Blanes is the gateway to the coarse-sanded coast stretch of Costa Brava that continues all the way to the French border. The town itself has a strong local population, which is why Blanes is not just a beach resort, but a mixture of vivid local town and a summer escape by the sea, with nice shopping possibilities and a good selection of restaurants.

The festival, Festa Major de Santa Anna, takes place in Blanes every July. In the festival, huge fireworks are rocketed up in the sky as teams from different countries gather to compete in an impressive fireworks competition.

Where to stay in Blanes

Sa Palomera is a visible massive rock in the sea just in front of the town. The beach Platja de Blanes is situated to the north from the rock. The old town, with the town’s best shopping possibilities and restaurant services, situates right behind the beach. Regarding the number of restaurants, shops and proximity to the beach, the ideal location for accommodation is probably around the photos 9, 12 and 13 on the map.

The area south of Sa Palomera is a bit more modern, but lacks the charm of an old Spanish town. It has a wider range of choices for accommodation, though. The distance between tags 11 and 8 is 1,5 kilometers.

Things to do in Blanes

The activities and attractions in Blanes are associated with its nature and history. For more family activities, check our tips in Lloret de Mar, located only 5 kilometers away.

Marimurtra Botanical Gardens

The botanical gardens of Marimurtra are considered as one of the most interesting botanical gardens in the whole Europe. In this very beautiful setting, you can admire over 3000 types of plants.
The gardens are divided into 3 different areas; Subtropical, Temperate and Mediterranean. They contain plants from 5 continents.

Marimurtra is less than one kilometer away from the center, but there’s a steep uphill road to tackle.
How to get: Walking, taxi or tourist bus/train from Catalonia Square that costs about 5 euros one way and 10 euros with return.
More information: marimurtra.cat

Castell de Sant Joan

For the best views over Blanes, go to the hill with Sant Joan castle. On a clear day, from the top of the wall at 173 meters, you can see all the way to Montjuic hill in Barcelona city. The first references of the fortification, which was built against the pirate attacks, date back to the year 1002. Nowadays, the “castle” is basically a watchtower, and the main attraction there is the magnificent 360° panorama view.

The image on the top of this page was taken from Castell de Sant Joan. The first image in the gallery was taken from the road leading there.
How to get: Walking or by taxi. It's located close to the tag number 1 on the map.

Shopping in Blanes

Blanes has a reasonable selection of shops by international brands like Mango, Benetton or Stradivarius. Most shops are situated in the old town, near the tags 12 and 13 on the map.

Prices in Blanes

Blanes is one of the most affordable holiday destinations on Costa Brava. The gap in accommodation prices between the low and the high seasons isn't as significant as in the smaller beach destinations, like Lloret de Mar or Tossa de Mar, either. The accommodation prices are the highest in July and August, which is the peak high season.

Below, there are examples of restaurant and hotel prices in Blanes. The hotel room prices are median prices at Booking.com.

Product

Pizza in restaurant

Steak in restaurant

33 cl beer in restaurant

Hotel room, 3-4* (April)

Hotel room, 3-4* (July)

Price

€8-12

€17-23

€2.4

€100

€132

Compare room prices at different months and different travel agents at HotelsCombined.

How to get to Blanes

  • From Girona airport by bus: It takes about an hour and costs about 10 euros. Schedules: sagales.com.
  • From Barcelona airport (terminal 2) by train: It takes a little more than 2 hours, but you have to change trains in Barcelona-Sants station. . Schedules: renfe.com
  • From Barcelona airport (Aeroport del Prat de Llobregat) by bus: The journey takes approximately 2 hours and costs 11 euros. You don't have to change bus lines, so taking a bus is an easier option than by train to get to Blanes, if you’re flying to Barcelona airport. Schedules: sagales.com

Weather in Blanes

Blanes weatherWinter: The winter months from December to February are often rainy, and the average daily high temperatures vary between 5-15 °C.

Spring: It stops raining in March and the sun is out often. The average daily highs climb to about 15°C in March, but in May, they’re closing in on 20 °C. May is often the first month with occasional hot days, and that’s when the locals hit the beach.

Summer: From June to August, sunshine is pretty much guaranteed, and it gets hot. Temperatures exceed 30 °C, especially in July and August. June tends to be less hot.

Autumn: September is still warm, and it’s often beach weather until the end of the month. Temperatures in September stay clearly above 20 °C. In mid-October, the weather cools down to below 20 °C, and it starts to rain more often. In November, the temperature is already around 10-15°C.

Check Out Other Destinations in Catalonia