Are you thinking about going on holiday to sunny Spain, but you can't choose between Lloret de Mar or Blanes? Then read on to find out which of these beautiful seaside resorts best suits your needs. Because despite the fact that these beautiful seaside resorts both on the Costa Brava, lie, less than 6 km from each other, there are some differences in your choice between Lloret de Mar or Blanes to take into account.
Lloret de Mar vs Blanes - The differences at a glance
| Lloret de Mar | Blanes | |
| Population | +/- 38.000 | +/- 40.000 |
| Surface | 40km2 | 18km2 |
| Beaches | 8 beautiful beaches | 5 beautiful beaches |
| Discotheques | > 25 large discos / clubs | 3 large discos / clubs |
| Prices | Due to the wide range, the prices for food & drinks in Lloret de Mar are very affordable. There is a suitable location for every budget. | Due to the wide range, the prices for food & drinks in Blanes are affordable. There is a suitable location for every budget. |
| High season target group | In the center of Lloret de Mar many young people and / or partying holidaymakers stay in the high season. Outside the party center, in the beautiful hilly area, Lloret is also very popular in high season families who are looking for sun, sea, beach and privacy. | In the high season, Blanes is also a very popular holiday destination among young people due to the wide range of entertainment options. However, in the relatively quieter old town and in the surrounding area, Blanes also offers wonderful opportunities for families looking for sun, sea, peace and space. |
| Target group early and late season | Most of the main bars, party cafes and discos in Lloret are open from mid-May to mid-September, with peak crowds in July and August. Before or after this period you will therefore encounter few partygoers. So if you want to enjoy a wonderfully quiet stay in Lloret de Mar, with pleasant temperatures, this is the perfect time to visit Lloret! | Most of the main bars, cafes and discos in Blanes are open from mid-May to mid-September, with peak crowds in July and August. Before or after this period you can enjoy a quiet and pleasant holiday in Blanes. |
| climate | Sea and Mediterranean climate. Temperatures are around 20 degrees from the end of April, rising to 30 degrees in July and August. In September and October you can also enjoy temperatures between 20-25 degrees here! | Sea and Mediterranean climate. Temperatures are around 20 degrees from the end of April, rising to 30 degrees in July and August. In September and October you can also enjoy temperatures between 20-25 degrees here! |
Read on below to learn more about these two beautiful Spanish beach resorts, and discover which one, Lloret de Mar or Blanes, suits you best!
Lloret de Mar
Lloret de Mar is one of the most popular holiday destinations from Europe. Located south of the 200 km coastal strip of the Costa Brava. Lloret de Mar has traditionally been a fishing village, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. However, today most people know Lloret de Mar as the ultimate sun, sea, beach and party destination. In summer, the population of the city therefore increases from 38,000 to 160,000. With an abundance of discotheques, bars, restaurants, casinos, hotels, shops and market of Lloret is a paradise for holidaymakers who want to enjoy and ultimate holiday for less money (cheap) !
However, besides a vibrant nightlife and pearly white beaches (look here for the best Lloret beaches), Lloret has so much more to offer like a rich history full of culture. You can admire the Catalan Gothic style Santa Roma church or the 2300 year old Puig de Castellet Iberian ruins behold.
The nature around Lloret de Mar is also beautiful, the Santa Clotilde gardens on a cliff with a beautiful view of the sea are a good example of this. Also a visit to it Castle of Lloret and the boulevard . In combination with the endless activities, Lloret makes the ultimate vacation destination in off season too!
21 Tips for your Lloret Holiday can be found here!
The Beautiful Beaches of Lloret de Mar
A radiant sun that reflects on the clear turquoise water of the sea, beautiful wide and long pearly white beaches, picturesque and intimate bays ... this is what you can expect during a day at the beach in Lloret de Mar. Lloret de Mar has plenty of options for the real beach lover. This way you can stretch your towel on the 1.6 km long of the Blue Flag beach Playa de Lloret or on the, comparable but quieter, 700 meters long Fenals beach, but also opt for the shelter in one of the hidden beaches.
