
2023 Coastal Costa Brava Camino
Dates: October 16-26, 2023
Start/End: Barcelona
Cost: $7499, double-occupancy (+$1200 supplement for single-occupancy)
Duration: 11 Days/10 Nights
Distance: 45 miles/72.4 kms
Difficulty: Moderate
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El Camino: An Epic Journey Awaits You!
Is walking El Camino on your ‘bucket list’?
Are you in transition and wanting space and time to reflect on ‘what’s next’?
Are you celebrating a milestone life event?
Are you seeking a travel experience that aligns with your deepest values?
POSTPONED FOR 2023
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James, is the epic pilgrimage route of Europe. For 2023, we offer two new extraordinary pilgrimage options: Camino Classic, The French Way Gently, October 2-13 and Coastal Costa Brava Camino, October 16-26, 2023, both are our kindest and gentlest Caminos ever. Both combine the stunning beauty of northern Spain with spacious time for you to reflect individually and with a caring, supportive community on your inner capacity to lead a more authentic, meaningful, and resilient life. In these exclusive, small group, amenities-packed pilgrimages, you are pampered by the breathtaking natural beauty of the sun-drenched north coast of Spain, superior accommodations, and regional delicious cuisine.
About the Coastal Costa Brava Camino

The Costa Brava, one hour north of Barcelona, remains the essence of the Mediterranean, with its turquoise waters, wild pine trees, and endless cliffs. This is a walker’s paradise, boasting a thousand-year-old network of footpaths from the coast to the mountains. Enjoy delicious, regional Catalan cuisine and experience the hospitality of the local people in the heart of Catalonia. This pilgrimage offers you the opportunity to explore the culture, rural lifestyles, and outstanding regional culinary delights of this stunningly beautiful region of Spain. ‘After walk’ activities include a Mojito or mock-Mojito workshop, an off-the-beaten track visit to a local organic farm and vineyard that includes dinner, and guided visits in Barcelona, Girona, and Salvador Dali’s house and museum.
Travel that Touches Your Soul
Walk in Beauty Ethos

Our mission is to provide not just a travel experience but rather a pilgrimage journey so transformative that it becomes a defining moment in your life. We provide amazing support on meticulously planned itineraries, with a carefully cultivated community to support you, superior accommodations, and regional-delicious cuisine so you can be fully present, enjoying ‘Your Camino, Your Way’.
We welcome and support people from diverse racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, languages, ages, abilities, immigration and socio-economic status, and spiritual practices.
Preparation in Body, Mind, & Spirit
You’ll be supported from the moment you register with ample resources to prepare you in body, mind, and spirit. You’ll receive newsletters, a training schedule, maps, our Comprehensive Pilgrimage Resource Guide and Packing List, as well as Camino Community Conference Calls via videoconference to get to know fellow pilgrims and build a supportive community. You’ll arrive in Spain with new friends, feeling prepared.
An Inward Journey of Reflection
Based on the work of Quaker educator and writer, Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal, Walk in Beauty Pilgrimage is a ‘moveable retreat’, which distinguishes this pilgrimage apart from all others. You’ll explore what is most meaningful to you, have space and time to listen to your own inner wisdom, reconnect who you are with what you do, and cultivate the courage to lean into action. Guided by core principles and practices, which include the belief that everyone has an ‘inner teacher’, an inner source of truth, the pilgrimage engages contemplative practices to support personal and societal transformation.

As a capstone experience, a version of the Quaker Clearness Committee, a process of individual discernment in community, will be offered during the pilgrimage to support your questions of ‘what’s next’.
Do you want to know more about the clearness committee and how this process might support you in gaining clarity about life’s most important questions? Please read, Coming to the Light, Cultivating Spiritual Discernment through the Quaker Clearness Committee, Valerie Brown, Pendle Hill Pamphlet #446, August 2017.
Private Van Support & English-Speaking Guides
Our fully supported private van, loaded with healthy snacks, water, medicine, and first aid kits, sets this pilgrimage apart and makes it accessible to all. A vehicle and guide for logistical support is available during the entire pilgrimage route to assist you, to transport luggage, and to address any other needs. This means you can enjoy the scenery and not worry about the unexpected!
With checkpoints along the way, our support vehicle is waiting with healthy snacks and cold drinks, or other assistance. If you do not want to keep walking for any reason, you can hop on the support vehicle at the next checkpoint.
In this customized pilgrimage, our ground support has signals in places where some people take the wrong turn to ensure you’re on the right path. After the daily walk, and after you’ve had lunch you’ll return to the hotel to shower, freshen up, enjoy well-deserved rest, reflect on the day, and savor a delicious-regionally sourced dinner.
Walk at Your Own Pace

Everyone walks at their own pace and you will be met by our guides and support vehicle at various checkpoints along each stage. At the checkpoints you can enjoy a snack, fruit and cold beverages and our guides will assist you in case you need anything else. We also offer assistance for any emergencies or simply to relieve muscular pain or cure blisters. If for any reason you do not want to continue walking, our support vehicle is at your disposal.
Luggage Support
Luggage is transferred from one hotel to the next using the support vehicle. For the pilgrimage you need only carry a small/medium backpack for your essentials and leave the rest to us! (Please review luggage requirements under Frequently Asked Questions.)
Regional-Delicious & Healthy Cuisine

Traditionally prepared hearty breakfasts and locally-sourced and delicious dinners with local wines served with exceptional hospitality and ambiance are included in your Camino. Lunches are not included to provide more flexibility during your walk to sample local foods in the quaint towns at the end of the daily stage. Vegetarians, vegans, or those with a special diet (e.g. gluten-free) can always find suitable options.

