Lloret de Mar is certainly one of the liveliest holiday resorts on the Costa Brava, with plenty of dance clubs, music bars, and discos staying open from late until the early hours. The town boasts a good selection of fine beaches and a host of sports and leisure facilities. It is also a convenient base for touring local resorts and cities like Barcelona, Figueres and Girona. The history of Lloret de Mar dates right back to the 3rd century BC, but it was only 50 years ago when tourism began to expand there and the town became well known as a popular package holiday town.
Lloret de Mar beaches are excellent with the main beach in the town nearly a mile long called the Playa de Lloret. It is overlooked by a seafront esplanade lined with many shops, bars and fine restaurants. A variety of holiday activities are available here, including parasailing, wind surfing, jet and water skiing. Further south of the town centre is the smaller Playa de Fenals which backs onto old pine trees. There are also a few small coves along the Lloret de Mar coastline, in particular the Playa Santa Christina which has a lovely white sand beach.
Over looking and between the beaches of Fenals and Lloret de Mar stands the Castell de San Joan, which dates right back to the early 11th century. The fortress has been assaulted on several occasions during its long turbulent history, the most recent was in 1805 when it was fired upon by a British man of war. In the last decade the Castell de San Joan has been partially restored and then converted into a local heritage centre.
The cliff top formal gardens of Santa Clotilde are worth a visit just for the stunning vistas of the coast. Originally designed by Nicolau Rubio and laid out a century ago, these Renaissance modelled, terraced gardens are ideal for some peace and quiet well away from the busy town. The countryside around Lloret de Mar is quite stunning and there are a lot of hiking or walking trails in the local area, a map can be obtained from the tourist office.
The biggest cultural attraction in Lloret de Mar is probably the Maritime Museum near the front, housed inside the old former residence of the Garriga family, who made their large fortune in far off Cuba during the early 19th century. A few minutes drive outside the town is the very popular
Lloret de Mar water park of
Water World. This large aqua park has something for all ages, from the hair raising water flumes, like the Kamikaze to small pools for young children to paddle. The water park also has a small picnic area, mini golf course plus a few cafes and restaurants. A free shuttle bus runs to Water World from the town centre.
Lloret de Mar Golf enthusiasts can play at the Santa Cristina de Aro Golf Club.
Lloret de Mar may feel busy in the daytime, but it is in the evening that it really springs to life. With loads of discos, music bars and dance clubs to choose from, including the famous Caribbean themed Bumpers, that even has a glass dance floor, plus the ever popular karaoke bar, Mobys. Lloret also has a wide choice of cafes and restaurants, probably more so than any other of the towns on the Costa Brava. This selection includes fastfood chains, English and Irish bars serving pub grub and more traditional Spanish seafood restaurants. There are also plenty of international style restaurants serving Indian, Chinese, American and Italian cuisine.