Many Lloret goers have Santa Cristina named the most beautiful beach in Lloret de Mar. This 450-meter beach is located about three kilometers west of Playa de Lloret, in a bay between two large rocks. It is recommended to go with small children to Sa Boadella beach. The water depth here is only 70cm up to a few tens of meters in the sea. Finally, you will find, at more than 3 kilometers from the main beach, the beach of "Canyelles". This beautiful blue flag beach with gold sand and clear sea water has a small harbor and yacht club with water sports facilities.
See here the 8 best beaches in Lloret.
Enjoy culinary delights and Nightlife in Lloret de Mar.
With more than 20 big discos and a total of 300 entertainment places, Lloret de Mar is, without a doubt, the party destination in Europe. During the day, many pool parties, beach parties and boat parties take place, while in the evenings the clubs open their doors to tourists. The biggest discos in Lloret de Mar are: Disco Colossos, Millennium Party and St. Trop, they can accommodate 2500 to 3000 partying holidaymakers!
Besides bars, discos and casinos, Lloret de Mar also has a wide range of restaurants. So there is a suitable meal for every taste. Thanks to its location by the sea, Lloret is an ideal place to eat delicious seafood. Whether as tapas, grilled or in paella, the products from the sea are always fresh and good quality. During your stay in Lloret de Mar it is therefore highly recommended to taste the culinary delights from Spainand in particular those from Catalonia.
Activities in Lloret de Mar
As I said before, there are also many activities in Lloret de Mar . Whether you are a nature, beach, water sports, amusement park, culture lover or real dare devil, in Lloret de Mar there is for every type of holidaymaker a nice day out to plan. For example, you can practice numerous water sports activities in Lloret, one boat trip to make, bungee jumping, go on a jeep safari, swim in water parks like Water World, go with the little ones to Gnomo Park or go for an adventure in the Arbre Aventura Park.
If this is not enough for you, there are plenty of other options in Lloret de Mar. Admire culture, visit the Santa Clotilde gardens or enjoy cycling or hiking through the surrounding nature. If you don't have enough of the beautiful historic castles, cathedrals and ruins of Lloret de Mar, combine your stay in Lloret de Mar with a visit to the world city of Barcelona, at 80 km away!
Blanes
Blanes is a wonderful holiday destination on the Mediterranean at the southernmost tip of the Costa Brava,. From the Tordera River, located between Blanes and Malgrat de Mar, the Costa Brava flows into the Costa del Maresme. Blanes has traditionally been a Catholic fishing village which, over the years, has grown into a modern, dynamic seaside resort, with a small historic district. Blanes is also still an important fishing port, the fishermen still go out every day and at the end of the afternoon you can buy delicious fresh fish at the fish auction.
As I said, Blanes has grown over the years, yet it is a beautiful dynamic seaside resort. There is, therefore, plenty to do for families and groups of friends in Blanes and in the surrounding area. In addition to sun, sea and beach, you can enjoy the beautiful nature, many bars, clubs & restaurants, impressive monuments and sights, the water park, an afternoon at the karting track or a visit to Marineland. Blanes is, since years, a wonderful destination for young and adults with children.
The Beautiful Beaches of Blanes
Blanes has an approximately four kilometer stretch of coast with a beautiful long promenade that runs along the beaches. Several picturesque bays and beaches lie next to each other and offer a paradise for holidaymakers looking for sun, sea and sand. Almost all beaches in Blanes offer good facilities such as showers, toilets and cleaning services. The large central beaches also offer access for disabled people and have a first aid post.
