Quick answer: Book the private Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar and Panoramic Boat Ride (€865 per group, 10h) if you want seaside towns, a medieval castle and beach time. Book The Roman and Greek heritage of Costa Brava with Panoramic Boat Ride (€875 per group, 10h) if you would rather walk through ancient ruins, take a boat to the Medes Islands and swim in a cove. Both are private for up to 6 guests, with pick-up at your hotel or apartment in Barcelona.
Which private Costa Brava day fits your group
The two private coast days look alike on paper. Each lasts 10 hours, each reserves a vehicle and a professional driver-guide for your group only, and each includes a panoramic boat ride. The real difference is what sits around the boat.
The Tossa de Mar day is a town day. You walk through Lloret de Mar, see the coast from the water on the way to Tossa de Mar, explore Tossa and its medieval castle, spend time on the beach and finish in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. The Empúries day is a history and water day. You start with a guided walk through the remains of a Greek and Roman settlement by the sea, visit the village of Sant Martí d'Empúries, then head out by boat to the Medes Islands and swim in a Mediterranean cove.
A quick way to choose:
- Tossa de Mar suits groups who want the classic Costa Brava picture: old streets, castle walls above the bay and free time on the sand.
- Empúries suits groups with a history fan on board, or anyone for whom a swim from a cove matters more than a town beach.
- Medieval Girona and Costa Brava (€850 per group, 10h) suits groups who want a proper city walk plus a look at the coast, and do not need a boat.
If you are travelling with children, think about what they will enjoy most. The Tossa day builds in beach time and spreads the day across three seaside towns, while the Empúries day pairs one longer ruins walk with a boat ride and a swim.
What you do on the Tossa de Mar day
Your driver-guide collects you at your hotel or apartment in Barcelona. The exact pick-up time is agreed before the day, so you are not guessing the night before.
The first stop is Lloret de Mar, a lively seaside resort, where you get a walking tour of the town. From Lloret you board the panoramic boat ride to Tossa de Mar. Seeing the coves and rocky headlands from the water, rather than from a road, is the point of this leg, so keep your camera handy.
In Tossa de Mar the walking tour includes the medieval castle and the walled old quarter on the headland above the beach. After the walk there is beach time, so this is the day to pack a swimsuit and a towel. The last stop is Sant Feliu de Guíxols, a seafront town further along the coast, before the drive back to Barcelona and drop-off at your hotel or apartment.
Because the vehicle and guide are yours alone, the pace can flex. If your group would rather have a longer stretch on the beach and a shorter town walk, say so before booking. The core route stays close to what the tour page lists.
What you do on the Empúries day
This tour trades resort towns for older history. After pick-up in Barcelona, your driver-guide takes you to the Empúries archaeological site for a guided walking tour. The site holds the remains of a Greek trading town and the Roman city that grew up beside it, laid out right by the sea, so you get ruins and Mediterranean views in the same walk.
Next is Sant Martí d'Empúries, a small village of stone lanes beside the ruins, where you can stretch your legs and look around before heading to the water.
Then comes the water. The panoramic boat ride takes you out to the Medes Islands, a small cluster of rocky islets just off the coast, and the day also includes a swim in a Mediterranean cove. Pack swimwear, a towel and something dry to change into for the ride home.
The inclusions list the guided walk of the Empúries site and the boat ride to the Medes Islands. Entrance tickets are not included unless the tour page states them, so if you want to know exactly what is covered at the site, ask on WhatsApp before you book.
How the private coast days compare
All three options below are private, last 10 hours and include pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or apartment in Barcelona. Prices are per group of up to 6 guests.
| Private day | Hours | Price per group | Boat ride | Swim or beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tossa de Mar and boat ride | 10h | €865 | Lloret de Mar to Tossa de Mar | Beach time |
| Roman and Greek heritage (Empúries) | 10h | €875 | Out to the Medes Islands | Swim in a cove |
| Medieval Girona and Costa Brava | 10h | €850 | None | Not listed |
Shared among 6 guests, the Tossa day works out at about €144.17 each, the Empúries day at about €145.83 each and the Girona day at about €141.67 each. The €10 gap between the two boat days is small, so choose on content rather than price.
If you want a town as well as the sea
The Girona option is for groups who care more about old streets than swimming. You get a guided walking tour of Girona's old town and Jewish Quarter, see the cathedral and the houses along the Onyar River, stop in the medieval village of Pals, then reach the coast at Calella de Palafrugell before returning to Barcelona. A dedicated professional local guide stays with your group for the day.
There is no boat ride and no swim on the listed route. If the water is the main reason for your trip, one of the two boat days fits better. If your group would be bored by a full day of beaches, Girona is the stronger pick.
Private or shared: when the private Tossa day costs less
The Tossa de Mar day exists twice under the same name. The private tour is €865 per group of up to 6. The shared Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar and Panoramic Boat Ride is €180 per person, runs 10 hours with hotel pick-up and takes a maximum of 8 people, so you share the guide and the vehicle with other travellers. Check the shared tour page for its exact plan.
The break-even point is simple arithmetic:
- 2 people on the shared day: €360, against €865 for the private day
- 4 people on the shared day: €720, against €865 for the private day
- 5 people on the shared day: €900, against €865 for the private day
So for couples and groups of up to four, the shared seats cost less. From five people, the private day costs less than five shared seats, and each extra guest adds another €180 on the shared side while the private price stays at €865 for up to 6 guests.
Price is not the only difference. On the private day the vehicle and guide are yours alone, and the pace can flex around your group. For a group of four, the extra €145 buys that privacy. For five or six, you get it and spend less.
What the price covers and what to pack
On both boat days the price covers:
- pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or apartment in Barcelona
- a private vehicle and a professional driver-guide for the day
- the guided walks on the route (Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar with its castle, or the Empúries archaeological site)
- the panoramic boat ride (Lloret de Mar to Tossa de Mar, or out to the Medes Islands)
Not included on either: food and drinks, entrance tickets unless the tour page states them, and gratuities, which are optional. Plan to pay for lunch and drinks along the way.
What to bring:
- swimwear and a towel for the beach time in Tossa or the cove swim on the Empúries day
- sun protection, a hat and comfortable shoes for the walks
- money for lunch, drinks and any extras
A few days' notice is usually enough to book, but spring and early autumn dates fill further out, so if your date matters, book at least a week ahead. You confirm your pick-up address when you book, and the pick-up time is agreed before the day. If plans change, you get free cancellation or a free date change when you tell us at least 96 hours before the start time. The full rules are on the cancellation policy page.
Ready to book?
If your group wants towns, a castle and a beach, open the private Tossa de Mar day; if ruins, the Medes Islands and a cove swim sound better, go to the Empúries day, and for a town plus the coast see Medieval Girona and Costa Brava. Questions about pace, swim time or group size can go through the contact page or straight to WhatsApp, and most bookings are confirmed the same day.