Superior Accommodations

Carefully selected accommodations vary from chic city hotels to sea-front three-and four- star hotels. All hotels are well known for outstanding hospitality and service with private en-suite bathrooms.
*All hotels are subject to change and depend on availability.
Map Route
Click here for terrain details for the route of the Coastal Costa Brava.

Catch the spirit of Costa Brava and watch this brief, delightful video:
What People Are Saying
Watch this 2-minute video of Kathryn Appleton speaking about her experience with Walk in Beauty Pilgrimage.
Coastal Costa Brava Camino Daily Itinerary
DAY 0: BARCELONA – 15 October
Arrive in Barcelona
DAY 1: BARCELONA – Half-Day Guided Walking Tour – 16 October (Light City Walking)
9:30 am Walking tour Barcelona and visit Sagrada Familia with a local guide.
1:30 pm Free time for lunch and free afternoon to explore Barcelona.
8:00 pm Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant within walking distance of hotel.
Overnight: Barcelona.
Meals: Dinner
DAY 2: WELCOME TO GIRONA & GUIDED WALKING TOUR – 17 October (Light City Walking)
Girona, located in Catalonia, Spain, sits between Barcelona and Costa Brava. It’s a gorgeous place to visit, with medieval walls, narrow winding city streets, and one of the best preserved Jewish Quarters in Europe. Our private walking tour includes the medieval walls of Girona, a visit the Cathedral of Girona and the Jewish Quarter, a walk across Eiffel Bridge, and visit the Game of Thrones filming sites.
9:00 am Transfer to Girona from Barcelona.
3:00 pm Check in and walking tour of Girona with a local guide
Dinner at local restaurant in Girona
Overnight: Girona
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 3: WALK ST. FELIU DE GUIXOLS – PLATJA D’ARO (5 Miles) – 18 October
From Girona, we transfer to Sant Feliu de Guíxols where we begin our walk on the coastal path from the top of “Puig de les Forques” to the beach of St. Pol, going through pine forests and astonishing views. On arrival at the beach, we follow the promenade with fantastic examples of Modernist residential houses of XIX c. in stunning natural scenery. Free time to explore and have lunch in Platja D’aro. After lunch, we transfer to Palamós to visit a local vineyard and organic farm that has been in operation since 1668 to learn about sustainable farming and traditional methods. Close the day with a regional-delicious dinner at our hotel.
Overnight: Palamós
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
DAY 4. WALK PALAMÓS – CALELLA DE PALAFRUGELL (8 Miles) – 19 October
We start gently walking from our hotel in Palamós to Platja del Castell, which means ‘Castle Beach’ in the Catalan language. We enter the pine-clad Natural Park of Castell-Cap Roig, a protected area with dozens of hidden coves and sandy beaches along the way; a natural paradise. Today we will enjoy lunch in Calella de Palafrugell, one of the most picturesque villages of the Costa Brava. Dinner tonight in Palamós will be in a local restaurant.
Overnight: Palamós
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
DAY 5. WALK St. SEBASTIÀ LIGHTHOUSE to AIGUABLAVA (7 Miles) – 20 October
A 30-minute drive will bring us to the St. Sebastià Lighthouse, where we will enjoy extended views over the Mediterranean Sea and along the stretch of coastline that we walked yesterday. Our trail starts descending across a lush forest to Cala Pedrosa, a remote beach with an old fisherman’s hut. It then continues along an ascending, rocky pathway to connect Camí de Ronda to Tamariu, a small fishing neighborhood. We will be rewarded for our efforts with a homemade picnic lunch on the beach, a perfect bathing spot at Platja Aiguablava, one of the most exquisite landscapes of the area. To close the day, we will enjoy a delightful Mojito or mock-Mojito workshop in Begur. Dinner is free for everyone to explore.
Overnight: Begur
Meals: Breakfast & Picnic Lunch
DAY 6. WALK BEGUR – PERATALLADA (10 Miles) – 21 October
We begin walking right from our hotel and follow quiet and relatively flat inland tracks today. Rural trails will take us through beautifully cultivated farmlands to the quaint village of Pals, one the most important historic-artistic sites in Catalunya. We’ll take our time exploring the narrow, cobbled streets of this historic village. Later in the day, we continue to follow quiet back roads through the villages of Palau-Sator and Peratallada, a great example of the cultural heritage and nature of “el Baix Empordà”, the heart of Costa Brava. Lunch will be on your own as you explore Peratallada. After lunch, we enjoy gorgeous scenery on our drive up the coastline to the magical coastal town of Cadaqués. We dine together at our hotel this evening, a delightful three course set menu.
Overnight: Cadaqués
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 7. ENJOY A REST DAY IN CADAQUÉS – 22 October
Sleep in, journal, linger over a steamy cup of café con leche. This is a full, well-deserved day at leisure and rest.
Overnight: Cadaqués
