Footpaths by the sea. Sant Esteve de Mar to Platja de Castell

The Costa Brava begins just over an hour north of Barcelona by car and stretches north to France.  Flat, steep, rugged, elegant, solitary, crowded, it’s a mixture of pretty nature and vacation central.  We spent our time here following some of the old footpaths etched by fishermen and  bootleg patrolmen.

North of Palamos, begin at Sant Esteve de Mar, a ruin at the end of tacky Cala La Fosca and follow the signs to Platja de Castell.  An easy walk 45 minutes each way.  Platja de Castell is a rustic gem, a large cove, no modern development.  16th century fishing huts, an early 1900s estate and a historic villa dot the beachline instead.