Français
English10 places to see in Lloret de Mar
- Location: Lloret de Mar is on the Costa Brava, 75 kilometres from Barcelona, with beaches more than a kilometre long and hidden coves. Outside the summer season, the crowds thin out and the old town and the Caminos de Ronda are quieter to explore.
- Gardens and coves: the Italian-inspired Santa Clotilde Gardens sit on a cliff above Cala Sa Boadella, a 250-metre clothing-optional beach. Sa Caleta, below the Castillo d'en Plaja, is good for snorkelling.
- Heritage: the Sea Museum occupies the indiano house of Can Garriga, on three floors, and traces local seafaring in the first half of the 19th century. The church of Sant Romà dates from the 16th century, and the modernista cemetery bears witness to fortunes brought back from the Americas.
- Nearby: the late 18th-century hermitage of Santa Cristina is 3 kilometres away; the sanctuary of Sant Pere del Bosc, 6 kilometres away, dates back to the 10th century and was remodelled after 1860 by Puig i Cadafalch for Nicolau Font.
- Key point: every June, the American Fair recalls the town's indiano heritage.
There are plenty of places to see in Lloret de Mar, a resort town on the famous Costa Brava, 75 kilometres from Barcelona. Thanks to its ideal location, the town offers beaches more than a kilometre long as well as beautiful hidden coves with crystal-clear water. Its indiano past, from locals who made their fortune in the Americas, gave it buildings of great beauty, and together with its modernista heritage it adds a cultural side to a perfect holiday. Here is a selection of 10 must-see places in this beautiful Costa Brava town that will surely make you want to invest in property in Lloret de Mar.
Lloret de Mar changes with the seasons. In summer, thousands of tourists fill its beaches, enjoy leisure and sports activities and make the most of the lively nightlife in its bars, terraces and clubs. If you prefer something quieter, at other times of the year the town is left to its residents. It is the perfect time to enjoy the beaches and coves in peace, shop in the old town or walk some of the most beautiful Caminos de Ronda on the Costa Brava.
Santa Clotilde Gardens
Photo: viajeroscallejeros
A visit to the Santa Clotilde Gardens, set on a cliff with spectacular views of the sea and the Costa Brava, is one of the best things to do in Lloret de Mar. This romantic, Italian-inspired garden is considered one of the finest historic Mediterranean-style gardens in Europe and one of the must-see places in the province of Girona. On a quiet walk through the gardens, you will find terraces, stairways, a pond, busts, classical sculptures and, above all, spectacular views of the sea and the lovely Cala Sa Boadella.
Sa Caleta
Photo: viajeroscallejeros
Sa Caleta, a pretty cove with fishing boats pulled up on the sand below the photogenic Castillo d'en Plaja, is one of Lloret de Mar's best-known postcard views. The cove, at the end of the town's promenade, is one of the best beaches in Lloret de Mar and a great place to relax. Its clear turquoise-green water, with a seabed full of marine life, is perfect for snorkelling or for your first steps in scuba diving.
Sea Museum
Photo: viajeroscallejeros
The indiano house of Can Garriga has great historical value. On its promenade, the Sea Museum is one of the must-see places in Lloret de Mar. This three-storey building shows, in a truly special way, the close relationship the town has had with the sea and seafaring throughout its history. You will learn the story of the remarkable sailors of Lloret de Mar's golden age as a fishing village, in the first half of the 19th century, and see a fantastic collection of model ships. Thanks to its multimedia content, well-preserved period objects and explanatory texts, the visit is very enjoyable and highly recommended.
Santa Cristina hermitage and beach
Photo: viajeroscallejeros
Santa Cristina, patron saint of Lloret de Mar and protector of sailors, gives her name to two places in the town: the hermitage and the beach of Santa Cristina. The late 18th-century hermitage of Santa Cristina, 3 kilometres from Lloret de Mar, stands out for its marble high altar, some relics of the saint and a superb collection of model boats. Outside the hermitage, you can also enjoy the sea view from its lovely terrace, from which a steep path leads down to Cala Treumal, near Santa Cristina beach. Santa Cristina beach in Lloret de Mar is surrounded by rocks and pine trees, perfect for getting away from the bustle of the town in high season.