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8. WALK CADAQUÉS to CAP DE CREUS LIGHTHOUSE (6 Miles) – 23 October
From our hotel, we start walking to Cap de Creus Natural Park; the most easterly point on the Iberian peninsula and probably one of the wildest areas on the Costa Brava. Breathtaking is simply not an adequate description. A narrow rocky trail, between stone walls (up and down of course!) will lead us to the lighthouse, where we will stop for a well-deserved lunch. After indulging in a hearty home-cooked local specialty lunch, we will transfer to Salvador Dali’s house in Portlligat to visit his home where he lived for most of his life. Afterwards we walk to our hotel in Cadaqués (about 1 mile.) We will have time to relax and enjoy the enchanting village of Cadaqués, known as the pearl of the western Mediterranean.
Overnight: Cadaqués
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 9. WALK CADAQUÉS to PORT DE LA SELVA (9KM) – 24 October
We begin the day with a short transfer to the trailhead in the Natural Parc of Cap de Creus. Our walk today is through strikingly dramatic rocky landscape that was a backdrop of Salvador Dalí’s artistic mind. Surrounded by surreal shapes, we travel inland then back out to the coast through the Natural Park to Port de la Selva, a quaint seaside village. We follow part of the GR-11, marked with white and red stripes. This route is one of the long-distance trails of Europe, in this case the long traverse that joins the Cantabrian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea through the Pyrenees Mountain range. We will enjoy our Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant in Port de la Selva.
Overnight: Port de la Selva
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 10. PORT DE LA SELVA – DALI MUSEUM in FIGUERES – BARCELONA – 25 October
9:00 am Early transfer to Figueres where we will visit Dali’s Museum with a local guide. After free time to explore and lunch, we transfer back to Barcelona, arriving approximately 3:00 pm.
Overnight: Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: BARCELONA, YOUR CAMINO JOURNEY of LIFE BEGINS! – 26 October
Breakfast and check out.
Price Includes:
- Guided preparation and facilitation before, during, and after pilgrimage
- Comprehensive pre-pilgrimage preparation, including customized training schedule, newsletters, videoconference calls, and resource guide
- Private Vehicle Support fully stocked with supplies, snacks and drinks
- English-speaking guide assistance
- Luggage transfers/Transfer before and after walks and to included activities
- 10 Breakfasts + 6 Dinners + 2 Lunches
- Carefully selected en-suite superior hotel accommodations (3 and 4 star hotels)
- Informational program and route map
- Welcome and Farewell dinners
- Rest day in Cadaqués
- Half-day guided walking tour of Barcelona with entry to Sagrada Familia
- Guided walking tour of Girona
- Guided visit of local organic farm and vineyards near Palamós
- Guided visit of Salvador Dali’s house in Portlligat
- Guided visit of Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres
- Delightful Mojito or mock-Mojito workshop in Begur
Price Does Not Include:
- Airfare
- Lunches and Dinners not listed
- Cancellation Insurance (recommended)
- Tips for Guides
Cost, Registration & Payment Schedule:
Cost: $7499.00/person, double-occupancy
(Single occupancy supplement: +$1,200.00)
To secure your spot:
1) Click above to register and
2) Pay your initial deposit.
Payment Instructions
To pay your initial $1500 deposit and hold your spot–and for future installation payments:
- Pay by check: please make checks out to: Lead Smart Coaching, LLC and mail to 95 Old York Road | New Hope, PA 18938. DO NOT MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO VALERIE BROWN.
- Pay by Venmo: @Valerie-Brown-140 (security code -9978)
Payment Schedule:
Payments for double occupancy are scheduled as follows:
- Initial deposit due with signed registration form: $1500.00
- Payment #2: $2999.50 due by April 2, 2023
- Payment #3: $2999.50 due by July 2, 2023
Payments for single occupancy are scheduled as follows:
- Initial deposit due with signed registration: $1500.00
- Payment #2: $3,599.50 due by April 2, 2023
- Payment #3: $3,599.50 due by July 2, 2023
Cancellation Policy:
Please see our Terms and Policies page for full information on cancellations, liability and other policies.
Individual Cancellation Fees and Refunds. Notice of cancellation must be signed, dated, and received in writing via e-mail to Valerie Brown/Lead Smart Coaching, LLC. Valerie Brown will refund your payment for services not received by you, minus applicable cancellation fees, according to the following schedule:
- Before April 2, 2023: the cancellation fee is $2999.50 (this fee covers the amount of the non-refundable, non-transferable deposit, plus administrative expenses);
- After July 2, 2023 (when the final payment is due): there are no refunds.
- Please see Cancellation Policy »
- Questions? Contact Valerie Brown
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