Catalonia · Charming villages

The most beautiful villages in Catalonia

White fishing villages on the Costa Brava, medieval stone towns in the Empordà, a fortified Romanesque bridge and mountain villages in the Pyrenees: the most beautiful villages in Catalonia, most of them less than two hours from Barcelona.

Updated 20 October 2026 · How we make our guides

Costa Brava

Spain
Cadaqués

White fishermen's houses facing the bay on Cap de Creus, with Dalí's house at Portlligat.
What to see in Cadaqués
Spain
Calella de Palafrugell

Fishermen's arches above the sand and clear-water coves, one of the loveliest spots on the coast.
What to see in Calella de Palafrugell
Spain
Tossa de Mar

The Vila Vella, a walled enclosure with towers above the sea, right over the beach.
What to see in Tossa de Mar
Spain
Begur

A castle on the hilltop, mansions built by returning emigrants and some of the best coves on the Costa Brava.
What to see in Begur

Empordà and Garrotxa

Medieval stone villages among the fields.

Spain
Peratallada

A medieval village ringed by a moat carved into the rock, with its castle and cobbled streets.
What to see in Peratallada
Spain
Pals

A Gothic enclave on a hilltop, with the Tower of the Hours and views over the rice fields and the sea.
What to see in Pals
Spain
Besalú

A fortified Romanesque bridge over the Fluvià and a Jewish quarter with a medieval ritual bath.
What to see in Besalú

Inland and the Pyrenees

Spain
Rupit

Stone houses, a suspension bridge and a waterfall nearby, in the Collsacabra.
What to see in Rupit
Spain
Camprodon

A medieval bridge over the Ter and Modernista summer houses, in the Girona Pyrenees.
What to see in Camprodon
Spain
Cardona

A medieval castle above the town and a mountain of salt you can visit from the inside.
What to see in Cardona

Frequently asked questions

What are the most beautiful villages in Catalonia?

Cadaqués, Calella de Palafrugell, Tossa de Mar and Begur on the Costa Brava; Peratallada, Pals and Besalú in the Empordà and the Garrotxa; and Rupit, Camprodon and Cardona inland.

Which medieval villages are near Barcelona?

Peratallada, Pals and Besalú, in the province of Girona, are less than two hours away, and Rupit and Cardona just over an hour.

When is the best time to go?

May, June and September: the sea is already warm enough and it is less crowded than in July and August, when the Costa Brava fills up.

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Reviewed 20 October 2026. Dates and seasonal warnings: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Cover photo: Jorge Franganillo (CC BY 2.0), Wikimedia Commons.