Begur, Tossa de Mar, Sitges

Old Mar 15th, 2017, 06:09 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Begur, Tossa de Mar, Sitges

With all of your help, we settled on:
4 nights Barcelona,
2 nights Begur
2 nights Tossa de mar
2 nights Sitges

What would you do with your time in the coastal towns? We will have a car and want to drive north for 2 days from Begur. Not sure Tossa de Mar - maybe just stay there? And south from Sitges.

Dates are July 15-25
Thanks,
Ellen
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 15th, 2017, 06:56 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 7,960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We went to Tossa De Mar about 4 years ago.. we took the bus from Barcelona and just wanted a small town beach experience as we were in the middle of a very busy month travelling through Europe.
We had originally booked 4 nights there.. but on arrival, the same day, we went to front desk at our hotel and asked for an extra night..

We loved it.. keep in mind we had been to numerous churches, museums and historical sites( London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona) , and we really just wanted a small town experience.. So.. being that four nights is only truly three full days ( so your two nights means you will only actually have one full beach lazing day... and two evenings to wander the town) we took that extra day to veg. Now.. for someone who doesn't want to lay on the beach and veg for a day or two I will be honest.. theres not a ton to do in Tossa. We walked from one end of beach to other , we walked up the hill to the old ramparts, and we visited the ancient ruins ( small area.. so not time consuming ) .. but mostly we just relaxed on the beach, ate in several great small restaurants, and wandered .
There is a boat that pulls into Tossa a few times a day taking folks on a tour of the coastal area.. we should have tried it.. everyone looked pretty happy getting on or off.. but we just never got around to it.. next time.. lol

So .. Tossa.. its wonderful.. it deserves two nights and you could take three... however its your travel style.. some folks go to Tossa and stay for two weeks.. that would be far too long for most of us.. its not large.. but depending on how long you are away its nice to have some downtime.

Enjoy .
justineparis is offline  
Old Mar 15th, 2017, 07:13 AM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We prefer not to do a lot of lying around in Europe. We go to the Caribbean and do that alternate years. We town-hopped in Turkey and Greece and loved it. Greece - we gave islands 3 or 4 days but Turkey we drove and stayed 2 or 3 nights at each place. We like to explore, stop at cafes, do a little shopping - and then eat at nice restaurants.

But part of me wonders if Sitges is the mistake of the 6 nights and 3 and 3 would be better. It's always so hard to decide! Thank you so much for your response.
Ellen
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 15th, 2017, 04:22 PM
  #4  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There is a wonderful garden close to Tossa de Mar -- the glorious Jardins de Santa Clotilde in Lloret de Mar.

And since you enjoy nice restaurants, definitely consider La Cuina de Can Simon in Tossa de Mar -- outstanding!

Most importantly, do yourselves the favor of getting a really good guidebook to the area -- perhaps the Michelin Green Guide. There are so many nooks and corners worth exploring!

Enjoy!
kja is offline  
Old Mar 15th, 2017, 04:34 PM
  #5  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sitges is so close to Barcelona that I'm not sure I understand why you are moving for a few nights there. OTOH, 4 nights is very little for Barcelona. You might shift your 2 Sitges nights to Barcelona. Just a thought....
kja is offline  
Old Mar 15th, 2017, 09:02 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 7,960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
zac.. we do alternate years in the Mayan Riveria.. Europe is our go go , see see, learn learn , vacation too . However since we can now do 4-5 weeks in Europe we need to build in down time, we are too old to go go like we used to..
justineparis is offline  
Old Mar 16th, 2017, 02:40 AM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
So skip Sitges altogether? Okay let me see if I can get the reservations to work. Problem: Begur area is totally booked. I don't think I could get 2 days later.

I could stay 2 more days in Tossa de Mar. I know they still have room.

I will say this - we aren't big on museums. We will take in one, but that's all.
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 16th, 2017, 02:48 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Justin - when we're 65 we will be able to do 4 or 5 weeks in Europe, too. I don't know how old you are - but glad you're still traveling. I had deadly cancer 4 years ago that I seem to have beaten - one more year to call it a cure. I don't want to die with any regrets (yes, we still save for retirement, but we want to LIVE while we're young enough to enjoy it too ). I'm hoping 75 at least for more go go go type -but I guess we'll see. Life has a way of throwing twists and turns in.

I just looked and no availability to stay longer in Barcelona at the hotel we chose. No availability in Begur at all.

So our choice is
1. Leave it alone
2. Stay in Tossa de Mar for 4 nights
3. Stay somewhere else before or after Tossa de Mar

The hotel is Sitges is Platjador which does look beautiful, though Hotel Diana in Tossa looks awesome too.

