If you’re ever on the Costa Brava, and we hope you visit soon, this place will astound you. Lloret De Mar is a popular resort town in this area, one of the highlights of visiting this small section of the world. There is so much that makes Lloret great that it’s hard to capture in one visit. In fact, we advise several trips to this region to get a sense of what life is like here.
But we could probably do one better than simply suggesting that you come back more than once to experience life here. If you want to really get to know Lloret de Mar, maybe it’s best for you to experience it like a local.
The town gets thousands of tourists every year. These visitors get to walk around and watch what life is like. But very few of them actually know what it’s like to truly experience one of the jewels in the crown of Costa Brava. Let us help you experience Lloret the way it would be if you actually lived here.
The Town of Lloret de Mar
This isn’t a hard place to visit. Being one of the most populous towns in this area, there are many options to get here. Day trips from Barcelona are very popular, but they don’t do it justice. We would advise staying in Lloret de Mar for a few days to get a true experience that you can take home with you and relish for years to come.
The town has so much to offer. There are several astounding museums and examples of the artistic culture that defines this place. You can see the living history of the buildings around here, great relics that demonstrate the different people groups that have called this place home. There are, of course, some astonishing beaches for you to enjoy. Explore the coves and caves around the area with no end to the wondrous scenery that stretches along the shore.
But you knew that, didn’t you? You already knew that Lloret was going to be worth the visit. We can’t help but remind you of all the things you should be doing here. But how can you have a holiday to remember? Let’s have a look at some unique ways to experience Lloret de Mar as a local.
Adopting the Local Customs
Alright, you have arrived in Lloret de Mar. You want to live your life the way that people would do it here. You want to experience the town as locals see it. You want the authentic holiday. So, where do you start?
The best way to get the local experience is to start living like a local. That means letting go of what you are used to doing, and living the way a Spaniard would in a fishing village, much like Lloret de Mar would have been a few years ago. That means you need to start sleeping when they sleep, eating when they eat and participating in the things of life that they love.
Take something simple like dinners. In the west, we tend to think dinner is a time when you get together, maybe around 6-7PM, and have a meal. You don’t linger. You eat up quickly and move on to the next thing. If you want to live like a local, let’s start with your dinners. The Lloret de Mar residents like to eat late, and it’s not something they get out of the way in order to move on to the next thing. It IS the most important part of the night. Dinners start around 9-10 PM (as you’ll discover that’s when most restaurants are at their peak) and it’s something to be savoured and enjoyed. Meals are times to laugh and enjoy with company. Go ahead and drink a bottle of wine or two with your meal.
The sooner you give up trying to live our western life on the Costa Brava, the easier it will be to adjust. Participate in events like the Tirada a l’Art, one of the most historic events in the city. It’s a celebration of the way life used to be here, a tribute to the fishing histories that made this city great. Another event you should participate in is the Carnestoltes, a new festival that has a grand parade through the centre of town.
Eating Regional Foods
If you’re going to live like a local would live, you have to eat what the locals eat. One visit to the Costa Brava, and you’ll discover that people in this place love their food. It’s a passion for many, and one of the reasons that so many Michelin-starred restaurants can be found up and down this coast.
The local cuisine is influenced by both the sea and the scenery. Seafood and fresh meats play heavily into any dish you find here. Restaurants and chiringuitos (local cafés on the beach) will feature foods with fresh fish and lovely assortments of meat as part of the attraction. Spanish cuisines differ from region to region, so expect to find a unique dish here that can’t be found elsewhere.
Try to find great seafood dishes like tuna escabeche, esqueixada, or suquet de peix. Other meaty dishes include ollada or a simple escalivada with grilled veggies.
And don’t forget the wine. My goodness, you can’t forget the wine. It’s a cardinal sin to visit this part of Spain and not indulge in some of the libations that this region produces. The Catalan Cava is very similar to French champagne, and a welcome treat at the end of a meal. You might want something more familiar like a Moscatelli, a great regional example of the Moscato wines produced elsewhere in the world.
Staying in Local Homes
Finally, if you were looking for the true local experience, why would you ever choose to stay in a hotel? They are bland, boring, and very much the same the world over. Instead, be a little adventurous and find a private villa in Lloret de Mar that feels like you belong there. These private villas allow you to live amongst the people that you are visiting. They are wonderful examples of the exact type of homes that locals come home to every day.
On the plus side, they can house several guests. If you are travelling with a group, stay in the one place in a private villa. They can be cheaper when you cook at home, more authentic for their vibe and location, and very exotic to have your own private home in Lloret de Mar with a private pool and plenty of personal space to enjoy it.
Life in Lloret de Mar is simpler, slower, and superior to the hectic lives led in the big cities of Spain. At least, that’s our opinion having lived like a local here. There is something magical about the ability to transform yourself when you travel and find a new beginning here. We hope that you get to experience all that makes this place great, not from a distance like a normal tourist, but from deep and rich experiences as you live like the locals do.
