Doctor on the Costa Brava in Summer: What You Can’t See From the Beach
There is something the tourist arriving on the Costa Brava in August cannot see from the shoreline: what happens inside the health centres. What I did see — during two peak-season residencies in family medicine on this very coast — permanently changed the way I think about medical care for travellers.
This is not a generic guide. It is what I learned on call, in the CAP, in A&E. And it is the reason I founded TravelDoctores.
What nobody tells you about working as a doctor on the Costa Brava in summer
During winter, the health centres on the Costa Brava work like any other primary care setting in Spain: reasonable waiting times, familiar circuits, stable staffing. The doctor-patient relationship has continuity. You know the families. You follow up.
In June, that changes.
The population of towns like Lloret de Mar, Roses or Platja d’Aro can multiply five times within a matter of weeks. Healthcare resources, however, do not grow proportionally. What appears in their place is pressure: on the professionals, on the pathways, on the waiting times.
That experience revealed something the health systems do not always want to acknowledge: the bottleneck in summer medical care is not clinical capacity. It is the logistics of access.
Why the health system reaches its limits in peak season
Spain’s public health system is designed to care for a stable population. On the Costa Brava, that stability disappears between July and August. The result is a structural mismatch that repeats itself every year with complete predictability.
These are the factors that drive the saturation:
The five drivers of summer health system overload
- Demand multiplication. The floating population in some towns exceeds three times the registered residents during summer.
- Insufficient staffing reinforcement. Summer cover exists, but does not match the real increase in demand.
- Patients out of context. Tourists have no medical history at the centre, do not know the system, and often attend A&E with issues that primary care could handle.
- Language barriers. Bilingual professionals are scarce. When there is a queue, communicating with a foreign patient takes longer and generates frustration for both sides.
- Unnecessary transfers. Through lack of information or clinical uncertainty, many mild conditions end up being referred to hospital A&E, blocking resources for patients who genuinely need them.
The effect is predictable: hours of waiting for conditions that clinically require minutes of attention.
How long do you wait? CAP, A&E and telemedicine compared
This table reflects the clinical reality I have seen from inside the system and as a travel medicine doctor. Waiting times shown correspond to peak season (July–August) on the Costa Brava for non-urgent conditions.
| Route | Estimated wait | Availability | Prescription | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAP (public primary care) | 2–5 hours | Mon–Fri, limited hours | Yes (health card) | Spanish / Catalan |
| Hospital A&E | 3–8 hours (low triage) | 24 h | Yes | Spanish |
| Local private clinic | 30–90 min | Variable (by appointment) | Yes (private prescription) | Variable |
| TravelDoctores (online) | < 30 min | 7 days, extended hours | Yes (digital private prescription) | English / Spanish |
* A&E waiting times are indicative and depend on triage. Serious conditions are always prioritised. For medical emergencies, always call 112.
Online medical consultation in English and Spanish. No travel, no waiting room. Digital private prescription when clinically indicated.
Start a consultation →The most common medical problems on the Costa Brava in summer
After two seasons seeing the same patterns, the list of summer consultation reasons is remarkably predictable. These are the conditions that concentrate the largest share of visits:
Urinary tract infection
The most frequent among women. Heat, prolonged swimming and changes in routine all favour its onset.
Swimmer’s ear
Inflammation of the external ear canal from repeated water exposure. Very common in children.
Gastroenteritis
Dietary changes, heat and new environments. Diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration.
Heat stroke
Especially dangerous for young children and the elderly. Requires medical assessment when symptoms are significant.
Sunburn
The first beach days concentrate the majority of cases. Some require medical treatment.
Prescription renewal
Regular medication forgotten at home or running out during the trip. Resolved with a video consultation.
What these conditions have in common
The vast majority do not require hospital infrastructure to be evaluated and treated correctly. They require a clinician with sound judgement, time to listen, and the ability to prescribe. That is exactly what telemedicine provides — without the three-hour wait.
Why I founded TravelDoctores
After watching the system strain every summer, I started asking a simple question: why can’t there be a medical alternative that works with the logic of the traveller — not the logic of the territorial health system?
The traveller who falls ill on the Costa Brava does not need A&E. They need an accessible, fast doctor who understands them — in their own language — and can give clinical guidance and prescribe when necessary. Without travel. Without a queue. Without losing a day of holiday.
That is exactly what we do at TravelDoctores: online medical consultations for travellers, in English and Spanish, with the ability to issue a digital private prescription when clinically indicated.
We are not a substitute for the emergency services. We are the logical alternative for the 80% of medical problems that are not emergencies but, without attention, can ruin a holiday or deteriorate unnecessarily.
FAQ: medical care for tourists on the Costa Brava
What should I do if I get sick on the Costa Brava?
If it is a serious medical emergency, call 112 immediately. For non-urgent problems — infections, ear problems, gastroenteritis, prescription renewal — an online medical consultation saves you hours of waiting. If you need an in-person physical examination, go to the nearest CAP or a local private clinic.
How long do you wait in A&E on the Costa Brava in summer?
During peak season (July–August), waiting times for non-urgent problems can exceed 3 to 5 hours at public centres. The population of towns like Lloret de Mar or Roses multiplies during the summer while healthcare resources do not grow in the same proportion. It is the main reason many travellers opt for private or telemedicine care.
Can a tourist get a medical prescription in Spain?
Yes. Any physician registered in Spain can issue a valid private prescription following the appropriate clinical evaluation, whether in person or via video consultation. Private prescriptions are accepted at all pharmacies across Spain.
Are there English-speaking doctors on the Costa Brava?
Yes, although during peak season immediate access to bilingual professionals at public centres is limited. TravelDoctores offers consultations in English and Spanish with no waiting time, removing the language barrier for international visitors.
What medical problems can be resolved by video consultation?
Urinary tract infections, ear infections, gastroenteritis, dermatitis, allergies, conjunctivitis, first-degree sunburn, prescription renewals, and general medical guidance during travel. The majority of summer medical problems do not require in-person attendance and can be fully resolved remotely.
Which towns on the Costa Brava have the highest pressure on health services in summer?
The areas with the greatest demand are Lloret de Mar, Blanes, Tossa de Mar, Platja d’Aro, Palamós, Roses and Cadaqués — all of which see very high national and international tourist numbers in July and August.
What the system cannot give you, we can
The public health system on the Costa Brava does what it can with the resources it has. The doctors and nurses working there every summer are exceptional. The problem is not the people. It is the structure.
And structures take time to change. Holidays cannot wait.
If this summer you arrive on the Costa Brava and something is not right, now you know you have an option designed specifically for you: an accessible doctor, in your language, who will not cost you the day.
Dr. Pablo J. Rossi, MD
CEO & Family Medicine Specialist — TravelDoctores
traveldoctores.com
Medical care on the Costa Brava — no waiting room, no queue.
Online consultations in English and Spanish · Digital private prescription when indicated
Available 7 days a week · For medical emergencies always call 112
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