Costa Brava: beach reality check
Short answer: 14 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at Cala Bona (18:00), Cala Pola (18:10), Platja sa Tuna (18:35); the latest sun is at Platja de Sant Pol, la Platja d'Aro, Platja de la Fosca.
| Beach | Surface | Sun in July | Climb from parking | Water | Sea in Aug | Clubs mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platja d'Aiguablava Begur | Sand | 07:10–18:45 | 120 m, ↑30 m | deep fast | 24 °C | — |
| Platja sa Tuna Begur | ? | 06:35–18:35 | 200 m, ↑33 m | deep fast | 24 °C | — |
| Cala Estreta Palamós | Sand | 07:45–19:10 | 210 m, ↑44 m | gradual | 24 °C | — |
| Cala Pola Tossa de Mar | Sand | 09:35–18:10 | 170 m, ↑28 m | shallow | 25 °C | — |
| Platja de Giverola Tossa de Mar | Sand | 08:40–19:10 | 190 m, ↑80 m | gradual | 25 °C | — |
| Platja de Llafranc Palafrugell | Sand | 07:45–20:35 | 230 m, ↑17 m | gradual | 24 °C | — |
| Platja de Tamariu Palafrugell | Sand | 07:40–19:20 | 230 m, ↑22 m | deep fast | 24 °C | — |
| Platja de sa Riera Begur | Sand | 06:35–19:25 | 270 m, ↑51 m | gradual | 24 °C | — |
| Platja de Montjoi Roses | ? | 08:10–20:20 | 220 m, ↑15 m | gradual | 22 °C | — |
| Cala Bona Tossa de Mar | ? | 08:45–18:00 | 110 m, ↑63 m | shallow | 25 °C | — |
| Platja de Sant Pol Sant Feliu de Guíxols | Sand | 06:55–20:50 | 150 m, ↑6 m | gradual | 24 °C | — |
| la Platja d'Aro Castell d'Aro, Platja d'Aro i s'Agaró | Sand | 06:35–20:40 | 260 m, ↑22 m | gradual | 24 °C | — |
| s'Alguer Palamós | Gravel | 08:00–19:50 | 300 m, ↑20 m | deep fast | 24 °C | — |
| Platja de la Fosca Palamós | Sand | 06:50–20:35 | 120 m, ↑10 m | gradual | 24 °C | — |
Plan it
Questions
Which beaches in Costa Brava lose the sun first?
14 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at Cala Bona (18:00), Cala Pola (18:10), Platja sa Tuna (18:35); the latest sun is at Platja de Sant Pol, la Platja d'Aro, Platja de la Fosca.
Which beaches in Costa Brava are sand?
Platja d'Aiguablava, Cala Estreta, Cala Pola, Platja de Giverola, Platja de Llafranc, Platja de Tamariu, Platja de sa Riera, Platja de Sant Pol, la Platja d'Aro, Platja de la Fosca.
Sun and shade come from the sun's position and the skyline around each beach, measured every 4° of compass direction from a 30 m elevation model out to 6 km. The climb back up is the height difference between the beach and the nearest mapped car park or bus stop (about 0.17 m per step). Water depth comes from the EMODnet seabed model; surface, beach clubs, toilets and showers from OpenStreetMap; sea temperature is the 1991–2020 average from NOAA OISST and waves the 2015–2024 average from ERA5. Prices are not shown: they change every season and differ between clubs. Map data checked 7 Nov 2026; next check 1 Dec 2026 (monthly). Sea averages are refreshed every January. Sun and shade are calculated for any date you pick.