Giverola South (campsite coves) Resort car park ~€25–30/day (priciest locally); fills by ~11:00 GI-682 turn-off, paved to the Giverola resort (2WD fine; a funicular runs to the sand) Lifeguard area, restaurants, toilets, showers, sunbeds, watersports Wide, active resort cove and a noted dive site (wall, cave, tunnel, Posidonia) — but the most expensive parking on the coast. Cala Bona (north) North (wild coves) No car park — leave the car in Tossa and walk the Camí de Ronda; roadside laybys are risky GI-682; walking in is strongly advised over parking on the verge Summer beach bar only Tiny fjord-like rocky inlet with superb sheltered snorkelling; reach it on foot, not by car. Cala Futadera North (wild coves) Tiny roadside layby (<10 cars), fills very early; or park at Giverola and walk GI-682 past Giverola, then ~300 rock-cut steps down — no services None The 'cove of 300 steps': emerald water, top snorkelling, naturist-friendly. The cliff shades it after about 16:00. Cala Vallpresona North (wild coves) Roadside verge only — very limited GI-682, then a ~1 km forest hike down to the sand None Wild pebble-and-sand naturist cove for serious solitude — a real hike, with untouched reefs offshore. Cala del Senyor Ramón North (wild coves) Private paid lot at the bottom (~€7–15/day) GI-682 to a steep unpaved dirt track — 2WD only if dry Drinks and snacks kiosk at the car park One of the widest local coves and a long-standing naturist beach; the rough track keeps the crowds down. Cala Canyelles (Lloret) Lloret & Blanes Paid blue-zone car park right at the beach Paved all the way (2WD fine) Lifeguard, restaurant, toilets, showers, sunbeds, marina The easiest serviced family cove, with its own marina and a 2026 Blue Flag — paved parking right at the sand. Santa Cristina (Lloret) Lloret & Blanes Santa Cristina chapel car park ~€8/day; fills by ~10:00 Paved to the chapel, then a 200–300 m pine path down Lifeguard, restaurants, showers, sunbeds, lockers Calm, sheltered fine-sand family bay with a 2026 Blue Flag — and good-value chapel parking. Sa Boadella (Lloret) Lloret & Blanes Park at the Santa Cristina chapel lot (~€8/day) and walk, or the Av. Sa Boadella blue zone Paved to the chapel, then a ~200 m pine-forest path Showers; restaurants nearby Semi-wild, pine-backed 2026 Blue Flag cove; the far eastern end is naturist and the forest walk filters the crowds. Cala Banys (Lloret) Lloret & Blanes Park near the Sant Joan castle; also a ~15-min walk from the Lloret seafront Paved to the castle, then steps down the rocks Historic cliffside cocktail bar; no sand Rocky, sand-free snorkelling and rockfish cove with a famous sunset bar — for snorkellers, not sunbathers. Cala Sant Francesc (Blanes) Lloret & Blanes Blue-zone street parking (paid 15 Jun–15 Sep) or a private lot; free spots uphill Paved residential road in Blanes (2WD fine) Lifeguard, restaurant, showers, sunbeds Sheltered golden-sand 2026 Blue Flag bay by the Marimurtra gardens — easy, family-friendly, with fishing banned for clearer water. ("all"); const maxDrive, setMaxDrive = useState matchesVibe(b, vibe) && b.driveMin Beach Finder Match a Costa Brava beach to what you actually want — family sand, snorkelling, a secluded cove, a naturist beach, or easy parking — within your chosen drive time of Tossa de Mar. This interactive finder matches a Costa Brava beach to your ideal day out and shows it within your preferred drive time from Tossa de Mar — family-friendly coarse golden sand, prime snorkelling, a genuinely secluded cove, a naturist spot, or simply a beach with straightforward parking. The key to this coastline is access: the most rewarding coves are reachable only by car, and that freedom is exactly what public transport cannot give you. In July and August, cove car parks and roadside laybys fill very quickly — usually before 11:00 — so an early start is essential. Use the filters below, then compare car hire deals for Tossa de Mar to reach them. Find your beach Pick what you are after and how far you will drive. Results are sorted by drive time from Tossa de Mar town centre (realistic summer minutes on the winding GI-682 ). What are you after? Max drive from Tossa No beaches match that combination within the drive limit. Try widening the drive time or choosing Show all. Parking prices and fill times are 2026 estimates and change seasonally; campsite and gated lots set their own rates. Fares last verified June 2026. Cala Salionç is excluded — its gated estate allows vehicle access for residents only. How Costa Brava cove access really works The beaches around Tossa de Mar are coarse golden granitic sand and pebbles. The heavier sand settles faster, so the water clears quickly — which is why these coves snorkel better than the finer-sand beaches further south. Tossa sits on the GI-682, the famous "365 bends" coastal road, so distances in kilometres are deceptive: a cove a few kilometres away can still take 20 minutes of switchbacks to reach. Access splits by direction. South of Tossa, the coves sit behind campsite or gated-community barriers with paid parking. North toward Sant Feliu, you often get only a tiny roadside layby and a steep descent — stairs or a forest path — with no services at the bottom. One rule holds everywhere in July and August: arrive before 10:00–11:00, because the small car parks fill and you will be turned away. See the Tossa parking guide for the town itself. Cala Bona (north) has no car park. Local advice is to leave the car in Tossa and walk the Camí de Ronda coastal path — the isolated roadside laybys above the cove are best avoided. Why you need a car (the honest version) Exploring beyond Tossa's town beaches genuinely requires a car. Moventis buses (lines L9/L52) run the GI-682, but they stop only in town centres — never at the individual cove turn-offs — and getting off at a roadside stop means walking down a fast road with no pavement. The Dofí Jet hop-on-hop-off boats link only the main town beaches (Blanes, Lloret, Cala Canyelles and Tossa); they never reach the isolated northern coves. The calas are, simply, car-only. If you are still deciding how to collect a vehicle, compare Girona and Barcelona airport pickup against local hotel delivery, and read the Spanish rental-counter traps before you sign anything. The four clusters at a glance Tossa town beaches Platja Gran, Mar Menuda and Es Codolar are walkable from the bus station — no car needed. Platja Gran and Mar Menuda both hold a 2026 Blue Flag. Mar Menuda is the pick for families and snorkelling, thanks to the rocky "Banyera de ses Dones" pool. South: the campsite coves Cala Llevadó, Cala d'en Carlos, Cala Llorell, Cala Pola and Cala Giverola sit behind campsite or gated barriers with paid parking and fill earliest. Expect ~€25–30/day at Giverola and a €10–15 per-vehicle gate at Llorell — a mix of family resorts and dive coves. North: the wild coves Cala Figuera, Cala Futadera (300 steps, naturist), Cala Bona (walk in), Cala Vallpresona (1 km hike, naturist) and Cala del Senyor Ramón (dirt track, 2WD only if dry, naturist) trade services for solitude — and they hold the best snorkelling on the coast. Lloret & Blanes coves Cala Canyelles, Santa Cristina and Sa Boadella (naturist far end) carry 2026 Blue Flags; Cala Banys is a rocky, sand-free snorkelling cove; and Cala Sant Francesc in Blanes is an easy, family-friendly Blue Flag bay. More amenities, gentler access. Drive time and parking at a glance Beach Drive from Tossa Best for Parking Blue Flag Platja Gran In town Family, facilities Paid town lots Yes Mar Menuda In town Family, snorkelling Paid town lots Yes Es Codolar In town Scenic dip, snorkel Town lots + walk No Cala Figuera ~8 min Secluded, naturist Campsite barrier No Cala Llevadó ~10 min Diving, snorkelling Campsite ~€6–10 No Cala d'en Carlos ~10 min Quiet family cove Campsite (paid) No Cala Llorell ~12 min Serviced resort beach Gated €10–15/car No Cala Pola ~13 min Family, snorkel Campsite ~€20 No Cala Giverola ~15 min Resort + dive site Resort ~€25–30 No Cala Bona (N) Walk in Snorkelling, solitude None — walk No Cala Futadera ~18 min Naturist, snorkelling Tiny layby No Cala Vallpresona ~25 min Naturist, wild Verge only No Cala del Senyor Ramón ~30 min Naturist, wide Dirt-track lot ~€7–15 No Cala Canyelles ~18 min Easy family beach Paid lot at beach Yes Santa Cristina ~25 min Calm family bay Chapel ~€8 Yes Sa Boadella ~26 min Naturist far end Chapel ~€8 + walk Yes Cala Banys ~28 min Rocky snorkelling Castle parking No Cala Sant Francesc ~32 min Family Blue Flag bay Blue zone / lot Yes Frequently asked questions Which beaches need a car, and which are walkable from Tossa de Mar? Tossa's town beaches — Platja Gran, Mar Menuda and Es Codolar — are walkable from the bus station, so no car is needed. Every other cove in this finder, south and north of Tossa and over in Lloret and Blanes, genuinely needs a car: public transport does not reach the turn-offs. Where should I park in summer, and by what time? Parking is the binding constraint in July and August. Most cove car parks and roadside laybys — especially the southern coves like Cala Giverola and Cala Pola — fill by 10:00–11:00. Arrive early, and for the town itself use the Tossa parking guide. Which coves are best for snorkelling? The coarse sand keeps the water clear. Mar Menuda (the "Banyera de ses Dones" pool with a dive school) is excellent in town. Cala Llevadó, Cala Futadera and Cala Giverola — a dive site with a wall, cave, tunnel and Posidonia meadows — are the standouts, and Cala Banys in Lloret is a rocky rockfish cove. Are there naturist coves near Tossa de Mar? Yes. Cala Figuera, Cala Futadera (300 steps), Cala Vallpresona (a 1 km forest hike) and Cala del Senyor Ramón (a dirt track, 2WD only if dry) are naturist-friendly. In Lloret, the far eastern end of Sa Boadella is also a naturist spot. Which beaches are best for families and hold a Blue Flag? In Tossa, Platja Gran and Mar Menuda both hold a 2026 Blue Flag, with Mar Menuda the best for families. In Lloret, Santa Cristina, Sa Boadella and Cala Canyelles are Blue Flag beaches, and in Blanes so is Cala Sant Francesc. These offer the easiest family access and the most facilities. Which parking is most expensive or best avoided? Cala Giverola is the priciest at about €25–30/day, with Cala Pola around €20/day and Cala Llorell charging €10–15 per vehicle at its gate. Cala Bona has no car park (walk in), and Cala Salionç is gated for residents only — skip it by car. Can I reach the calas by bus or boat instead? Not practically. Moventis buses stop only in town centres, not at cove turn-offs, so alighting on the GI-682 means a dangerous roadside walk. The Dofí Jet boats link only the main town beaches (Blanes, Lloret, Cala Canyelles, Tossa) and never the isolated northern coves. A rental car is the only realistic way to explore them.