Costa Brava on south begins in Blanes, a large tourists town with a fishing port and long beach. The Wild Coast or Costa Brava is so called because of the rugged cliffs and treacherous seas that pound the rocks. Blanes is a coastal town which is about 35 km away from Barcelona.
Blanes tourists resort
Quite a built up resort town with an old centre fronted by a long beachfront promenade, marina, and fishing port with good seafood restaurants.
Blanes attracts many international and local tourists. The town has grown from a small picturesque fishing village to large tourist and holiday town. Todays resort has a 3km long coastline with sandy bays and rocky coves. The main beachfront lined with high-rise hotels and apartment blocks but behind the holidays part, the town still retains some reminders of its past, like the medieval castle of St Joan, several churches and other ancient buildings.
Above the town are the magnificent Botanical Gardens of Marimurtra, and just beyond the Marimurtra Gardens is the first real cala, or sandy cove beach of the Costa Brava - a far superior spot than Blanes' wide beach.
Its greatest attraction - the Marimurtra botanical garden , is placed on a steep cliff north of town, and having 5 ha area. Here over 5000 species of trees, bushes and flowers grow and from that place you can see, in the distance, the spectacular vista of Lloret de Mar. Blanes has also long and a very pleasant beach with pine trees casting their shadows on it.
Garden of Marimurtra
Its greatest attractionis the Marimurtra botanical garden, placed on a steep cliff north of town, and having 5 ha area.
Here over 5000 species of trees, bushes and flowers grow and from that place you can see, in the distance, the spectacular vista of Lloret de Mar. Carl Faust, a German businessman established in Catalonia, started building the Marimurtra Botanical Garden in 1918 in Blanes, a small fishing village located at the beginning of the Costa Brava.
His enthusiasm for plants led to his association with some of the most famous botanists of the day such as Pius Font i Quer, Eric Sventenius, Carlos Pau, Josep Cuatrecases and Josias Braun-Blanquet.
The objective was to collect as many species as possible from the temperate and sub-tropical zones of countries with Mediterranean climates. He dedicated his entire fortune to this end, choosing the perfect place, situated on the Mediterranean coast facing south, protected from northerly winds. As a philanthropist, interested in the natural sciences, Faust devised the International Mediterranean Biological Station in order to promote investigation of the Mediterranean biome. In the early years important people like the prestigious ecologist Ramon Margalef became involved.
Today the Station is concerned with Mediterranean genera and the application of population genetics to conservation. The Carl Faust Foundation, created in 1951, continues his work. In addition to scientific investigation and conservation, the trust also gives much importance to greater awareness of the importance of the plant world.
Lloret de Mar
Lloret de Mar with its wide beach is in summer the place for the active ones. Plenty of sports and other activities and hundreds of discotheques transform the destination of many bus tour companies from a somehow quiet place for old-age pensioners in spring and autumn into an entertainment heaven for the young.
If you want to visit Lloret at the weekends you must be prepared for annoying traffic hold ups. Besides a go-kart-track and the “waterworld” with its many inventive water slides and various fun basins, Lloret provides two 18-hole golf courses where golfers of all abilities are welcomed.
Tosa de Mar
Tossa de Mar often called the “Pearl of the Mediterranean” or the “Blue Paradise” is one of the few small towns, which despite being affected by tourism, has kept its flair and its identity. The deep blue sea, the wide bay with fine sandy beaches the friendly open-minded people and the lovely old town “Villa Vella” will surely fascinate you as well as it has done the many visitors before you.
One can also stroll around one of the best preserved castles in the whole of Spain where Spanish and foreign visitors enjoy the atmosphere of old times and frequent the many romantic restaurants. During the main season you can also take a trip on a glass bottom boat or look down on the town from above while parasailing