The best scenic drives in the Costa Brava

The Costa Brava has some of the most scenic and varied landscapes in Spain with views guaranteed to win over even the most reluctant of drivers. Near the coast itself you’ll find pine woods hugging coral-coloured cliffs along sinuous bends but the inland landscape is just as beautiful, and full of drama too. After a leisurely jaunt through country lanes lined with vineyards, olive groves, rice fields or plane trees, with the Montgrí, Gavarres or Pyrenee mountains in the distance, head towards the coast and you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking reveal as the gleaming Mediterranean sneaks into view ahead of you.

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Palafrugell to Begur

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The route is just over 10 miles and depending on stop-offs, takes an hour or so, but the roads have bends aplenty and even though local drivers might tear along them like Lewis Hamilton, you could easily spend a day taking it all in, in a more leisurely manner.

and nearby Llafranc. Avoid the GN-6546 dual carriageway and take the much more scenic GIP-6453, which rolls through pine woods and fields dotted with farmhouses.

As you arrive at Calella de Palafrugell town centre, you could stop for a stroll along the wide sandy beach and admire the 19th-century villas on the promenade. Otherwise take the right-hand exit at the roundabout towards Llafranc.

has a lovely seafront terrace.

. Drive down through the tall pine woods till the road descends and you see the sea on your right hand side.

(sand eels), which come piled high like mini whitebait, or feast on main courses of hake, turbot, bream and exceptionally juicy, fat calamares, with salad and chips. Otherwise, keep straight on the road towards Begur.

specialises in excellent, contemporary Catalan cuisine.

Figueres to La Bisbal

(or Lower Empordá), which lies just inland.

This 27-mile drive takes you through it, whilst also passing through some of the area’s most striking medieval villages. This isn’t the kind of landscape you’ll want to rush through, so allow a full day.

Starting off from Figueres, head south along the N-II till you reach the crossroads with the smaller C-31. Join the C-31 towards Torroella de Montgrí and you’ll see vineyards on either side: this is wine-growing country, with the grey haze of the Pyrenees in the distance behind you.

After a while you’ll spot the 13th-century rectangular-looking castle atop the small town of Torroella de Montgrí. Lurking beneath the dark grey Montgrí Massif, this traditional market town is full of rambling lanes lined with Gothic courtyards and Renaissance mansions splaying out from the porticoed main Placa de la Vila.

(plaza) are perfect for coffee. If you don’t mind an hour-long uphill hike, the castle has panoramic views out to the Empordá plains, the coast and the Pyrenees.

Rejoin the C-31 towards Pals, passing through rice fields (Pals is famous for its rice) and vineyards, but look out for a right-hand turning two or three miles along onto a smaller country road – the GI-651 in the direction of Peratallada and La Bisbal.

, arguably the prettiest of the region’s medieval villages. Park opposite the moat which surrounds the fortified walls and walk through the arched gate to the town. Once you’ve wandered up through the cobbled streets past craft shops and galleries, head to L’Arc Vell (Plaça del Castell) on the northerly part of the central square. This restaurant does delicious, great-value barbecued meats.

Follow the GI-651 towards the ceramic-making town of La Bisbal until it meets the GI-644 for the final leg into La Bisbal’s town centre.

on the edge of town, which has been converted into an exquisite hotel and restaurant.

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