Living in the Costa Brava is a bit like living in Provence, with the added benefits of being close to a beautiful coastline, better weather, and not far from excitement and glamour of Barcelona. The Pyrenees are close enough for skiing daytrips during the winter months, and you can also get to the South of France in a few hours by car.

The area is host to a great selection of outstanding golf courses, and there are a wide variety of country pursuits on offer. There are bountiful rural walks and villages to explore, and the local cuisine is great, though not as good as France or Italy, it has to be said.

There is a small international community that you will find if you look for it. However unlike the South of Spain you don’t feel as if you are living in a ghetto of foreigners.

What’s the weather like on the Costa Brava?

Better than the South of France, but not as good as the South of Spain. November through to February can be quite cold, though there is usually plenty of sunshine in this period, so it is not depressing. Nevertheless, the chill in the air during the winter months means that the Costa Brava is not an ideal winter sunshine destination, and when the Tramuntana north wind strikes, it can be pretty miserable for a few days. That said, the summer is not as hot as in the South of Spain, and that suits many people. The Spring and the autumn are particularly lovely seasons on the Costa Brava, free from the summer crowds.