Lloret de Mar in Costa Brava

Lloret de Mar is one of the most important tourist destinations in the entire Costa Brava. It is the favorite spot for young people from all over Europe: hotels are inexpensive, it's lively 24 hours a day, and there's hardly any time to sleep.

It's not a paradise: the city is unattractive, with enormous concrete buildings and chaotic traffic; confusion reigns supreme; clubs, bars, and restaurants are quite anonymous. If you decide to go to Lloret de Mar, it's because you are looking for cheap places and you enjoy crazy fun. If you're looking for a different kind of vacation, this is not the right place for you.

Despite its fame as a bustling beach resort, Lloret has beautiful monuments and places worth visiting. The Santa Clotilde Gardens are a must-see (also for a moment of peace). Designed like Italian Renaissance gardens, they overlook the sea and from the terraces, you can enjoy a magnificent view of a wide stretch of the Costa Brava.

The Castle overlooking the Sa Caleta beach, which is featured on all the postcards of the place, is actually not medieval but very recent. It's worth visiting, not only for the scenery but also because this is where the Cami de Ronda starts, a walking path along the coast of Lloret de Mar.

Once, before being destroyed by real estate speculation, Lloret had many houses belonging to the Indianos, locals who made their fortune in America and then returned to Lloret. Of these houses, only Casa Garriga, on the seafront, remains intact. For those seeking a bit of peace and a good view, we recommend the Hermitage of Santa Cristina.

It is the fishermen's church, which holds the Festa Major every year on July 24 under a century-old pine tree in the garden. The altar, made of different colored marble, features a painting by an unknown Tuscan painter depicting the death of Santa Cristina. The church is filled with ex-voto offerings from fishermen, almost all miniature boats.

The Monument to the Fisherman's Wife

This bronze sculpture, located at the end of Lloret de Mar beach, is one of the symbols of Lloret's millennia-old tradition and history. It was erected in 1966 to commemorate the first 1000 years of the town's existence. According to legend, if you look at the horizon while touching the sculpture's feet, your wishes will come true. This legend honors the tradition of fishermen's wives scanning the horizon with the hope of seeing their husbands return alive.

Lloret has 7 km of beaches, with clean water that has been awarded the Blue Flag by the European Community. The beaches are called Lloret, Fenals, Sa Boadella, Santa Cristina, Canyelles, and Treumal. Lloret beach is the main beach in the town, very crowded and surrounded by dozens of bars, restaurants, and supermarkets. Boats constantly arrive from the sea, taking tourists around the coast. It's not a place for those seeking tranquility but is the easiest to access, with activity at all hours of the day and night.

The Fenals beach is located to the right of Lloret beach; it has a more pristine stretch, with a Mediterranean bush forest that has resisted development and a section where high-rise buildings come almost to the water's edge. Fenals also has all the services expected by tourists. The Sa Boadella beach is a short walk from Fenals. It has preserved, in part, the charm of the small beaches of Costa Brava. For a moment, it will feel like you're not in Lloret de Mar. It's divided by a rock, and in one part, nudism is practiced.

After Boadella, there are the Santa Cristina beach and Treumal beach, excellent spots to escape the overwhelming crowd of the city beaches. You can reach them via the coastal road leading to Blanes. Heading towards Tossa de Mar, you will find Canyelles beach, nestled next to a new residential area. It's the exclusive beach of Lloret, relatively calm, and has good restaurants.

The favorite activity for those choosing Lloret for their vacation is to party at the nightclubs. There's an unparalleled offer throughout Costa Brava. The best DJs in Europe gather at St. Trop, a nightclub that has been setting music trends across Europe for 30 years. Bumper's, on the other hand, is the only outdoor nightclub in Lloret de Mar; the best DJs also play here. Every night, the music varies between House, Techno, and R&B. Privè De Magic is the most exclusive club in Lloret, featuring themed parties, light shows, and great music. If you don't like these three clubs, there are another 20 scattered throughout Lloret.

In Lloret, you won't go hungry, even at night and even if you have only a few euros in your pocket. There are about 500 bars and restaurants serving everything from hard pizzas to more or less decent dishes. The local cuisine has adapted to the needs of tourists arriving from all over the world; it results in a not-so-inviting mix, although there are some establishments where you can enjoy good local cuisine. One of these is El Trull, which has a good seafood and meat menu at reasonable prices. It is located in the Cala Canyelles area. Can Bolet is a restaurant primarily chosen by locals. It is located on Sant Mateu Street, in a little alley off Passeig de Font. Good seafood cuisine and a very unique bar counter: it is made from the keel of a boat. The menu ranges from 23 to 43 euros per person.

Lloret has an impressive concentration of hotels, apartments, and rooms. The competition for the cheapest accommodations is fierce. To stay in Lloret de Mar and its surroundings, we recommend booking in advance. You can check availability and offers in Costa Brava with Booking.com, one of the world leaders in online hotel and lodging reservations. Nearly 3000 establishments in Costa Brava with photos, detailed descriptions, prices, availability, and reviews from those who have stayed.