Tossa Town: Encountering the Enchanting Blues of the Mediterranean

Perched on a cliff, the castle, a testament to history in brick and stone, seems ancient as if time has never passed. Wandering along the intoxicating blue Mediterranean coast, one feels as if they've sunk into a dream from the Middle Ages. 🏖 On the first day of arriving in Barcelona, head out to explore the town of Tossa. Tossa de Mar, located northeast of Barcelona, is one of the filming locations for the Korean drama "The Legend of the Blue Sea," a classic Mediterranean town. 🚍 Transportation: 1⃣ The Affordable but Tedious Route: Depart from Barcelona, take the R1 train to Blanes, and then transfer to the L69 Estiu bus to Tossa. The cost is approximately EUR 7, but the entire journey takes nearly 3 hours. The advantage is that you can also visit the coastal town of Blanes along the way. 2⃣ The Direct Route: From Barcelona's Estacio del Nord bus station, there are direct buses to Tossa. The one-way trip takes 80 minutes, and the fare is EUR 14.1 one-way (EUR 26.9 round trip). Personally, I think there's not much to see in Blanes, so if time is tight, you can choose the direct bus. 💸 Ticket Purchase: The direct bus is operated by Moventis. Search for "Buscar - Moventis" on Google to purchase tickets from their official website. 📝 Travel Notes: 1⃣ The popular Dog Hole in Tossa is located at the Municipal Museum of Tossa de Mar. It is recommended to take the early bus and head straight to the Dog Hole, otherwise, there will be many people and you will have to wait in line to take photos. 2⃣ Mirador des Codolar is a hidden viewpoint on the hillside on the other side of the castle, offering a panoramic view of the entire ancient fortress and the bays on both sides of the cliffs. 3⃣ Tossa Castle is free of charge. The ancient city walls, old village, and lighthouse make up this ancient relic. The dilapidated honey-colored bricks, the remnants of the old church, still stand on the cliff cape, whispering the forgotten historical context. 4⃣ The sea water at Platja Gran beach is incredibly azure, with a glass-like texture. However, the beach is not even sand, but rather fine pebbles. It seems that most European beaches are like this, with excellent seawater but beach quality far inferior to Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. 🍔 Restaurant: The overall cost of dining in Tossa is relatively high, but I found a hidden gem with great value for money: Restaurant La Roca de Tossa . The lunchtime special is a three-course set menu for EUR 19.95, including an appetizer, main course, and dessert, with a complimentary bread basket and wine (a large jug of chilled white or red wine). The best appetizer is the stewed mussels, seasoned with tomato and pumpkin sauce, fresh, plump, and sweet, served in a mountainous portion. The main course I chose was stewed rabbit meat, also seasoned with tomato and onion sauce, which was average overall. The dessert is the classic Catalan cream, a caramel pudding with a crisp caramel crust covering a dense, chilled pudding, which tastes great. ❗️ Be sure to go at 12:00 when they open, or you might not get a seat, as the restaurant does not turn tables. #tossa #BarcelonaTravel #SpainTravel