Recommend a beautiful Costa Brava town we should visit!
 

We will be staying in Barcelona for 12 days in September, and would love to spend a couple days in Costa Brava. We will not have a car, and will be traveling with our 3 year old, so we would like to stay somewhere pretty easily accessible with a direct bus or train route of no more than 2 hours from Barcelona. We would love to stay in a town that is quiet, genuinely quaint, not touristy and that has a lovely beach or two. We will be doing a lot of sightseeing in Barcelona of course, so we will be looking for a quiet reprieve. And we all love to swim. Thank you in advance for your advice!
PS Hotel recommendations also welcome!

The town that meets all your requirements is Begur. This is a small medieval town where people usually go to relax, eat good food and just enjoy their vacation to the maximum. It is also a great place to swim, so I think it would be perfect for you. You can take a look at it and see if you like it or not.

Check out: http://www.baixemporda-costabrava.org/en

Calella de Palafrugell



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calella_de_Palafrugell

Begur.

Tossa de Mar( google for images).
Only 1.5 hours by easy bus ride from Barcelona.

Filled with small cafes and restaurants with GOOD food,, but no Starbucks or McDonalds.. so definitely get the feel for a small authentic seaside town.

Stunningly situated on a small bay with a sandy beach and lovely water, on one side the ruins of a medieval ramparts,, easy walk up the hill to view them( 3 yr old will like seeing the cannon) .

We stayed at the Capri hotel,, in one of their seaview rooms.. we got one on the third floor, huge balcony ( the ones on 1st or 2nd level are smaller) and it was a nice safe balcony for a tot. The hotel is family run,, and they are very nice kind people,, really. Includes a simple buffet breakfast. Kid friendly people.. at dinner on the beach ( they have a restaurant right on beach) this poor family had a crying baby.. the hostess took the baby in arms and walked it back and forth while the harried parents finished eating and dealing with their other young child.

Part of town near the sea is mostly pedestrian, so peaceful.

I would go back in a heartbeat.. but its seasonal.. so May-Sept ....weather on Costa Brava coast does cool down after that.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/tr...tml?ref=travel

WE too loved Tossa de Mar---great food and beach.

For those of you who have visited both, how does Tossa compare with Begur for a few days of relaxation?

BEGUR, we have been for the last 3 years running and LOVE it, many fabulous restuarants, although be aware it's best to go Wed to Saturday as some restuarant close mon/ tues. fab hotel is also hotel Agiuclara we stayed there about 3 years ago. There are many cute little hotels there too. Begur is a lovely medieval town.