Lloret de Mar is a popular tourist resort close to the French border in the Catalonia district of Spain. It is a city with a favoured location on the shores of the Mediterranean and its name is said to derive from the Latin Lauretum, meaning “place of the laurels”.
Once a busy fishing port, today Lloret de Mar has been given over largely to tourism. The numerous sandy beaches, hot summers and vibrant night life provide the ideal ingredients for a fun-filled holiday. The main beach is some 1.5 kms long and is consistently awarded the European Blue Flag for cleanliness and facilities.
Although the tourist facilities dominate, there are still some traditional customs to be experienced. For example, between June and September the locals dance the Sardana in the Placa de la Vila on Saturday nights. This is a traditional Catalonian dance which was banned by Franco's fascist regime. Anyone can join in as it is a public folk dance symbolising brotherhood and democracy.
The nightlife of Lloret de Mar is possibly the biggest attraction for most of its visitors. It has a wealth of bars, restaurants and nightclubs which are open until the early hours. Many of the restaurants have dinner shows which include flamenco dancing and music and cabaret.
When the visitor tires of the nightlife there are still some cultural attractions left in Lloret de Mar.
One of these, the Castle of Saint Joan, is the remains of a medieval castle from the 11th century. Only the tower of the castle’s tower remains. Another example is the Church of Saint Romà, a gothic church built in 1522 as a refuge from attacks from pirates. Largely restored in the early 20th century, it has been converted it into an interesting building with Byzantine, Muslim, Renaissance and Modernist influences.
