Destination Information: Lloret de Mar, Spain – A Seaside Town Like You’ve Not Seen Before

 

I worked with The Costa Brava Tourist Board recently to explore the Lloret de Mar area of Costa Brava. This is my second time in the area as a few years back, I visited Girona and passed through Lloret de Mar where I had lunch on the beach in one of their local restaurants. A very memorable moment.

 

 

The closest airport is the Girona Costa Brava Airport (GRO)  as well as Barcelona International (BCN) with international connections. Once you get to either airport you can get local transport bus/trains to Lloret de Mar. And yes, this is off the beaten path, but the visit is well worth it as you’ll find.

 

 

Here are some initial facts about the area:

• Closest Scheduled Service Airlines Serving Lloret de Mar is Girona-Costa Brava Airport (GRO): Ryanair (FR), Transavia (HV) and select charter airlines. Although as mentioned the closest international airport is Barcelona, Spain (BCN).
• Airport Web site: Girona-Costa Brava Airport (GRO) http://www.girona-airport.net/. For Barcelona (BCN), whose web site is http://www.barcelona-airport.com/.
• Airfare Tip: Check out this post where I talk about how to find low fares or join my Travel Deals newsletter so you know when the deals are available.
• Airport To The City:
  • GRO – Take a bus to the Girona bus/rail station which is about 20 minutes away. Then take another bus to Lloret de Mar.
  • BCN – Flying into Barcelona? Then take the train from the airport to the Barcelona Sants station, then a Renfe train (1:15 to 1:31 depending on the train (Renfe) you take) to Blanes; then you can take a bus or a cab to Lloret De mar.  You may also take a bus from the airport directly to the Lloret de Mar bus station which is the method I recommend.
  • MAD – If you fly into Madrid (MAD) you can also take a bus or train to the Blanes bus/rail station. It takes a lot longer though (4-5 hours). But the Barcelona flights may all be full, so its worth looking into.
• Airport Hotels:
  • GRO – Salles Airport Hotel Girona (I’ve stayed at this one-you need a swim cap to use the pool, but you can purchase one there if you don’t have one). Check out hotels here.
• Neighboring Areas: Blanes, Figueres, Girona, L’Estartit, Roses. All these areas are accessible by bus from the Lloret de Mar Bus station which is right in the center of town.
• Currency: Euros (EUR).
• Language: Catalonian Spanish although English is also widely spoken in most areas. Your knowledge of Spanish will certainly help.
• Visa Information: No visa is required for stays less than 90 days for U.S. citizens. Other citizens should check with the Spanish consulate/embassy in your region for specifics. Alternatively, you can use the IATA Web site for visa/health requirements.
• Social Media Information: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, twitter, YouTube
• Costa Brava Tourism Board: http://en.costabrava.org/

 

Ground Transportation

You can get everywhere using the SARFA bus system. Tickets can be bought at the ticket offices in the cities from which you are leaving.

 

 

This video below will help you get sorted out. So pick a city on the map of the region and go explore. The buses can be had from the airport in Barcelona as well.

Hotels in the Regions

As you explore the area you will be able to find several hotels wherever you go. You may also decide to rent a house which will sleep anywhere from 2 to 20 people depending on where you want to stay and what you to do. I recommend check out Naturaki, which is a local company that provides a search for this kinds of property. Here are a few at which I’ve stayed and you should consider as well.

• Evenia Hotels
• Hotel Alba Seleqtta

 

 

When you are ready to book, use this search box so you can do some comparison shopping. I also earn a small commission if you use the box to make your bookings. Thanks for your support.

 

Things To Do

There’s not much to do in Lloret de Mar, except shop, relax, soak up some rays, check out the beach, drink wine and if you are there around the Formula One time in May you are in for a treat as you get to drive fancy cars and participate in quite a show. It’s called Lloret Formula Weekend and its wild!

 

 

It’s a walking town, so wear comfortable shoes. Also some of the streets are a bit hilly, but it allows you a chance to see the beach and the city below you. Remember that it is Spain so they have siestas, so the stores will be closed in the early afternoon, but usually open up again about 4:30p or so. It’s quite amusing really.

 

 

Take one of the boats that take you from town to town in the region. Some even have glass bottoms so you can see the ocean below.

Also, if you like hiking, there’s an outlook at one end of the beach. Oh and you can actually walk for quite a distance along the shore. It’s quite beautiful with cliffs and just fantastic views of the turquoise water below. So not much to do at all…

 

 

One night a year in May and I think in September as well, the shops are open all night and the town comes alive. There are local dancers and its just one big party all night. It’s a sight to see really.

 

 

During this long shopping night, there are fashions shows in the streets as well as in select stores.

 

 

Food

It’s Spain, what can I tell you. There’s food everywhere and its quite good. Tapas are us and wine and beer abound.

 

 

 

 

 

Side Trip

If you are into logging countries, this is one of the best ways to get to Andorra. You can consider renting a car, which would be great as the area is quite spectacular or you could take a bus to Girona and then from the Girona bus/train station take a bus right into the Andorra city center. They are not daily so check with the bus station in Girona for updated schedules. It is a very scenic drive through the Pyrenees mountains and totally worth it. You can overnight in Andorra or just do a day trip.

Have you been to this region? If so please leave a comment below about your recommendations and experiences. If you’ve not, then leave a comment if you need additional information about taking the trip.