The Empuriabrava guide for future expatriates

Empuriabrava (Ampuriabrava in Castilian), one of the largest and most beautiful residential marinas in the world, is located in the municipality of Castelló d'Empúries in the comarca of Alt Empordà in the province of Girona in Catalonia.

More precisely, this seaside resort is nestled in the Bay of Roses, one of the most beautiful bays in the world. 

It is only 10 km from the Aiguamolls natural park, about ten kilometers from Figueres and about 20 km from Rosas.

With its 40 km of canals (including its 23 km navigable) and 5,000 mooring points exclusively dedicated to yachting, Empuriabrava, nicknamed the Spanish Venice, is an essential place to buy property with a mooring.

Until the 1960s, Empuriabrava was a small village dominated by agricultural activity and kept away from tourist activity. 

Since then, tourism has developed strongly to such an extent that during the summer, this Pearl of the Mediterranean (its other nickname) welcomes nearly 80,000 people.

Its parachuting center has also helped build the tourist attraction of this town on the Costa Brava.

Gastronomy in Empuriabrava 

In Empuriabrava, the Mediterranean imprint is evident in the cuisine. It is therefore rich in olive oil, vegetables, rice, fish and seafood (shrimps, prawns, lobsters, etc.).

Among the specialties of the region, there is the suquet de peix; a dish usually cooked in a casserole dish with different pieces of fish and potatoes that some call Catalan bouillabaisse. You can also taste other Catalan specialties such as pa amb tomàquet, escudella i carn d'olla, Catalan estouffat, xató, sofregit, escalivada or crema catalana ...

To accompany fish dishes or the inevitable Spanish tapas, you can consume - in moderation of course 😉 - Empordà wines which have a protected designation of origin (AOC), in particular the sweet wines Garnatxa and Moscatell .

What to do in Empuriabrava?

Whether with your spouse or with your family, you will not be bored as there are so many things to do in Empuriabrava: 

● Enjoy the many beaches (downtown beach, Can Comes or Rubina) and paradisiacal coves       

● Practice nautical activities such as sailing, windsurfing, surfing, stand up paddle boarding, kitesurfing, jet-skiing, water skiing or scuba diving ...       

● Go to sea for an excursion       

● Rent a boat without a license to navigate the canals of Empuriabrava       

● Take the Camino Natural del Rio Muga by bike: a 40-kilometer path along the coast that begins at Empuriabrava beach and ends in Sant Llorenç de la Muga       

● Stroll in the Butterfly Park : a tropical park of 1000 square meters where you can discover turtles, parrots, iguanas and of course butterflies of all colors.       

● Play a round of mini golf at the Carmansó Minigolf       

● Enjoy thrills with the Windoor Realfly flight simulator       

● Fill up on adrenaline during a parachute jump with Skydive Empuriabrava: an internationally renowned skydiving center with more than 2,000,000 jumps       

● Spend a day in the Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park, which includes a set of lakes and marshes among the most important in Catalonia, to hike or observe more than 300 species of birds       

● Visit the parish museum which houses unique pieces of religious goldsmithing as well as objects dating from centuries ranging from the 13th to the 18th       

● In summer, enjoy the aquatic park at sea a few meters from the very pretty Platja d'Empuriabrava. Slides, trampolines, obstacle courses… will delight your children.       

● Enjoy the 19 attractions (including slides with dizzying descents, the largest wave pool in Europe and a 26-meter climbing wall) during a day at the Aquabrava water park located 8 km from Empuriabrava       

● 6 km from Empuriabrava, discover the Jewish quarter, the Carlina tower and the cathedral of Castelló d'Empúries: one of the most important religious monuments in the province of Girona       

● …       

How to get to Empuriabrava

Empuriabrava enjoys a privileged location with France since it is located about thirty kilometers from the border. Communication systems make it easier to access and move around.

Getting to Empuriabrava by plane

To reach Spanish Venice by plane, you will need to land at one of the 3 airports: 

● that of Girona, about sixty kilometers (50 min)       

● Perpignan about 75 km (1h05)       

● that of Barcelona about 165 km (1h50)       

From each airport you can rent a car, order a taxi or take the bus to reach Empuriabrava.

Getting to Empuriabrava by train

In Empuriabrava, there is no train station. However, if you want to take the train, you can go to Barcelona, Girona or Figueres and end your journey by car, taxi or bus.

From Girona train station it takes less than 50 minutes by car. You can also take the train to Figueres and then the line 12 bus to Empuriabrava. 

From Figueres-Vilafant train station, it's about twenty minutes by car. By bus, take the L3 or AVE lines followed by line 12 (direction Cadaqués then direction Figueres).

Getting to Empuriabrava by car

From France, take the A9 / E15 motorway then continue on the AP-7 and take exit 3 towards “Figueres / Roses”. 

Continue on the N-II towards “Figueres / Padrosa” then “Girona / Barcelona”. Continue on the C-260 / C-68 towards Roses.

Go through the villages of Vilatenim and Castelló Nou then continue on the C-260 / C-68 until Empuriabrava is signposted.

Getting to Empuriabrava by bus

Several bus lines serve the Costa Brava and connect with Empuriabrava.

Do you want to buy a property with a mooring in Empuriabrava to spend a few months of vacation in the year or to settle there permanently? Contact our real estate agency who will find you the apartment , house or villa of your dreams.