Kampaoh Esponellà

So you’ve managed to tear the kids away from the pools. Where is your first stop? Possibly a Costa Brava beach… Untamed and sandy, Platja de la Rubina (45 minutes’ drive) is a top choice for walks in the dunes and kitesurfing, while Platja de Riells (40 minutes) is backed by bars and restaurants for when hunger strikes. While you’re down on the coast, sneak in some culture on a visit to the ancient Greek remains at Museu Arqueològic d’Empúries (35 minutes). There’s also culture aplenty at the bizarre, pink-and-yellow Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres (25 minutes), where you can see works by Surrealism’s most renowned artist. Girona (35 minutes) has an appealing mix of medieval streets and houses in the Barri Vell, a well-preserved Jewish Quarter and an Arab baths complex as well as a clutch of history and art museums. For a stroll with a history theme, cross the stone arches of the Romanesque bridge in Besalú (20 minutes) and wander through the village’s cobbled alleys to its impressive hilltop fortress. Combine hiking or cycling with stunning scenery in the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa (50 minutes), where you can follow tracks through river gorges to ancient lava flows.