Immerse yourself in Costa Brava

By Clementine Robine in Destination

Immersed in the heart of the Costa Brava. There we go, exploring the secrets of one of the most visited and admired coasts in Catalonia, a place where you can easily enjoy the beautiful scenery of sea and nature, where you might even run out of time to see and experiment it all. Blanes, Tossa de Mar (yes, the locations where one of the most famous Estrella Damm commercials was recorded), S’Agaró, Palamós, Playa d’Aro… Magical places in spite of the pressure of tourism invading the coasts every summer.

Among the must-see places there is Blanes botanical garden, where you can find samples of the unique autochtone species and exotical flowers. An indescribable experience of so many colours and smells followed by a visit of the highest point of the cliff where it is located and from where you can savour stunning sea views.

Another garden you should visit is the Santa Clotilde garden. If you are staying in a hotel in Lloret de Mar, it will only be a stone’s throw away. It is a huge garden inspired on the famous gardens in Paris, but with wonderful views over the Mediterranean sea. Luxuriant vegetation with its infinite green tones, stairways, fountains, charming little squares… All of it only a few metres from the beach.

The municipal library of Lloret is a great centre of incessant activities. It offers interesting plans everyday of the year, from exhibitions to reading workshops and book presentations. Next to it, the Casal de l’Obrera offers theatres for all tastes, the Plaza de la Vila invites you to its festivals and local street markets, and Lloret beach will please any sporty person with its large variety of watersports, even traditional fishing demonstrations.

If you book a room in Lloret de Mar you will have the comfort to walk all around the city, without needing any transport. Although it is recommended to rent a bike and visit the surroundings: a perfect way to keep fit enjoying a beautiful scenery.

Don’t forget to save a day during your visit to go for a tour of the town’s Indiano and modernist legacy, eat at one of the traditional restaurants close to the beach, get closer to the Sant Romá church, stroll about the so-called Ronda roads which are the perfect way to discover the cost of the village, go up the hill next to the beach and climb to the Sant Joan castle…

Immerse yourself in Costa Brava and tell us about it: there are a thousand and one experiences you will be willing to share!

The charm of the coast of Barcelona

By Luke Durden in Barcelona

From Montgat to Magrat de Mar, where the river La Tordera flows into the sea, runs the entire coast called Costa de Barcelona o the Maresme coast, one of the most well-known coasts in Catalonia for its spectacular beaches and the charm and essence of its small fishing villages. A traditional national tourist destination, it counts with the name of places that breath summer and that have become a reference for many families in Spain, such as Caldetas, Calella, Santa Susanna…

One of the best towns to find accommodation in Maresme region is Calella due to its magnificent urban beach, Port Bo. It is one of the most authentic of this coast, and it maintains the tradition of fishermen clouding the coast with small colourful boats. It stands out for its quiet atmosphere and for providing adequate services for tourists.

Esglesia Street is the busiest commercial street in Calella de Palafrugrell, an excellent place to experience the beauty of this traditional family holiday destination: souvenir shops, beach bars, restaurants, bars, children’s playgrounds.

Nearby is the lighthouse of San Sebastian, an area of cliffs and rocky coves where you can enjoy a romantic escapade away from it all, and with a charm that gives the town of Llafranc, one that still remains intact, away from mass tourism. Here you can see one of the best sunsets on the Maresme coast, and sample some of the tastiest seafood dishes of this region of Catalonia.

If we move onwards, we find several touristic villages where it is relatively easy to find a good accommodation at very low prices. Hotels in Santa Susanna, for example, offer full services, a privileged location facing some of the best beaches on the coast of Barcelona like the Llevant beach, Les Caletes beach and the beach of Les Dunes.

If instead of booking Santa Susanna you book a hotel in Lloret de Mar, you’ll enjoy the last village in the Maresme region, located right next to the river Tordera, that borders with the coast of Girona. Its great beach of 7 km in length is one of its main attractions, which has led it to be one of the most tourist destinations in the Maresme. However, Malgrat de Mar is much more than beach. It is worth visiting Monte Castell, from where you can see the whole town and its surroundings including, the church of St. Nicholas, also called the Cathedral of the Coast, due to its location and large size, bearing in mind that Malgrat is by no means one of the largest towns of the coast of Barcelona.