Been looking at alternatives for this year (club Cantabrica brochure came in today) and i was looking at Blanes and Tossa ..
Can any of the lovely people on here give me some advice on either of these resorts?
I have been to Blanes 3 times, each time I've coached it with Sunways (Manchester based company). I really like Blanes. It's not a huge resort but has 2 areas to it - the old town and then the Los Pinos area which is newer. That's where all the big hotels and campsites/caravan parks are.
All the shops and markets are in the old town. There are loads of bars and restaurants and an attractive marina area. The promenade is lovely too but the beach pebbly.
I can't comment on Tossa as I've never been but would reccomend Blanes to couples without young children. Other than the beach, there's not much for them.
Well, as a couple without kids, it sounds perfect for us!
Blanes is very nice and very Catalan. The main Town is a lively "working" Town as is the harbour with it's daily fish auction in the afternoons: you can observe the auction from a balcony area that has a bar, free admission. Again plenty of decent restaraunts along the sea front and in the town. The botanical gardens are a treat and well worth a visit. Not to many British people about, seems to be less British in the last couple of years. I always stay at the Hotel Boix Mar, a very nice family owned and run place. Loads of big campsites in the Los Pinos area, can't comment on them as I have never stayed in them. Whichever resort you choose, I don't think you will be dissappointed, especially if you want to avoid a Lloret style resort..no offence to Lloret, but it is a bit lively at times!
We would be looking to go either early or late season (Usually mid-May or late-September) so it should be pretty quiet i would imagine
We've really enjoyed Estartit in the past, but even early season can get a bit chav-ish at times now, and after going to Calella DP last September, it just felt so much better, and Tossa and Blanes kinda remind me of CDP in a way ... that little bit quieter. I certainly wouldn't fancy Lloret at all given what i've read in the past!!
It will more than likely be campsite for us, as being Veggie i tend to avoid hotels as they really just don't have a clue!!
Bus station 5 mins walk away. Train to Barcelona, very cheap.
We are off to Castell Montgri this year but I'd go back to La Maisa like a shot.
Oh yes, there's a Lidl nearby
Is La Maisa in Blanes then? That's a different site from the one Club C have, but thanks for the advice on the resort ... i like the idea of cheap travel into Barca, as i'd like to spend more time there independently ... bored of organised tours by now! I also like the idea of a more european resort, Calella DP felt like that too, whereas although i like Castell Montgri, it can be a bit 'Brit in the Sun' in peak times!
The site is very well maintained and clean. Security check people as they enter the site, especially in the evening, to make sure they are staying on the site. The main restaurant has unbelievable daily specials on offer. We were last there in August 06 and regularly had the half chicken, chips and salad with a litre of beer or cola included for 4 euros!!
Only one negative.....slow and miserable bar staff. Average age about 17! always looked like they didn't really want to be there.
Sounds nice, but going with Siesta would have to be a LAST resort for me!!
The beach is shingle so not a bucket and spade job but if you go past the ehadland to the North there is a really good sandy beach (name escapes me) easy to reach by road or by the water taxis which run up and down the coast. These also will take you to other resorts such as Tossa and Lloret (if you like Britain abroad) or to Callella.
The train from Blanes will drop you in the middle of Barcellona for just a few quid right at the top of the Ramblas.
We love it.
Bus from the terminus takes you to the train station, you can get a bus/train return to Barca for about 9 euros. I think we should've got off the train and changed once in Barca because we ended up by the port.........bottom and left of las ramblas
When we stayed at La Masia we were with Solaire Holidays.
Getting tempted to book a holiday now, always eases the pain of returning to work after Xmas and New year!!
the only downside (if that is the right term)to blanes (la masia) compared to CDP, is the lack of evening entertainment on site. If you don't mind sitting outside your accom fine, but there are a few hotels and pubs outside the main gate that have entertainment.
We were in Blanes in yr 2000, and it was ok. We went in early September, but IMO, there wasn't a great deal to do. There were some nice restaurants though, and the beach wasn't too crowded that time of year. However, we went back there two years ago in early July and thought it was very very quiet and hardly anyone was there, and there wasn't a great deal open. We were staying in Tossa at the time and soon left Blanes and got the bus to go to Lloret. I figured this was because it was a lower season though. Personally, I wouldn't go again.
Tossa, however, in that same year was lovely. In the first week it was reasonably quiet, but plenty of shops and restaurants were open, there is even a restaurant with a michelin star there, although we didn't try it as my husband is fickle. The area around the old town was beautiful, had a lovely atmosphere, and had lots of little pathways to explore, and there were lots of restaurants. Although I recommend the ones in-land rather than the ones over-looking the sea. However, we found a great steak restaurant ran by some English people which was superb, it's actually reasonably famous, but I can't remember it's name. The steaks were lovely!!
There was only one night club that I remember, but we didn't bother as many of the bars opened til late. There were two english bars, as I recall.
The second week was much busier, although it wasn't mad. A really nice place and I'd go again.
It is a handy base to go if you want to go to Barcelona, although it was awkward if you went there straight from Tossa, as you had to catch the coach and specify what time you want to come back. This was annoying as we got back at the right time and the coach left without us and we had to wait for the next one (they wanted to charge us until I told them the coach had left early).
We had been to Barcelona before, from Blanes on the train, which was more convenient, but the buses stopped quite early from there to get back to Tossa. If we did it again, I would go on the train and stay overnight in Barcelona and come back when the buses from Blanes were still running. Things may change in peak season. The tourist office is next to the bus station in Tossa, and they will explain all the times for you.
Have a look at www publiblanes net for up to date news and pictures in Spanish & Catalan. Scroll down the main page to see the damage to the Promenade after some recent storms: "El Temporal"
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