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General Description of Lloret de Mar
The biggest resort on the Costa Brava, sprawling in rather haphazard fashion for roughly 2½ mls east to west and 1¼ mls north to south, Lloret de Mar is also said to be the most concentrated in Spain. This is the original "once a small fishing village" resort where fisherfolk are now an endangered species; its population, given as 15,000, bursts through the 200,000 mark in the high season. Lloret is brash and busy; the main street leading down the sea front from the bus station is packed with neon signs advertising nightclubs and fast-food restaurants, the only Spanish feature being the rows of tall pine trees which line the pavement. There is a little charm remaining in the tight grid of narrow streets just back from the main beach where many a delightful little bar and fish restaurant awaits discovery. The seafront promenade, marking the southern boundary of the old town, is also pleasant for a stroll. Although there are traces of history going back 1,000 years, there is none of the rustic nostalgia evoked by its Latin name – Lauretum, the Field of Laurels. There is some peace to be had in the more recently developed sprawl to the west, where most of the apartments are situated.
Market/Suitability
Appeals to the young; teenagers, young couples and families in the lower to middle price range. Groups of mature visitors come mainly out of season. Attracts a wide range of nationalities.
Location/Contact
Location: In northeast Spain, on the Mediterranean coast. Midway along the Costa Brava, 5 mls southwest of Tossa de Mar, 47 mls northeast of Barcelona. 24 mls south of Gerona, 20 mls south of its airport.
Position: Formed around the largest bay on the coast which, unlike the resorts farther south, has the more typical Costa Brava characteristics of being rocky, interspersed with bays or "calas", with the wooded hills in most places coming right down to the shore.
Postcode: 17310
Website: www.lloret.org
Accommodation
Plenty of it – there are hotels at practically every turn, most of them huge, simple and inexpensive. Some smaller 1- and 2-star hotels and hostels are found in the centre, while apartments tend to be away from the busy central areas, often with a long walk to town or beach. In addition, there are a handful of 4-star options and one 5-star.
Beach
The main beach of gritty, light-coloured sand runs in a bold ½-ml strip between headlands and is the focus of the resort. A second beach, smaller but also impressive and less crowded, lies west beyond a steep coastal hill and is known as Platja de Fenals (or Playa de Fanals in Castillian Spanish). Sunbeds, parasols, beach bars and pedalloes all available.
Shopping
In addition to the usual tourist shops, there are many small boutiques and gift shops throughout, with the main concentration in the streets parallel to the promenade. The best-value local products are leather goods and pottery.
Entertainment
Daytime: beach based, including water sports; go-kart track; bowling alley; riding stables; Skyrider (bungee capsule); minitrain; guided walks visiting the smaller bays along the coast and some of the churches and farmhouses inland; athletics track and sports centre close to main bus station.
Nightlife: the centre pulsates at all hours with music bars, usually with a non-Spanish theme; nightclubs, some with spectacular laser shows; casino; entertainment laid on by hotels.
Eating Out
A vast number of restaurants and cafes, most of which are in the narrow streets of the old town. All types of cuisine can be found; the menus usually have photographs of the dishes to identify them to the thoroughly cosmopolitan mixture of visitors. There is a heavy emphasis on British-style grub and fast food. There are also a few Spanish, or more precisely Catalan, restaurants offering local cuisine, particularly fish dishes.
Public Transport
Coastal service every 30 mins to Tossa and the train station at Blanes where connections run to Barcelona until early evening. Hourly bus to Barcelona; about 5 a day to Gerona. City bus service circulates regularly until the late evening and there is a minitrain. A ferry runs 6 to 7 times daily to the other resorts along the coast.
Local Excursions
Half day: Waterworld aquatic park; 18-hole golf course, 25 mls north at Santa Cristina de Aro (Club de Golf Costa Brava). Full day: sightseeing and shopping in Barcelona; sightseeing in Old Gerona; massive theme park at Port Aventura, Salou (2½ hrs' drive each way); Pyrenees Mountains; Marineland dolphinarium near Blanes with zoo and water park; mountain monastery at Montserrat; cruises along the coast, stopping at resort beaches; Catalan countryside tours including local wines and market at Tordera; diving and cruising around the Medes islands off Estartit; duty-free state of Andorra (long day of mostly travelling).
Serving Airports
Gerona Costa Brava (GRO)
Flight time from the UK: 2 hrs
Barcelona (BCN)
Flight time from the UK: 2 hrs
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