Others here on this forum months ago said there are some nice places to visit south of Sitges. I'm totally open and love hearing all of your opinions so thank you.

BTW - I forget the name of the great guy who got me interested in Tossa - but I wrote and wrote to the place you sent me as a suggestion of hotel - they never responded so I went with Hotel Diana.

Thanks again.
Ellen
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 16th, 2017, 04:02 PM
  #9  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I wonder ... any chance that you missed my posts? Maybe you simply found them of too little value to note -- and that's fine! -- but I know it can be easy to "jump to bottom" and inadvertently miss some comments....

If you're willing to change hotels to leave Barcelona, why not consider staying in Barcelona in a different hotel?

Was Tarragona the place beyond Sitges that people mentioned?

BTW, I think I may have been the person who mentioned Tossa de Mar to you. (Except that I'm a woman, not a man.) I know I responded to several of your prior posts, which you can find by clicking on your screen name....
kja is offline  
Old Mar 17th, 2017, 01:02 PM
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh no I would never skip a post. I'm so sorry. The very first thing I did was to write to Barcelona Hotel but they said they don't have a room for us so we must leave.

Yes Tarragona was a place people mentioned.

And I'm sorry - I'm also a woman. And thank you so much.

So I have no choice but 4 nights in Barcelona unless I change hotels (don't want to do that).

But I could do 3 Begur and 3 Tossa de Mar and skip Sitges.....
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 17th, 2017, 02:57 PM
  #11  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
IMO, it depends on what you want. There is VERY little to do in Tossa de Mar, so if you aren't willing to change hotels to stay in Barcelona, I would think Tarragona a delightful option.
kja is offline  
Old Mar 17th, 2017, 07:33 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 7,960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No one does not go to Tossa to do a lot of stuff , I thought I was clear on that , but three nights is only two full days , I don't think that's too much , one day to maybe do the Cove toursnd hang at the beach and another day to visit the ruins and old town , just town wander
justineparis is offline  
Old Mar 17th, 2017, 07:45 PM
  #13  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
@ justineparis: OMG, I thought I was allowed to have, and offer, my own opinion! So very sorry. ;-)
kja is offline  
Old Mar 18th, 2017, 04:27 AM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm grateful for all of your opinions and replies!!!

My family isn't excited about doing 2/2/2 but they all want to stay in Begur for 3 days rather than 2. I want to stay in Tossa de mar after reading ages ago - I think it was Justineparis - talking about her fondest memories of Tossa de mar.

It's just Sitges and Maramesset (sp?) with the big mountains and Taragonna that sound so interesting as well.I wish we had more than 6 days to choose from.

2/2/2 would allow us to see all areas, but it's a lot of moving around and not getting a chance to just wander - as Justine also mentions.

No one seems to thinks Sitges is a necessity, correct?
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 18th, 2017, 05:44 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,302
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I like sitges quite a lot. Would make a nice seaside break. Unless you have it with your other locations that I don't know.
WoinParis is offline  
Old Mar 18th, 2017, 06:23 AM
  #16  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The mountain is Montserrat.
kja is offline  
Old Mar 18th, 2017, 07:01 AM
  #17  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ah yes Montserrat. Thanks Kja. And woinparis, now I'm leaning back to doing 2/2/2 because Sitges and Montserrat and Taragonna look so appealing. I sure wish I had more time but we could always go back another year.

So... 2 Begur and visit Cadeques, Girona, Roses

2 Tossa De Mar - visit Parafrugell on the way to Tossa de Mar from Begur

2 Sitges - visit Montserrat and Taragonna (can that be done in a day?)

It will be a bit of a pain going from place to place, but so much to see and so little time in life to do it all.
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 18th, 2017, 07:28 AM
  #18  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
That's a LOT of traveling around!

IMO, Montserrat is best visited by public transportation from Barcelona.
https://www.montserrat-tourist-guide...rat-train.html

Personally, I would NOT try to visit Montserrat and Tarragona on the same day. Your trip, your call.
kja is offline  
Old Mar 18th, 2017, 09:55 AM
  #19  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks Kja. What about staying in Begur 4 nights and 2 nights in Sitges and visiting Tossa de mar from Begur (or on the way to Sitges)? I am worried with only 6 nights we are going to spend time checking places off a list rather than really getting a great feel.
zac495 is offline  
Old Mar 18th, 2017, 12:02 PM
  #20  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Your call! The fact is that you can not see everything in the area in the time you have, not in Barcelona itself, and not in the surrounding areas. Once you decide on your priorities, you can make decisions about what you are willing to do (e.g., how many changes of hotel, how much time in transit) to make those priorities achievable. The good news is that you don't have any bad choices here, just difficult ones.
kja is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -