Chasing new horizons: A side to Spain that most never see

From the sea to the sky, the Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees' green revolution lifted more than Rosaleen McMeel’s spirits

Hostal Spa Empúries on the seafront.

Like many Irish people, my first experience of Spain’s Costa Brava was in the form of a package holiday. My younger sister worked as a travel rep in L’Estartit back in 2001 and I used the opportunity to visit and “expand my horizons”. In reality, my horizon didn’t stretch further than the beach and surrounding bars. I had a blast, of course, but returned home seven shades of pink and obnoxiously ignorant of the seaside resort and surrounding region.

When the opportunity arose to revisit and explore a more sustainable side to the Costa Brava, Girona, and the nearby Pyrenees, I jumped at the chance to make up for my misspent youth. And while I have visited different parts of Spain many times in the intervening years, it has only ever been during the beach-worshipping summer months. Could an autumn trip reveal new delights?