The Unplanned Costa Brava Road Trip That Saved Our Holiday

We booked this holiday for what it was meant to be.

A cheap, easy escape. Four nights in Lloret de Mar. Late summer sun. A 4-star all-inclusive where we wouldn’t have to think about anything.

That was the plan.

But almost as soon as we arrived, it started to fall apart.

The room didn’t feel like the photos. The food was forgettable at best. The drinks were worse. And the weather—the one thing we were actually counting on—just didn’t show up.

By day two, it already felt off.

We were sat on sunbeds, wrapped in towels, waiting. Not for cocktails or music or anything you’d expect on a “sun holiday”—but for small patches of lukewarm sun to break through the clouds.

We’d just waited out another passing shower in the only bar that was open. Everything felt a bit flat.

At one point, we just looked at each other—cold, actually shivering on sunbeds—and that was it.

This wasn’t what we came for.

We gave it a chance.

Then another.

But at some point, you stop trying to convince yourself you’re enjoying something… and admit you’re not.

So we did something we hadn’t planned.

We checked the weather further down the coast.

Valencia: 27 degrees. Pure sun.

Within half an hour, everything changed.

A rental car—booked.
A place to stay—booked.
A completely different plan—locked in.

There was a moment, right after we did it, where it felt slightly ridiculous.

Is this stupid?
We still had two nights left on the all-inclusive. It was already paid for. Walking away from it didn’t make sense on paper.

But staying didn’t make sense either.

So we left.

6am the next morning, we were on a local bus heading to Girona airport. No stress, no hesitation—just ready to go and quietly hoping the sun would be where we were heading.

By the time we got the car and started driving, something shifted.

The horizon began to brighten.

The further south we went, the clearer it got. The clouds slowly disappeared behind us, and we found ourselves quite literally driving towards better weather—warming up as we went.

Four hours later, we pulled up near Malvarrosa Beach.

Relief.

That immediate, undeniable feeling of yes—this is exactly what we wanted.

Blue sky. Heat. Wide, open sand. Space to breathe. A proper beach. Clean. Easy. Alive. Restaurants along the promenade. No pressure to do anything except be there.

It was everything the first half of the trip wasn’t.

No regrets. Not about the money, not about leaving—nothing.

After one night in Valencia, we made one more call—play it safe and head back closer to the airport. So instead of returning to Lloret, we booked our final night in Salou.

Which, somehow, also had perfect weather.

Of course, the trip wasn’t done with us yet.

We arrived in Salou around 9pm, found a free parking spot—ideal—and then noticed it.

A flat tyre.

Because no good detour comes without at least one problem.

After a bit of back and forth with the rental company (and a fair bit of patience), we managed to sort it for the next morning. With the help of a local guy outside his restaurant translating for us, someone came out and patched it up on-site for €15.

Problem solved.

And just like that, we had a full, relaxed final day in the sun before an easy, much shorter drive back to the airport that evening.

What started as a disappointing, slightly cold, very average trip… turned into one of our favourite travel memories.

All because we changed the plan.

It’s easy to stick with what you’ve booked. To stay put because it’s paid for. To convince yourself it’ll get better.

But sometimes, the best decision you can make while travelling… is to leave.

Not everything is worth sticking out.

And sometimes, the best part of your trip is the part you almost didn’t take.

The detour wasn’t the mistake.

It was the reason the trip worked at all.