Blanes Holidays: Beaches, Coves and Castell de Sant Joan
Província de Girona · Catalonia · Spain · 40,047 residents · on the coast
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Blanes is a coastal town of around 40,000 people in the Província de Girona, close enough to Girona airport that you can be on the sand within half an hour of landing. Its main beach, Platja de la Badia de Blanes, lies right by the centre, and a string of coves runs along the shore, from Cala de Santa Anna to Cala de Sant Francesc and Treumal. Above it all stands Castell de Sant Joan, with the Castell palau dels Vescomtes de Cabrera in town and the Jardí Botànic Tropical Pinya de Rosa just outside. Summers are warm and dry, with July and August the pick of the year, and the town makes an easy base for the neighbouring resorts along this stretch of Catalonia's coast.
Why go
- Girona airport, with direct flights from the United Kingdom, is just 16 miles and around 23 minutes away.
- Platja de la Badia de Blanes sits a few hundred metres from the centre, with coves like Cala Forcanera nearby.
- July brings highs of 28°C with only around four rain days, ideal for a summer beach fortnight.
Top sights in Blanes
Castles, Coves and a Tropical Garden
The most notable sight is Castell de Sant Joan, a listed cultural property about 0.6 miles from the centre. Closer still, around 0.2 miles away, is the Castell palau dels Vescomtes de Cabrera, another cultural property and an easy wander from the seafront. For greenery, the Jardí Botànic Tropical Pinya de Rosa, a protected area, lies roughly 1.3 miles out.
The beaches are the main draw. Treumal, about 1.6 miles away, is the best known, while Platja de la Badia de Blanes is right on the doorstep at around 0.1 miles. Platja de s'Abanell (0.7 miles), Cala Forcanera (0.7 miles), Cala de Sant Francesc (0.9 miles), Cala S'Agulla (1.4 miles), Cala de Santa Anna (0.6 miles) and Platja de la Punta de Santa Anna (0.6 miles) give you plenty of choice, and all suit families.
Tours and tickets for the area can be booked directly from this page, where you will find the current options listed below.
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Tours & tickets in Blanes
Guided tours, day trips and tickets in and around Blanes can be booked in advance, priced in GBP.
See tours & tickets (opens GetYourGuide in a new tab)Where to stay in Blanes
Town Centre or Cove Side
If you want everything on foot, stay near the centre: Platja de la Badia de Blanes and the Castell palau dels Vescomtes de Cabrera are both within a few hundred metres, and with around 40,000 residents the town has a lived-in, year-round feel rather than being purely a resort.
For something more beach-focused, look towards the coves, which spread out between roughly half a mile and a mile and a half from the centre, from Cala de Santa Anna and Cala Forcanera to Cala S'Agulla and Treumal. Platja de s'Abanell, about 0.7 miles away, is another option for a longer stretch of sand. The page shows live hotel prices so you can compare areas side by side.
Hire a car
The easiest way to reach Blanes and the villages around it is a hire car from Girona (GRO), about 23 min away.
Best time to visit Blanes
When the Weather Is Best
- 14°CJan19 mm
- 15°CFeb49 mm
- 17°CMar46 mm
- 19°CApr68 mm
- 21°CMay50 mm
- 25°CJun74 mm
- 28°CJul16 mm
- 29°CAug55 mm
- 25°CSept76 mm
- 23°COct105 mm
- 18°CNov39 mm
- 15°CDec18 mm
Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
July and August are the most pleasant months. July is the driest of the year, with around 16 mm of rain over about four days and highs of 28°C, while August is the hottest at around 29°C, with lows of 21°C on both months keeping evenings warm.
Spring is mild but changeable: May has the most rain days, around 12, even with highs of 21°C. Autumn starts warm, at 25°C in September, but October is the wettest month with about 105 mm of rain. Winters are gentle, with January highs of 14°C and lows of 5°C, and relatively dry.
