We booked our stay in S’Agaró late in the season, and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful surprises of the trip. The Hostal de la Gavina, with its grand old-world charm and breezy villa-style suites, made us feel like locals — relaxed, sunkissed, and completely at home.

The real magic, though, was just beyond the pool. We followed a stone path from the hotel down to the sea and found ourselves at the start of the Camí de Ronda — a historic coastal walk that hugs the rugged cliffs and winds past a string of jaw-droppingly beautiful beach homes. Set behind a gated enclave, these Mediterranean-style villas, all soft pinks, arches, terracotta roofs, and lush gardens, felt like a film set — each more breathtaking than the last. It was like discovering a secret Riviera.

We later learned the walk was originally built in the 1920s to provide access between villas and beaches — part of an ambitious plan to develop S’Agaró as a utopian seaside resort blending nature, architecture, and leisure. Somehow, it still feels like it worked.

We walked for hours, stopping for swims off the rocks, pausing at lookout points, and shooting in the golden morning light. A long lunch at a quiet beachside restaurant on Sant Pol Bay, with front-row views to the water, was a highlight — simple seafood, pale wine, and the kind of calm that’s hard to find in August.

We dipped into Platja d’Aro for dinners and shopping, and took a quick day trip to Barcelona to see Park Güell, but we couldn’t wait to return each evening to the sea air and stillness of S’Agaró.

SUPs, tennis courts, and every wellness offering you could want were waiting back at the hotel — but what stayed with us was the walk, the villas, and the quiet, understated luxury of a summer day on the Catalan coast.