BLANES
Area: Costa Brava
Country: Spain


Location:
Officially the most southerly resort of the Costa Brava proper (the area to the S is known locally as the Costa Maresme). 26 miles SE of Gerona airport; 40 miles N of Barcelona airport.

Telephone code from UK:
34

Website:
http://www.blanes.net/

Position:
Occupies mainly flat terrain fronted by a long beach; the marina is overlooked by a wooded promontory.

Description:
This compact resort, which covers about one square mile, is a quieter choice, bypassed by the main road. The resort is clearly divided into two, with the old Catalan-style architecture in the N and more modern tourist developments towards the S, most notably along the impressive larger beach. The resort centre is more like a small provincial town, with larger stores and boutiques. Although engulfed by development, many pine trees and areas of greenery remain; along the old sea front is a well-tended garden with park benches and trees.

Suitability:
Popular with middlemarket holidaymakers of all ages, though the resort is attracting an increasing number of more mature guests in the mid-seasons. Also popular with Spanish holidaymakers.

Accommodation:
From camping to 3-star hotels, though the general tone is 2-star and sedate, with a number of presentable apartments developing in the roads behind the sea front.

Shopping:
Some large stores; plenty of smaller boutiques.

Beach:
A broad, main stretch of coarse, clean sand; the beach shelves steeply, so caution is required when waves are stronger. Lifeguard stations dot the full length of the town beach.

Entertainments:
Daytime: mainly beach. A popular sailing club and fishing port at the N end, and an interesting botanical garden up on the headland. Nightlife: enough nightlife, but the town is not thick with it. A dozen discos and usual evening entertainment organised in the hotels. An international cabaret show operates at a venue between Blanes and Lloret de Mar.

Eating:
A wide variety; local cuisine predominates, with acceptable authentic restaurants in the old town.

Public-transport:
Buses along the sea front (main station at the edge of town). Regular buses to Lloret de Mar, 4 miles up the coast. Boats to Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar in season. Train to Barcelona (with stops at resorts along the way).

Local-excursions:
The same as Lloret de Mar, with the local town council promoting visits to the smaller towns of the rural interior. Blanes does benefit from the frequent train service through the resort areas to Barcelona.