Backpacking in Costa Brava, Spain

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Vineyards and olive groves dot the coastline of Costa Brava, Spain. INSET: A herd of black, golden-eyed goats.
Vineyards and olive groves dot the coastline of Costa Brava, Spain. INSET: A herd of black, golden-eyed goats.
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The golden eyed black goats were residents of Los Molinos, an otherwise nearly abandoned mountain village.
The golden eyed black goats were residents of Los Molinos, an otherwise nearly abandoned mountain village.
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Monkey tress spread their shade over village squares.
Monkey tress spread their shade over village squares.
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Perelada remains much the way it was 500 year ago
Perelada remains much the way it was 500 year ago
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Hedgerows protected our tent from gusty winds in Costa Brava.
Hedgerows protected our tent from gusty winds in Costa Brava.
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A cloister in Gerona's ancient cathedral.
A cloister in Gerona's ancient cathedral.
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The little train station at Colera, our first stop.
The little train station at Colera, our first stop.

In spite of inflation and the poor exchange rate abroad, our recent five-week backpacking trip to Costa Brava, Spain (the “rugged coast”) on the  northern Mediterranean cost us only $50 a week, including train travel, camping fees, and–our most expensive item–food!

A Change of Plans

The grim reality of the U.S. dollar’s weakening hit us as soon as we arrived in Luxembourg last June. Food, even when we prepared it ourselves, was especially high-priced, and train travel–once a particularly inexpensive means of transportation–called for major outlays of cash.

So, after one week of unplanned-for expense and disappointment, we abandoned our original plan (to backpack in the Swiss Alps) and headed for Spain’s Costa Brava, a mountainous coastal region that extends from the northern border towns of Cerbere and Port Bou to Blanes, which is 175 kilometers to the south. The entire area is dotted by a string of relatively small resort and fishing villages, usually linked by railroads and a limited bus service.

While riding the train from Geneva to Port Bou, we drew up a rough itinerary, relying upon brochures and maps we’d obtained (free) from the Spanish National Tourist Office.

  • Published on Mar 1, 1981
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