Costa Bravia, Spain

Geography: This dreamy place is a coastal region in north-eastern Catalonia, Spain. Costa Brava is located in the Alt Empord and Baix Empord of the province of Girona. The Costa Brava is along the shoreline of the Catalan province of Girona, the other important geographical and spectacular feature of which is the Pyrenees Mountains.

Currency:  Euro

National Symbols: Pillars of Hercules

National Anthem: " Himno Nacional Espanol" (National Anthem of Spain)

Language: Castilian Spanish

Area Comparison: Spain is slightly more than twice the size of Oregon.

Distance from Pittsburgh: 6672 km or 4146 miles

Terrain: The terrain is large and flat with a  plateau surrounded by rugged hills. The Pyrenees Mountains are in north.

Highest Point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Weather You Should Expect: Costa Brava holidays are best in the summer when the weather is warm and sunny with slightly cooler evenings. Winter is mild and nevertheless enjoyable for there are plenty opportunities for walks and sightseeing

What You Must See: Swim at Calella as the sun comes up. Get a coffee and tortilla in les voltes – the vaults – a cloistered walkway, along the beach, which was originally a shelter for the fishermen but is now the perfect place to eat and drink, in cooling shade.  Take a stroll along the coast to Llafranc. Stop at the hotel Casamar to see the white sailing boats and pine-clad hills rise above the sandy sweep of one beaches. Have lunch at the locals' beach, Tamariu. Go to the  medieval town of Begur, dominated by a crumbling castle. Begur has winding, ancient streets, a busy Wednesday market, some very smart shops and a great tapas bar – Es Castell. Go to the cork museum in Palafrugell. The Museo del Suro was opened in 1991 and houses an archive with images of cork, a library, a collection of 1,500 objects made of cork and a shop that sells cork products. Or join the townsfolk in Plaça Nova, the main square, two minutes' walk from Casa Cox. If you like a seaside sunset, head for the terrace of the stately Sant Roc hotel, above Calella.

What do to after dinner: The shops are all open until late, so enjoy a browse through Palafrugell's streets. And if your visit coincides with the Costa Brava Jazz festival, in Palafrugell (see 'Why go now?'), you will have a choice of evening musical entertainment at various venues in the town.

How to Spend the next day: Exploring Salvador Dalí country. He lived in Pubol and the coastal town of Cadaqués, but the main attraction is the quirky, entertaining and eye-popping Dalí museum at his birthplace, Figueres. The distinctive building, topped by giant eggs, houses the famous Mae West Lips sofa and many eccentric and humorous artworks. Also in Figueres is the toy museum. Fascinating and bizarre, it houses quite insane old toys – a doctor's "surgery" where you can amputate limbs of dolls – and it is cool and quiet, after the crowds at the Dalí museum. Very close to Palafrugell, the Gala Dalí castle in Pubol, the later residence of Dalí and his wife, is now a museum that houses the paintings and drawings which Dalí gave to his wife. There's a collection of Gala's dresses, furniture and decorative pieces

Make sure to See: The wild coast offers modern resorts on the shoreline, traditional Spanish villages, colorful annual fiestas, a variety of architecture and a bounty of bars, cafés, museums and art galleries.

Places to Try: La Xicra  just off the main square in Palafrugell. For 20 years, owner Montse has created not just some of the best Catalan food in the area, but an eclectic and distinctive set of dining rooms, filled with paintings and quirky collectables. Or dine with the locals at Centre Fraternal. With its huge windows, opening on to the main square. If you want supper with a sea view, try Les Voltes on the beach at Calella. Fresh fish and the sea lapping inches from your toes.

Historical Fact: Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war. A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, and rapid economic modernization gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights.

Fun Fact: Bunyols, otherwise known as sweet fritters, are specially prepared for Easter. During this time of celebration, you’ll see them everywhere. They are ideal with sweet wine or muscatel. In Catalan, their name means formless mass, which is certainly the way they look.

Interesting Fact: Often translated as "wild coast," Costa Brava is paradise not only for the wild-spirited and wild at heart, but also for those who are simply looking for something a little out of the ordinary!

Everything You Need to Know About the Flag:

The flag has three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band. The coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield. The arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar. The red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe. The triband arrangement with the center stripe twice the width of the outer dates to the 18th century.  An interesting fact is that the red and yellow colors are related to those of the oldest Spanish kingdoms: Aragon, Castile, Leon, and Navarre.