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Voykit pocket guide · Spain
Palamós
Give Palamós 2 nights as a beach-and-fish-port base, not a day trip: it is 1 h 15 min by bus from Girona and has no train station.
Palamós is a working fishing port on the Costa Brava with a long urban beach and a compact old centre. It has no railway, so you arrive by bus or car. Two nights covers the beaches, the fish museum and the coastal path; three if you want a boat or a day trip inland. It is quieter and cheaper than Lloret or Platja d'Aro, and the seafood is the reason to come.
- Country
- Spain
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–early Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds, peak prices, hot); Nov–Mar many beach businesses shut
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including tapas bars and taxis in the cities.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–95 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · Mid €95–160 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · High €160+ excl. bed (2026 estimate) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU and EEA plans roam at home prices; UK and other plans may charge — check before you land.
- Emergency
- All services (EU) 112 · National police 091 · Guardia Civil 062
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Bar or café: Leave small change or nothing.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% for good service; service is not usually added.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter: €1–2 a bag.; Guide on a free walking tour: €10–15 a person is the expected payment.
- Water
- Tap water is safe across the mainland; it tastes of chlorine in some coastal areas. Ask for 'agua del grifo' in restaurants — by law since 2025 they must offer it free (check local application).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars and cafés (buy a coffee). Stations and shopping centres have free or cheap toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–2.50 |
| Menu del dia at lunch | €14–22 |
| Plate of grilled fish or seafood | €18–30 |
| Beer: caña at a bar / can at a shop | €2–3.50 / €1–1.50 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €10–15 |
| Museum entry (Museu de la Pesca) | €5–8 |
| Sunbed and parasol on the beach, per day | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GRO · Girona–Costa Brava
- About 43 km (27 mi); bus to Girona then onward bus to Palamós, or taxi/car.About 27 mi (43 km); bus to Girona then onward bus to Palamós, or taxi/car.
- BCN · Barcelona–El Prat
- About 130 km (81 mi); direct bus to Palamós takes roughly 2 h 45 min.About 81 mi (130 km); direct bus to Palamós takes roughly 2 h 45 min.
Typical fares
- Bus Girona → Palamós
- about 1 h 15 min
- Bus Barcelona → Palamós
- about 2 h from Barcelona Nord
- Taxi Girona airport → Palamós
- roughly €70–90 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre, port and Platja Gran are walkable in 20 minutes. Buses and the SARFA/Moventis network link Palamós with Girona, Barcelona and Caldes de Malavella. A car helps for La Fosca, Platja de Castell and inland day trips; paid parking near the beach, some free parking on outer streets.
See and do
Known for
- Working fishing port and fish auction
- Museu de la Pesca
- Platja Gran and Platja de la Fosca
- Costa Brava seafood and gamba de Palamós
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Girona | Bus from Palamós bus station, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Figueres | Car via the C-31 and C-260, about 1 h; bus routes usually change at Girona | 1.5–2 h |
| Begur | Car about 30 min; buses are limited and often seasonal | About 40 min |
| Calella de Palafrugell | Car about 25 min; seasonal bus in summer | About 35 min |
| Tossa de Mar | Car south via the C-31, about 1 h | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Centre and Passeig del Mar
- Walk to the beach, port and restaurants; best for a short stay without a car.
- Sant Antoni de Calonge side
- Beach strip that merges with Platja Gran; hotels and promenade, 15–25 min walk from the old centre.
- La Fosca
- Quieter beach about 2 km (1.2 mi) north; good with a car, thin on services out of season.Quieter beach about 1.2 mi (2 km) north; good with a car, thin on services out of season.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GràciesGRAH-see-es |
| The bill, please | El compte, si us plauel KOM-tuh, see oos plow |
| Do you have a table? | Teniu una taula?TEH-nyoo OO-nah TOW-lah |
| How much is it? | Quant costa?kwant KOS-tah |
| Where is the beach? | On és la platja?on es lah PLAH-jah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Two kisses on the cheek (right then left) between friends and when introduced socially; handshake in business; avoid: Being stiff — Spaniards stand close and touch arms
- Meal times: Late lunch and dinner; long sobremesa (chat after eating); avoid: Rushing to leave or asking for the bill with the last bite
- Noise: Join in the lively conversation; avoid: Reading loud voices as anger
- Siesta hours: Keep noise down in residential buildings 15:00–17:00 and after 23:00; avoid: Phone calls to people at lunch time
- Dress: Smart casual in cities; locals rarely wear shorts in Madrid in town; avoid: Swimwear or bare torsos away from the beach
- Regional pride: Ask about local dishes and festivals; avoid: Assuming Catalan or Basque are dialects of Spanish
Scams and watch-outs
- No train station: the nearest useful railhead is Girona, about 47 km, then a bus.
- Beach parking fills in July and August; arrive early or use the paid lots.
- Many beach bars and small hotels close from November to March: check before booking winter.
- Swim between the flags; the tramuntana wind picks up fast.
Palamós is a low-crime small town; the real risks are pickpockets in the summer beach crowd, strong currents and the steep shelf on Platja Gran, and heat in July–August. Use 112 for any emergency.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Palamós yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Working fishing port and fish auction
- Museu de la Pesca
- Platja Gran and Platja de la Fosca
- Costa Brava seafood and gamba de Palamós
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Oficina Municipal de Turisme de Palamós: visitpalamos.cat/
- Wikivoyage: Palamós, revision 5212284 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5212284
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Palamós
A aquesta adreça, si us plau
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Palamós; most are in Madrid, with consulates in Barcelona.
Catalan is the everyday language here; Spanish works everywhere.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/palamos). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.