The beaches of Blanes are known for their calm waters, but you should keep in mind that the water gets deep quickly. So if you go to Blanes with small children, it is recommended to go to a family beach, located in the center and on the harbor, Platja de Blanes . The northern end of this beach slopes gently down into the water. S'Abanell is the largest beach of Blanes with a length of 3km. This beautiful golden-yellow sandy beach is 300 meters from the center and offers, besides all facilities, wonderful water sports activities!
In addition to these 2 larger beaches, Blanes also has 3 beautiful small beaches located in bays: Cala Punta Santa Anna, Cala San Francesc and Cala Treumal. These picturesque beaches, between 100 and 200 meters long, feature soft golden sand or fine pebbles. The water is also crystal clear, which offers the perfect opportunity to go diving or snorkeling.
Enjoy culinary delights and go out in Blanes
In lively Blanes you can also enjoy a wonderful evening out thanks to the many restaurants, bars and discotheques. However, you need to know exactly where to go in Blanes. For example, Blanes has an old and new district. In the old part of the city you will find, besides a beautiful history, mainly the more luxurious restaurants. Great if you want to enjoy the tasteful and typical Spanish dishes in peace and quiet for an evening.
The new district, on the other hand, has a range of pleasant entertainment options. So you will find here several restaurants, bars and 3 beautiful large discos, Club Essencia, the Arena and Sa La Vega. Despite of the fact that Blanes has a nice nightlife, it should be noted that it is not comparable to the nightlife of the adjacent Lloret de Mar. Many young people therefore take buses from Blanes to the bigger nightlife in Lloret de Mar.
Activities in Blanes
In Blanes there is more than enough to experience for youngsters and families. During the day you can relax on the golden beach and for some refreshment, take a dip in the clear azure waters of the Mediterranean. After a day at the beach you can stroll along the boulevard and finish the evening with a good dinner in one of the restaurants or spend a great evening in one of the bars or discos. However, this is a standard day in Blanes, because there are many more fun activities to do here!
How about a visit to the Marimurtra Botanical Gardens and the Pinya Rosa Tropical Garden? Or discover in the old center the beautiful history of Blanes; visit the impressive churches and imposing buildings during an afternoon of culture! Do you prefer a little more action? Then go for a day to Marineland, the go-kart track, catamaran sailing or rent a private boat in the marina of Blanes! Finally, we have bustling Barcelona, with its endless activities at your fingertips! A visit to this cosmopolitan city should not be missed during your holiday in Blanes!
Want to know more about Blanes? Then read on at “Things to do in Blanes: Top 20 activities“.
Lloret de Mar vs Blanes - So what's the biggest difference?
Lloret de Mar or Blanes? Two beautiful and popular resorts for youngsters and families on the sunny Costa Brava! Despite of the fact that these beach resorts have many similarities (such as the flying at the same airport and the travel by car), there is a big difference to take into account.
Lloret is by far the largest and busiest place. In high season, life in Lloret de Mar continues day and night. Blanes, on the other hand, is relatively quieter. Due to the clear split in nightlife between the old and new district, you can still stay relatively quiet in the center of the old district in Blanes even in the high season. The possibilities in terms of going out and activities, however, are a lot less than in Lloret de Mar.
When choosing between these two resorts, Lloret de Mar or Blanes, it is important to ask yourself if you want to be right in the middle of all the action (Lloret de Mar), rather be in moderate action (Blanes) or that you prefer to look for this action when you feel like it (outside the entertainment area of both places).
For example, if you stay in a private holiday home just outside the center of Lloret de Mar. or Blanes then, unlike a hotel in the bustling heart, you can enjoy your holiday in peace and look for crowds whenever you want. Of course you have to take into account that looking up the promotion does mean that you have to arrange transport for this. So you could simply say that the biggest differences between Lloret de Mar or Blanes are in crowds and the range of entertainment & activities.
Do you want to enjoy a rent a villa in Spain? Then look here first!
Do you already know what it will be? Lloret de Mar or Blanes? Whatever your choice may be, Lloret de Mar or Blanes, both places guarantee an unforgettable holiday!