Tossa de Mar & Girona

I don't think I have another adjective to describe Barcelona besides beautiful…. but what if I told you that Tossa de Mar and Girona were just as great in their own unique ways? My little adventure to Barcelona was just one small part of my Spanish (short trip) summer adventure. Thanks to the TikTok Gods, we discovered Tossa de Mar, a beautiful little town that captured my heart. We even managed to visit another hidden gem called Girona, where some scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed, which was our biggest motivation to visit the town.

(Also, here's a fair warning about the insane amount of photos I included in this blog. Spain is so beautiful I couldn't resist).

The walled in the village of Vila Vela, in Tossa De Mar.

Christina and Izzy walk in the streets of Girona.

Tossa de Mar is nestled along the picturesque Costa Brava, north of Barcelona; it's a seaside town known for its stunning beaches, rich history, and medieval architecture. We stayed at a hostel there for the whole duration of our Spain trip; besides it being significantly cheaper than staying in Barcelona, Tossa de Mar was much smaller, calmer, and offered both history and scenery. This town didn't have tourists bustling and filling up the streets like Barcelona; it was quieter and felt more authentic to Catalan culture, probably because there were many less evident tourist traps. 

I spent a whole day baking in the sun with Christina and Izzy at Platja Gran. On this beach, I probably had the most culture shock I've ever experienced in Europe thus far. I've always known that it is more common in countries like Spain and Italy to see more topless sunbathing on beaches; however, it still shocked me because of how ordinary and comfortable people were with it. I witnessed how, in Spain, the cultural attitude towards nudity, especially in coastal regions, is more relaxed compared to Canada or the U.S. The beaches are places where the body is seen as something natural, not inherently sexual. Even though I was shocked by what I found on this beach (and not a nasty or bad type of shock; I just couldn't believe how different things were), the day was still relaxing, and the weather, for it being late May, was beautiful and hot. The water was a little chilly, but okay once you got used to it.

 My favourite spot in Tossa was the Walled Villa Vela, part of the last fortified medieval town along the Catalonian coast (this blew my mind once I found this out after my trip). I was curious about the history of this beautiful landmark, and I found on Google that this closed-in medieval village was built between the 12th and 14th centuries and was designed to protect the local population from pirate attacks (cue Captain Jack Sparrow running meme). Its impressive stone walls, towers, and narrow cobbled streets are well-preserved, offering a unique window into the region's past.

My favourite part of touring Villa Vela was the panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea. The view was breathtaking, and the setting sun added to the picturesque scene of the turquoise waters, rocky coastline, and sandy beach. 

Whether you're a history lover or want a good Instagram photo, touring around the Villa Vela offers both. I loved the classic European cobblestone streets; they all added to the timeless Mediterranean beauty I felt incredibly blessed to experience. The Walled Villa Vela is a true treasure in Spain's Costa Brava, and I can see this place blowing up with tourists in the upcoming years, so I am so happy I got to experience it while it was still relatively unknown.  

Besides the Villa Vela and Platja Gran, Christina, Izzy, and I spent the rest of our time in Tossa, walking through the shops and boutiques scattered around the town and trying some Spanish cuisines. We found cute jewerly, drank sangria, and even ate authentic paella <3333. 

Paella has my heart <333

Girona was another town we visited on our last day in Spain. We only spent a few hours in this city, and our main goal was to see some of the locations where Game of Thrones was filmed. The Girona Cathedral was the main attraction, and we spent the most time touring and taking pictures of the whole area. The area reminded me of Bergamo in Italy because of all the medieval architecture. We prioritized visiting the Cathedral steps and the Arab baths where scenes were filmed. As someone who loves anything and everything related to fantasy and filmmaking... Girona felt like I was walking on a movie set (because I literally was).

Girona Cathedral & the famous steps

The Arab Baths

Girona and Tossa de Mar captured the essence of Catalonia's history, stunning natural beauty, and culture. Out of all three places that we visited in Spain, Tossa de Mar was my favourite because of the scenic coastal beauty and the Vila Vella, which still amazes me that it is the sole remaining medieval town on the Catalan coast. Overall, I felt like my trip to Spain was a good combination of exploration and relaxation (minus the sunburns Christina received, of course...poor girl), and I feel blessed to see things on this trip that felt once in a lifetime.  

Tossa de Mar at night <3

Peace Out, Spain; you were good to us <3