Why the Costa Brava works for a destination wedding

The Costa Brava is the stretch of coast in Catalonia, in Spain’s northeast corner, running from Blanes up toward the French border. Behind it is the Empordà, a flat, green plain full of vineyards, olive trees and medieval villages. So you get two very different wedding settings within half an hour of each other: sea and cliffs, or countryside and stone.

It’s also easy for guests. Girona Airport (GRO) is roughly 40–90 minutes from most venues, and Barcelona El Prat, with direct flights from the US, Canada and the UK, is about 1–2 hours away. When I photographed Ali & Simon’s wedding at Mas Terrats, about an hour from Girona Airport, most of their guests flew in, and getting everyone there was simple.

The best months are May, June, September and early October: warm and golden without the peak heat. July and August work too, but plan for shade and push the ceremony later in the day.

Costa Brava wedding venues at a glance

Here’s the quick comparison. Prices are rough estimates from venue listings, so always confirm current prices with the venue.

Venue	Style	Est. Price	Website	Instagram
Hostal de La Gavina	5-star Luxury Coastal Hotel & Relais & Châteaux	~€350+ /person	lagavina.com	@hostaldegavina
Casa Santa Clotilde	Italian Renaissance Cliffside Garden Estate	High-end, custom catering	casasantaclotilde.com	@casasantaclotilde
El Convent de Blanes	Historic Convent on sea cliffs, Jubany gastronomy	~€131+ /person + venue	elconventblanes.com	@elconventdeblanes
Mas Torroella	Exclusive-use 14th-Century Private Estate (sleeps ~30)	~€15,000 – €35,000+ multi-day	mastorroella.com	@mastorroella
Mas de les Voltes	Ultra-exclusive Luxury Vineyard Estate	From ~€50,000 /weekend	masdelesvoltes.com	@masdelesvoltes
Molí de la Torre	Restored 19th-Century Neoclassical Mill & Estate	Mid to high venue fee	molidelatorre.cat	@molidlatorre
Castell d’Empordà	Medieval Castle Hotel with panoramic vineyard views	~€180 – €300+ /person	hotelcastellemporda.com	@hotelcastellemporda
La Farinera Sant Lluís	Modernist 1913 Flour Mill with private lake & gardens	~€10,000 – €25,000+ venue fee	lafarinerasantlluis.com	@lafarinerasantlluis
Mas Marroch	Contemporary Rustic Masia, Can Roca (3 Michelin Stars)	~€250 – €400+ /person	cellercanroca.com	@masmarroch
Sant Pere del Bosc	Modernist Luxury Hotel & Spa, pine forest setting	~€180 – €300 /person	santperedelbosc.com	@santperedelbosc
Mas de Sant Lleí	Classic Catalan Country Estate, mountain & sea views	~€140 – €220 /person	masdesantllei.com	@masdesantllei
Santa Marta Hotel	5-Star Beachfront Luxury Resort surrounded by forest	~€250 – €400+ /person	hotelsantamarta.es	@hotelsantamartalloret
Castell de Peralada	14th-Century Castle Resort, private church, Michelin-starred restaurant, up to 600 guests	From ~€7,000 venue hire	castellperalada.com	@castellperalada
Mas de Torrent Hotel & Spa	18th-Century Restored Masia, Relais & Châteaux, Ramon Freixa restaurant	Luxury hotel pricing (on request)	unicohotels.com	@masdetorrent
Mas Huix	11th-Century Exclusive-use Catalan Farmhouse, private 13th-c. chapel, up to 50 guests	From ~€6,000 – €8,000+ (3-night min.)	mashuix.com	@mas.huix
Masia Cabellut (bonus, south of Barcelona)	Private Vineyard Estate & Villa in a 30-hectare valley, up to 200 guests (sleeps 14)	From ~€14,000 (2-night min.)	masiacabellut.com	@masia_cabellut

The 15 best Costa Brava wedding venues

1. Hostal de La Gavina, S’Agaró

Old-school coastal glamour. Hostal de La Gavina is a five-star Relais & Châteaux hotel right on the sea in S’Agaró. It holds up to 300 guests, has 76 rooms on site (a big plus when everyone is flying in), and packages start at around €350 per person. Ceremonies happen in the sea-view gardens. It’s polished and calm, the kind of place where nobody has to think about logistics.

