Flying High Above the Costa Brava – Aerial Photos

Costa Brava’s Rugged Coastline

I recently had the unique opportunity to head up in a small airplane for a scenic flight over Costa Brava. Upon arriving at the Empuriabrava Aerodromo, Arantxa Ros, Andy Montgomery and I were introduced to our pilot for the day and were then lead over to the small hangar where the airplane was housed. The pilot grabbed a long handle, attached it to the front wheel, and manually pulled the plane out of the hangar. He then motioned to Arantxa to help push the plane over to a safe place away from the tarmac where we could all climb in.

The small plane had room for two passengers in the back and one passenger (myself) next to the pilot. As we all climbed in and buckled up, our pilot started the plane and began his pre-flight tests as the propeller warmed up. Before long, the pilot radioed our flight plan to the control tower while we taxied the short distance to the runway. After allowing a slightly larger plane full of skydivers to take off, we made our way down the runway and then up, up and away we went over the town of Empuriabrava.

Empuriabrava

It was a gorgeous day for a scenic flight with perfect conditions for taking pictures. After taking off over Empuriabrava, we turned and flew northeast over the mountains and the National Park near Espolla before heading back towards the Spanish coast which borders France.

Once we reached the town of Llanca, we banked right and flew back down the coast to Roses. Along the way, we soared high above Portlligat, Cadaques and many other beautiful little spots that make up the amazing northern coast of Costa Brava.

Portlligat

Cadaques

Cadaques

Upon our final approach, we again flew directly over the town of Empuriabrava which is home to one of the largest marinas in the world and many canals that, when combined, measure 30 kilometers. Once a swamp, Empuriabrava was transformed into a tourist community in the mid 1970s and is especially popular with German tourists. After a smooth, 180 degree turn, our pilot lined the plane up with the runway where we soon touched down.

Empuriabrava

Overall, the 25 minute scenic flight above Costa Brava was a unique way to see the area and to gain a new appreciation for the picturesque terrain. For more information or to arrange a scenic flight in Costa Brava, please check here.