Tossa de Mar

Known to the Romans as Turissa, Tossa de Mar has carried several identities over the centuries. Marc Chagall spent summers here in 1933 and 1934 and called it his "blue paradise." In 1950, Ava Gardner and James Mason arrived to film *Pandora and the Flying Dutchman*, during which the town was renamed Esperanza on screen. Spanish cinema returned in 1977 when Manolo Escobar shot the musical *Préstemela esta noche* here.

In 1990, Tossa became the first municipality in all of Spain to declare itself anti-bullfighting, a position later adopted by many other towns, particularly across Cataluña. The town was simply called Tossa until the 1980s.

Tossa de Mar sits about 103 km north of Barcelona and 100 km south of the French border, southeast of Girona. Ryanair flies to Girona airport; from there, shuttle buses run to the resort for €12–16 each way, book online and phone to confirm your return the day before. Note that some shuttles stop at other resorts first.

The town itself is flat and walkable, with a small-village feel. A bus station serves Lloret de Mar (€1.30, 15 minutes) and Barcelona, buy return tickets, as queues get long. Lloret connects onward to Blanes, which has a Monday market.

There is free car parking at two spots in town. For food shopping, the Maxi Dia and Caprabo supermarkets, five minutes from the central roundabout on Avinguda de Catalunya and Avinguda de Ferran Agulló, are the cheapest options; Magatzems Palau, closer to the roundabout, is more expensive. Restaurants near the sea cost more.

The La Luna bar in the old walled quarter (Vila Vella) is a good spot to sit quietly, and the seafront Paseo del Mar terraces, including El Celler, are good for people-watching. A wall phone for taxis is at the Tourist Office beside the bus station.