Best for: Couples who want a full-service luxury hotel without it feeling like a conference venue.

2. Casa Santa Clotilde, Lloret de Mar

Italian Renaissance-style gardens on a cliff: cypress trees, stone staircases, classical statues, and the Mediterranean right below. Casa Santa Clotilde hosts up to 250 guests. The late-afternoon light over those terraces is exactly what you want for portraits, and the gardens do a lot of the visual work for you.

Best for: Design-minded couples who want something that doesn’t look like a typical wedding venue.

3. El Convent de Blanes, Blanes

A restored convent above the town of Blanes, looking straight out over the sea. What makes El Convent de Blanes stand out: catering by Michelin-starred chef Nandu Jubany, indoor and outdoor spaces (useful if the weather turns), and a party that can run until 3–5am. It holds 65 to 220 guests depending on the layout.

Best for: Food-loving couples who want the party to go late.

4. Mas Torroella, Palafrugell

A 14th-century private estate near Palafrugell that you rent exclusively, so the whole place is yours for the weekend. Mas Torroella holds up to 250 guests, sleeps around 28–30, and lets you bring your own caterer. Most couples here do a full weekend: welcome dinner Friday, wedding Saturday, slow brunch Sunday. Having your closest people all under one roof makes a real difference when they’ve traveled from different countries.

Best for: A full wedding weekend with privacy and freedom to choose your own vendors.

5. Mas de les Voltes, Empordà

Very exclusive: only about 10–15 weddings a year. Mas de les Voltes sits among Empordà vineyards and has a strong, design-led look that’s been featured in Vogue. Exclusive-use weekends start at around €50,000. No other events, no shared spaces, and the architecture and landscape work together beautifully on camera.

Best for: Couples for whom exclusivity and design matter most.

6. Molí de la Torre, Empordà

Molí de la Torre is a restored 19th-century neoclassical mill in the Empordà countryside. It’s understated and a bit artsy, and it tends to attract couples who’ve seen all the usual venues and want something different. The fields and paths around it give you plenty of room for relaxed portraits.

Best for: Creative couples who want a venue that feels like a discovery.

7. Castell d’Empordà, La Bisbal d’Empordà

A medieval castle looking out over vineyards. If you want a castle wedding in Europe without the stuffiness, Castell d’Empordà is a good bet. The team speaks English, Spanish and Catalan, which helps a lot when you’re planning from abroad. There are rooms for 34 guests on site and space for up to 220. Stone walls, vineyard views and warm evening light: very cinematic.

Best for: The castle look, with a friendly, international-minded team.

8. La Farinera Sant Lluís, Pont de Molins

La Farinera Sant Lluís is a 1913 modernist flour mill on 130 hectares with lakes, gardens, and a ceremony spot on a private lake pier. Multi-day exclusive hire runs from roughly €10,000–€25,000+ for the venue. Water reflections, lots of green, and soft Empordà light: it photographs like a film set.

Best for: Couples who want nature and architecture together, with complete privacy.

9. Mas Marroch by El Celler de Can Roca, near Girona

This one is for serious food lovers. Mas Marroch is the events venue of the Roca brothers, the team behind three-Michelin-star El Celler de Can Roca. It’s a contemporary rustic masia outside Girona, and the food will be as big a talking point as the setting. Expect roughly €250–€400+ per person.

Best for: Couples for whom a once-in-a-lifetime dinner matters as much as the view.

10. Sant Pere del Bosc, Lloret de Mar

A modernist luxury hotel and spa in a pine forest above Lloret de Mar. Sant Pere del Bosc has lush gardens, a historic chapel and a lot of privacy. Pricing sits around €180–€300 per person. Guests usually don’t expect something this pretty so close to Lloret, which is half the fun.

Best for: A forest-meets-coast retreat weekend with a proper spa.

11. Mas de Sant Lleí, Girona province

A classic Catalan country estate with views of the mountains and the sea. Mas de Sant Lleí is one of the more approachable options on this list at around €140–€220 per person, without losing character: stone walls, olive trees, wide views.

