Tossa de Mar Castle (Vila Vella), Costa Brava

05/10/2026

Tossa de Mar is a seaside town on the Costa Brava, in Catalonia, in the north-east of Spain. Above its main beach stands the Vila Vella, or Old Town, a small medieval town surrounded by strong stone walls and towers. The walls were built mainly in the 12th to 14th centuries to protect the town from pirate attacks. Today it is the only fortified medieval town still standing on the Catalan coast. Many people call it Tossa de Mar Castle. With its towers above the blue sea, it is one of the most photographed places on the Costa Brava.

What to See

You enter the Vila Vella through an old gate in the walls. Inside there are narrow cobbled streets, small stone houses, the ruins of an old church and several viewpoints. You can walk along parts of the walls and climb to the top of the hill, where there is a lighthouse with a small centre about lighthouses of the Mediterranean. From the top there are beautiful views over the town, the beach and the coast. At the foot of the walls is the main beach, a good place to swim and relax. In the old town there is also a statue of the actress Ava Gardner, who filmed a movie in Tossa in 1951.

How to Get There and Practical Information

Tossa de Mar is in the province of Girona, about 1.5 hours by car or bus from Barcelona and about 40 minutes from Girona airport. In summer there are also boats along the coast from nearby towns such as Lloret de Mar. The old town is free to visit and open at all times. There is a small fee for the lighthouse centre. The streets are steep and cobbled, so wear comfortable shoes. In summer the town is very busy, so it is nicer to visit in the morning, in the evening or outside the peak season.