Parador Aiguablava on Costa Brava offers old world service, sea views, fine food, art, flair

"Paradores Spain"  include lovely Aiguablava, overlooking the Mediterranean. Steps lead to the sea, with stunning sunset views.

SPECTACULAR SETTING, LOVELY ARTWORK COMBINE WITH FINE DINING, ELEGANT TOUCHES

Spectacular rooms with a view: Parador Aiguablava's elegant suites overlook the sea.

Editor's note, 2026: We first discovered this charming parador 15 years ago. It has undergone a thorough, multi-year renovation and is now reopened. The refurbishment updated the 1960s clifftop hotel with a modern, avant-garde style, including new services and dining options, enlarged rooms with sea views and additional regional art.

STORY by CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS by BRUCE KELLER

"The Carpe Diem Kids"

OLD WORLD hospitality meets contemporary design and  artful flair in Spain's Parador Aiguablava on the spectacular Costa Brava.

Elegant outdoor areas offer splendid sea views.

The parador sits atop a cliff. Nature is ever present.

Guests are welcome to stroll the grounds and relax.

Nature is integrated into the classy design of the parador to stimulate the senses at

Aiguablava, where hospitality, beauty and art combine.

This splendid hotel is a jewel in the crown of Costa Brava. Many natives think their nearby village of Begur is the prettiest of Girona and its galaxy of eccentric, welcoming east coast villages. Other nearby, charming towns include Pals and Regencós. We enjoyed them all.

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers hit the "Dali Triangle" from the parador, here in Pubol, a castle which Dali bought for his lover Gala, who entertained her paramours there.

The spirit of Salvador Dali gives an artful personality to the place, and the Aiguablava shows its pride in this son of Catalonia, displaying his art along with that of Miro and other well known artists of the late 20th Century. The parador is conveniently located near the "Dalí Triangle" (Figueres, Púbol, and Port Lligat) and showcases an artistic atmosphere inspired by the eccentric surrealist artist born in Figueres

Parador Aiguablava on Costa Brava stands on a majestic corner of land, with mountains and a winding pine-lined road on one side and the cliffs above the Mediterranean on the other. Aiguablava's waters are a piercing aqua-blue color, a hue of almost hypnotic appeal.

The water below the Aiguablava vies for attention with the parador's artful touches

The architecture of the parador expertly and with great subtlety integrates the outdoor beauty with the indoor artwork and furnishing.  The result is a constantly pleasant infusion of relaxation and stimulation -- an enviable means of complement.

OUR FIVE DAYS were not long enough, so quickly did we immerse ourselves in the ocean views, the fabulous food, the hospitality extended with both ease and sincerity.

The parador is a time-honored method of enjoying Spain.  Its history dates from 1926, when the government introduced them to promote tourism.

Pretty Parador Aiguablava stands atop a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean, one of Spain's stunning views.

The parador concept is delightful: You can rest your head and dine in castles where art was created, conspiracies hatched and kingdoms won and lost.

THE CONCEPT -- similar to Britain's National Trust -- allows owners to restore but not radically alter castles, monasteries and mansions, thus providing inns in beautiful, natural surroundings. The Aiguablava, our hotel, is near the village of Begur, 50k north of Barcelona and one of the Costa Brava's prettiest medieval towns. It's perched high on a hilltop and is a lovely little town to wander. It is also within a couple hours' drive of the trio of Salvador Dali museums and houses, and within  easy reach of Tamariu Beach, Sant Sebastia Lighthouse, Llafranc Harbour and other attractions.

 Breakfast is being readied, for diners to find an array of pate, fruits, cheeses, meats, juices, pastries, eggs to order and more. The dining room overlooks both the large pool and the Mediterranean.

WHILE AIGUABLAVA is relatively new, many older parador hotels are sprinkled through Spain -- from Galicia in the North to Andalusia in the South, to Spain's Canary Islands as well as in Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish cities in North Africa.

The parador often reflects the heritage of historic Spain.

Paella is one of the parador's gourmet dinner choices, along with lobster stew, sea urchins and baked snails. A sumptuous breakfast buffet also entices guests to linger and savor.

MODERN HOTELS, such as our treasured Aiguablava, were built in spectacular and romantic locations.

Since the state maintains the buildings, it tries to locate paradors in areas where they don't compete with the private sector. Many, including Aiguablava, are in or near medieval towns and villages first inhabited long ago.

www.reservasaparador.es www.parador.es

The interior of the Aiguablava features glass and wood, which vie for attention with nature's outdoor art. 

COMING NEXT:  We look at the ritual of Spanish dining -- elevated to an art form.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and check us out weekly for travel tips on worldwide adventures, money saving ideas and our picks for cruising, train travel, family trips, exotic destinations and more.

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