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Summer holidays 2026 in Catalonia
Holiday season is here, you have been waiting for it all year and finally, the day has come: car ready, bags packed and one of the best rural houses in Catalonia reserved for your summer vacation in Catalonia! A dream, that if you don't follow these 10 tips we recommend, could make you sweat... We know the territory intimately and we are in love with it, that's why on this occasion we want to lend a hand with 10 mistakes to avoid to make your stay more pleasant and so that you can take away the best possible memory of your summer!
10 mistakes to avoid during your summer vacation in Catalonia
1. Getting to the beach later than 10 am
Between 10:00 and 11:00 might seem a very reasonable time to arrive at some of the best beaches in Catalonia, but logic doesn't hold in August. If you arrive at this time, you might encounter some inconveniences, the first of which is parking the car. Try to avoid taking the car, and if you can't: fill it to the max! If you can share it with the neighbor, friend or mother-in-law you might save yourselves a few headaches. Another inconvenience, especially if you are more than two people, is finding a place to spread the towel. Many experts on the subject -who tend to be the eldest- arrive at 7:00, save the best spot by leaving their towel and then calmly go to breakfast waiting for the sun to wake up. If waking up at 7:00 seems incompatible with being on vacation, the recommended time to arrive at the beach is between 9:00 and 10:00, on most beaches, you'll still be able to find a good spot without too much hassle.
2. Do not keep yourself sufficiently hydrated or cooled off
Water, juices, fresh fruit, lemonade, beer, sangria (in moderation), the thing is to keep hydrating. It's no coincidence that in the summer we prefer fresh and juicy foods like melon, watermelon, salads... Let's listen to our bodies! There's no need to wait until you're thirsty to drink water, that's why it's important to watch children and older people, who may find this habit of hydrating difficult and can easily get caught out. Also keep an eye on the heat. If you're hot and can easily find coolness: take advantage of it. The sea, a fountain, a bottle of water, an ice cream or some of the best beach bars... The feeling of cold on our body will calm our internal heat and is sure to help us through the hottest hours. If you're on the Costa Brava, here you'll find some of the best beach bars in the area.
3. Do not use sunscreen lotion
No matter the skin color, age or time that the skin is exposed to the sun: sunscreen lotion is essential, and not only on the beach. Actions like going for a walk or practicing exercise outdoors can also be dangerous depending on at what hours you do it, if we do not protect ourselves. Sunscreen lotion should be a must to carry in your bag during the summer. If you are one of those who enjoy the solitude of the beach while you devour the last saga of your favorite book, watch your back! You can apply it before leaving home -which would be ideal- or kindly ask a neighbor towel to give you a hand. It can be a good excuse to start a conversation, and if that day you have become clueless and you find yourself on the beach without lotion: ask someone to leave it to you! With health you do not play so shame! Before the summer, let yourself be advised by professionals and choose the sun lotion that best suits your skin.
4. Do not disconnect the mobile
We could consider this as a daily mistake of our times, but it gets accentuated during holidays. Is there anything more important than our own well-being and that of the people beside us? Is there anything that can't wait? There are different situations, but often it seems like we are doing social reports about holidays instead of actually experiencing them. Do we live them for enjoyment or to show them off? Are we present or are we thinking about the likes that the photo of the place we are in will get? As with everything in life, it would be ideal to find a balance between social networks, information and presence. However, holidays can serve as an excuse for a real disconnect. A brief message before leaving should be enough for everyone to understand that you are on holiday and should not be disturbed. No one is indispensable. A well-deserved holiday yes! It's never too late to start applying some of the tips for a healthier life.
5. Getting up early and eat later than 2 pm
There is a sage who says that all discussions begin with an empty stomach, and there are studies that corroborate that arguing with hunger causes more aggressiveness. If we join hunger with the summer hot, the tourist agglomerations in some places of the Costa Brava and some tantrum of children -if you have-, stress is assured. If you start to think about the place where you will go to eat at 12 am and you get to be all at the table no later than 1 pm, you will have the success of assured good mood. One tip in case you plan to spend all day outside is to bring something healthy to snack on. Nuts can be a good option, as they give you energy quickly and help you endure the journey of finding a restaurant at rush hour.
6. Eating a paella in the most tourist area
We're not saying it's bad: there are some very well developed frozen paellas and making a good paella is not easy. What will set the difference between the most touristy beachfront shack and the one that's a bit further away will be, above all and quite exponentially, its price. You're on vacation and usually, this is synonymous with having time. Time to seek opinions of the restaurants farther away from the most typical places (the use of your phone, in this case, could be justified), time to move a bit away from the beachfront and the crowd, and time to enjoy a good meal in good company without breaking the bank. If you're looking for guaranteed success, here you will find some of the best beachfront restaurants on the Costa Brava.
7. Do no be flexible with the family routine
Children are great teachers, and if you look at them in summer we will see that they squeeze it to the fullest. They are capable of throwing themselves into the water dressed, singing songs loudly while riding a bicycle, watching a ladybug trying to take flight on the beach, in general: to live in the present. Many times we, the adults, cut their wings during the day to day, because of our obligations and needs. According to our point of view, it is just as important to establish a routine as being able to break it once in a while. Everything you live during the holidays will be moments that will not be repeated and that will remain in your memory forever... is not it worth it to put yourself in a good mood and be a little flexible?
8. Wanting to have dinner on a terrace without booking previously
After a hot day, a good shower, after sun lotion, you put on your best clothes and go for a walk when the afternoon falls: an ice cream, a walk and you see that idyllic terrace full of people. The smell attracts you, the appetite squeezes you, you ask the waiter if there is a table and he asks you the big question: do you have a reservation? The ideal answer is: yes, we have a reservation. If not, it is likely that you have to wait at least 30 minutes to get that table where guests are already having the desserts... Lucky there use to be quite tourists together with local people, and the lunch or dinner schedule varies remarkably from ones to the others. In the same way, the rush hour can be both at 7 pm and 9 pm. The best prevention: book.
9. Do not slow down from 2 pm to 4.30 pm
It's the hottest hours of the day. During the summer in Catalonia, the day is divided into two: the morning hours and the afternoon hours. From 14:00 to 16:30, time halts to rest, as the high temperatures dictate. From then on, there are many options: from a deserved midday nap, a movie with the kids, some board games, mediation under the shade of a tree, to a visit to one of Catalonia's top museums... These are hours when outdoor activity becomes strenuous and when ample amounts of water, sunscreen, and shade are needed! If you manage to adopt the tradition of the midday nap, you can prolong the afternoons and maximize the enjoyment of the cool summer nights.
10. Completely forget the exercise
Let us be honest: summer and holidays in general are often times of excess: ice cream, tapas, beers... Do not obsess, but if we incorporate a little exercise we will feel healthier. You can simply take the opportunity to go to the beach by bike (so you'll save yourself the crowds of cars), walk at a good pace along the many footpaths that we have around our geography, a walk from end to end of the beach with your feet in the shore of the sea, a kayak outing... there are not only the beach bars and the beach, on the Costa Brava we also have place for sports, do not forget!
We hope you can take advantage of these tips to create an unforgettable memory of your summer holidays in Catalonia! And if you're the kind of person who books accommodation at the last minute, we recommend you take a look at our houses.
Have a great holiday!