The modernista cemetery, one of the places to see in Lloret de Mar
Modernista cemetery
The modernista cemetery is one of the places to see in Lloret de Mar. It was shaped by the town's indiano past: many families who had made their fortune in the Americas commissioned renowned architects to build their family tombs and crypts. Modernisme had a strong influence on architecture and sculpture in Catalonia at the end of the 19th century; its greatest figure was the genius Antoni Gaudí, followed by some of his disciples. The architects of this movement turned the cemetery into an open-air museum.
Caminos de Ronda
Camino de Ronda
Walk along the Caminos de Ronda and finish with a refreshing swim in a small cove with crystal-clear water. Lloret de Mar has two beautiful sections of the Camino de Ronda, which runs along the whole Girona coastline. Our favourite path in Lloret starts from Sa Caleta. It skirts the Castillo d'en Plaja to the rocky Cala dels Frares. You can enjoy a walk with magnificent views of the sea and cliffs until you reach the beautiful Cala Trons. The second Camino de Ronda starts from the southern end of Lloret de Mar beach, where you will reach one of the best viewpoints in town. You can end the walk at the rocky Cala Banys, or climb up to the castle of Sant Joan and finish on Fenals beach.
Church of Sant Romà
Sant Romà church
The 16th-century church of Sant Romà, in the town centre, is one of the places to see in Lloret de Mar. Its exterior is striking. With colourful mosaics on its roofs and modernista turrets, it is one of the most iconic images of the town. This contrasts with a more austere, simple interior. Built in the Catalan Gothic style, the church has other notable features such as the high altarpiece, the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and the bell tower.
Cala Sa Boadella
Sa Boadella
Cala Sa Boadella, listed among the best beaches on the Costa Brava, is a 250-metre clothing-optional beach where you can enjoy a day of sun and sea surrounded by beautiful pine trees and rocks. Away from the centre, it does not get many tourists. It has all the facilities you need for a relaxing day at the beach. At the far left end of the cove, you will find a tiny, narrow cove, as pretty as a postcard, and a superb viewpoint over the whole beach.
Sanctuary of Sant Pere del Bosc
Photo: Viajeros Callejeros
About 6 kilometres from the centre of Lloret de Mar, in a wooded setting, stands the sanctuary of Sant Pere del Bosc. The hermitage dates back to the 10th century, when Benedictine monks lived in the monastery. In 1860, it passed to the wealthy indiano Nicolau Font, who asked the famous modernista architect Puig i Cadafalch to remodel the monastery and build the Mare de Déu de Gràcia chapel and the Sant Pere del Bosc cross. On the way to the sanctuary is the Angel Monument, in memory of Jacint Verdaguer, who spent time at Sant Pere del Bosc. Today the sanctuary is a private hotel, and you can only see inside if you stay at the hotel or book a table at its recommended restaurant.
Lloret of the indianos
Photo: Viajeros Callejeros
Every June, Lloret de Mar holds the American Fair in memory of the many locals who went to seek their fortune in the Americas in the first half of the 19th century. Of all those who left, some were lucky, especially in Cuba, and came back or helped, from afar, to transform the town. This indiano heritage has survived to this day, and an interesting tour lets you see many of their contributions to the town. Would you like to invest in Lloret de Mar? Feel free to contact us. We will be happy to answer all your questions.
Thomas Rouer is the founder of Alveo Search and the CEO of the Alveo group. Based in Spain for almost ten years, he develops property services designed for the specific needs of foreign buyers.
His expertise covers every aspect of buying property in Spain: understanding the market, searching for and selecting properties, negotiation, financing, paperwork, tax and securing the purchase process.
Our resources for buying in Spain
