EMPURIABRAVA, BAY OF ROSES COSTA BRAVA, SPAIN
Costa Brava (Wild Coast) is one of the most remarkable areas of the Spanish coasts. In the northern part of Catalonia, it gathers natural and cultural wonders. From Empuriabrava, former port of Emporda, a greek colony and then a roman one, explore Costa Brava’s fascinating natural and historical resources.
Base Manager: Alain Aladren Barranco Tel: + 34 685 121 178 E-mail: [email protected]
Address: Marina d’Empuriabrava Sector Cavall de Mar, 25 -30 17487 Empuriabrava
Office
Yachts
Empuriabrava Marina is the largest marina residential complex in Europe with 30 km of canals. http://www.marinaempuriabrava.com 42°14’ / 3° 08’
Access:
Airports : Costa Brava is served by 3 airports: Perpignan in France (70km), Girona (40km) and Barcelona (150km) in Spain
Train: High Train Speed (TGV) till Figueres-Villafent station (15km)
Car rental : you’ll find various car rental companies in airports and at Figueres-Villafent train station. It is advised to book in advance in high season (June – September). A valid driver’s license is mandatory to rent a car. Seat belt is mandatory for the occupants of the vehicle.
Transfers from airport or train station to our base of Roses - Empuriabrava We can organize your transfers, feel free to consult us.
Provisioning: Online order and delivery on board: Mercadona Website : https://www.mercadona.es/es/servicios English: https://www.mercadona.es/en/service-0 German: https://www.mercadona.es/de/leistungen
Formalities: The usual documents are the same for Spain as the ones for the reste of Europe and the Schengen area. A valid passport (until 3 months after the end of the sojourn) is requested for UK, Canada, US and Australian citizens and non-EU citizens. Most of UK, Canada, US and Australian citizens will not need to apply for a visa for a stay under 90 days. To enquire if you need a visa or not, contact the Spanish consulate / embassy of your country of residence.
UE citizens : ID card
A valid return ticket may be asked to enter Spain. You may also be asked to provide a document justifying the purpose of your stay (charter contract, return ticket) and to prove that you have enough money to cover your expenses during your stay.
Health: No precaution or specific vaccination to be planned. For any emergency, call 112. Pharmacies are called « farmacias » and their sign is a red or green cross. During spring and summer, protect yourself with high UV index sunscreen and drink plenty of water. Local tap water is drinkable.
Culture: Language: Catalan and Spanish Don’t be surprised, a Catalan understands Spanish, but speaks and answers in Catalan (historic hegemony of one of the oldest European languages). The warmth of Catalan people, their kindness, their smile and the ease with which their offer you their assistance will compensate easily for this cultural detail.
Habits and customs: Cover your arms and your legs when visiting churches and religious sites. No specific dress code to respect, but some night clubs and restaurants impose to wear a shirt and a tie. In large cities, bars and restaurants are open all year long, whereas in some touristic seaside towns they only open during the summer. If Spanish people usually take on long break between 13:00 and 17:30, most of the shops and restaurants stay open all day in touristic places.
Currency: Currency: Euro (€) Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express are widely accepted Bancomats: accessible to the above cards – Usually banks don’t charge extra Travellers checks: No Banks opening hours: April-September, Monday to Friday, 09:00-14:00 October-March, Monday to Friday. 09:00-14:00 and Saturday, 09:00-13:30
Time difference: Time Zone: Europe/Madrid zone. Standard UTC/GMT +1. Summertime UTC/GMT +2. In Europe, summertime applies from the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October.
Meteo : Costa Brava benefits from a mild weather all year long (about 300 days of sunshine year). It’s rainier in winter and shoulder season, with winds blowing from East or South. Summer is dry and warm, but cooled by the sea breeze. Temperatures: summer average temperatures between 27 and 30°C, with possible peaks at 35° in the land. In the winter the average temperature is between 08 and 12° C. It can freeze in the land, seldom on the coast. Sea average temperature is about 11°C during the winter and 23° C during the summer. Wind : in the whole area, strong winds are more frequent between October and April. The tramuntana, emblematic wind of Emporda and Catalonia, blows from West- North West on Midi- Pyrénées and Perpignan areas. On the Mediterranean Sea, it turns North, following the three capes: Bear, Creus and Begur.
Mooring: as everywhere in the Mediterranean, anchoring in sand is permitted, but anchoring in seaweeds and seagrasses (Posidonia) is prohibited. You must use mooring buoys when they’re available. If not, control the seabed around your yacht. It takes several years to replenish a sea grass bed and only a few second to plunge into warm water with a mask.
Sailing advices: Weather is often considered as changing along Catalonia coasts. Strong winds can blow during several days, and this will affect your sailing program. Ask our team for assistance to prepare your cruise. Our knowledge of the sailing area and its meteorological conditions are your best assets for a serene cruise and your crew’s safety.
Places of interests: The Natural Reserves of Cabo Creus, of Aiguamolls (swamp) of the Emporda and of Montgri, Medes Islands and Baix Ter : three various protected areas, of high biological value, where nature is dominating. Costa Brava’s large beaches as well as secluded creeks will seduce you. Each cove is a small paradise nested between cliffs and reveals a jewel Do not forget the picturesque Mediterranean towns of Cadaquès or Calella de Palafrugell. There are lots of unique places such as the Bay of Roses, the lake of Banyoles, the Botanic Gardens of Santa Clotilde, Pinya de Rosa, Marimurtra and Cap Roig. Costa Brava also offers a wide range of cultural attractions: Salvador Dali’s inheritage, in the Emporda ; San Père de Rodes monastery and the castle of Peratellada ;the medieval towns Tossa de Mar, Pubol and Pals ; Empuries ruins, rare witnesses of Greek and Roman civilizations, the tradional ceramics of La Bisbal, or the Jewish Quarter of the old city of Girona.