Best for: Catalan countryside charm at a friendlier price.

12. Santa Marta Hotel, Lloret de Mar

A five-star beachfront hotel wrapped in forest at the edge of Lloret de Mar. Santa Marta Hotel is one of the most complete packages on the coast: sea views, garden ceremony spaces, elegant interiors, and rooms so guests can relax before and after. Packages run from around €250–€400+ per person.

Best for: Couples who want guests to stay, swim and celebrate without leaving the property.

13. Castell de Peralada, Alt Empordà

One of the most impressive venues in Spain. Castell de Peralada is a 14th-century castle resort with a private church, a Michelin-starred restaurant and room for up to 600 guests at dinner. There’s even a casino on site, which makes for an unusual after-party. Venue hire starts from around €7,000, with catering and production on top.

Best for: Big weddings that want grand architecture and great food.

14. Mas de Torrent Hotel & Spa, Torrent

A restored 18th-century masia in the Empordà countryside and part of Relais & Châteaux. Mas de Torrent pairs elegant rural architecture with cooking by Ramon Freixa, one of Spain’s best-known chefs. It’s intimate and romantic, and guests feel looked after from the moment they arrive. Pricing is on request.

Best for: An intimate countryside wedding with top-level food and service.

15. Mas Huix, Girona mountains

The most intimate venue on this list. Mas Huix is an 11th-century Catalan farmhouse on 300 private acres in the hills above Girona, about 33 minutes from the airport. It sleeps 26–28 guests in 10 rooms plus a bridal suite, and holds up to 50 guests for the wedding, so everyone staying is your closest circle. There’s a 13th-century chapel for the ceremony, a 200m² terrace with covered areas, a pool, and no vendor restrictions. Venue hire starts from around €6,000–€8,000+ with a 3-night minimum.

Best for: A small, fully immersive wedding weekend.

Bonus: Masia Cabellut, Masllorenç (south of Barcelona)

Not technically on the Costa Brava, but if you’re flying into Barcelona and open to looking south instead of north, this is one I know well. Masia Cabellut is a restored 1745 farmhouse on a 30-hectare private valley with its own vineyard, olive groves and a pool looking over the hills, about an hour from Barcelona El Prat. It holds up to 200 guests, sleeps 14 in the villa, and has no curfew. Exclusive hire starts from around €14,000 with a 2-night minimum (confirm current prices with the venue). I’ve photographed two weddings here: Gabriella & Rikky’s and Rebecca & Gareth’s. What I love about it is how fresh it feels. It’s newly refurbished and very white, and those walls make a great background for portraits. Then you step out onto the terrace with the vineyard view and the trees around it, and you get exactly that Catalan countryside look couples are hoping for. But everything at the venue is also very polished, so you don’t just get countryside photos, you get real luxury ones too.

Best for: A private vineyard wedding with a party that doesn’t have to stop early.

FAQ

How much does a Costa Brava wedding cost?

Roughly €25,000 to €100,000+ for a full destination wedding. Hotel packages start around €140–€350 per person, and exclusive estate weekends range from about €6,000 to €50,000+ for the venue alone. Always confirm current prices with the venue.

Is it cheaper to get married in Spain or Italy?

Often a little cheaper in Spain, especially for catering and at mid-range venues, but at the luxury end the two are quite similar. Travel time for your guests and the venue style you want usually matter more than the country.

Can we legally get married on the Costa Brava?

A legal civil wedding in Spain is complicated for non-residents, so most couples from abroad do the legal part at home and have a symbolic ceremony at the venue. Your planner can walk you through the options.

When is the best time for a Costa Brava wedding?

May, June, September and early October. It’s warm and golden, the sea is swimmable by June, and you avoid the peak summer heat and crowds.

Planning a Costa Brava wedding?

I’d love to hear what you’re planning, whether it’s a 30-person weekend at a farmhouse or a big party at a castle. I shoot digital and 35mm film, and I can cover the welcome dinner and after-party too. Tell me about your plans here, and let’s see if we’re a good fit. You can also browse my real weddings, or read how to hire a destination wedding photographer in Europe from Canada.

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