Full monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14°C | 5°C | 19 mm | 8 h |
| Feb | 15°C | 6°C | 49 mm | 9 h |
| Mar | 17°C | 9°C | 46 mm | 10 h |
| Apr | 19°C | 10°C | 68 mm | 11 h |
| May | 21°C | 13°C | 50 mm | 12 h |
| Jun | 25°C | 18°C | 74 mm | 12 h |
| Jul | 28°C | 21°C | 16 mm | 13 h |
| Aug | 29°C | 21°C | 55 mm | 12 h |
| Sept | 25°C | 17°C | 76 mm | 10 h |
| Oct | 23°C | 16°C | 105 mm | 9 h |
| Nov | 18°C | 11°C | 39 mm | 7 h |
| Dec | 15°C | 6°C | 18 mm | 8 h |
Averages 2015–2024. Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Getting there from the UK
Flights, Drives and Ferries
Girona (GRO) is the closest airport, about 16 miles away and roughly a 23-minute drive, and it has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Barcelona (BCN) also has direct UK flights and lies around 45 miles away, about an hour by car. Reus (REU), with direct UK flights too, is further at around 91 miles, a drive of about two hours and ten minutes.
If you prefer to drive the whole way, allow around 15 hours of driving from Calais. The port of Barcelona, about 38 miles away, offers ferries to Palma, Alcúdia, Maó, Ciutadella and Ibiza, as well as to Italy and Morocco, which is handy if you want to add an island stay.
By air
- Girona (GRO)16 miles, about 23 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Barcelona (BCN)45 miles, about 1 h 4 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Reus (REU)91 miles, about 2 h 10 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
By car and ferry
Driving from Calais takes roughly 14 h 56 min without stops. Nearest ferry ports: Barcelona (38 miles).
Blanes is good for
Around Blanes
Neighbouring Towns Along the Coast
Lloret de Mar and Malgrat de Mar are both just 3 miles away; Lloret is the larger, with around 37,000 residents. Santa Susanna, a small place of about 3,000 people, is 5 miles off, and Pineda de Mar is 6 miles away.
A little further, Tossa de Mar and Calella are both around 8 miles from Blanes, while inland Hostalric and coastal Sant Pol de Mar are each about 10 miles away, making all of them comfortable half-day outings.
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Tips from Robin
Practical Points Before You Go
Fly into Girona if you can: at 23 minutes by road it saves the best part of an hour over Barcelona, and both have direct UK flights.
If you are travelling outside high summer, pack for showers. May has the most rain days of the year and October the heaviest rainfall, so keep a flexible plan with the castles or the botanic garden as wet-weather options.
The town sits only 16 metres above sea level and most beaches are within about a mile of the centre, so you can manage much of your stay on foot without car hire.
Questions people ask
What is the nearest airport to Blanes?
Girona airport (GRO) is the nearest, about 16 miles away and roughly a 23-minute drive. It has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Barcelona airport is the main alternative, around 45 miles and about an hour away by car.
When is the best time to visit Blanes?
July and August offer the best conditions. July is the driest month, with around four rain days and highs of 28°C, while August is the warmest at about 29°C. October is the wettest month, so it is less reliable for a beach holiday.
Is Blanes good for a family beach holiday?
Yes. Platja de la Badia de Blanes is right by the centre, and family-friendly coves such as Cala de Santa Anna, Cala Forcanera and Cala de Sant Francesc are all within about a mile, with Treumal around 1.6 miles away.
Can I visit Lloret de Mar or Tossa de Mar from Blanes?
Easily. Lloret de Mar is only about 3 miles from Blanes, and Tossa de Mar is around 8 miles away. Malgrat de Mar, Calella and Sant Pol de Mar are also within 10 miles, so a base here covers much of the nearby coast.
How long does it take to drive to Blanes from Calais?
Allow around 15 hours of driving time from Calais to Blanes, before any stops. Most travellers break the journey with an overnight stop, or fly to Girona or Barcelona, both of which have direct flights from the United Kingdom.
What is there to see in Blanes besides the beaches?
Castell de Sant Joan, a listed cultural property about 0.6 miles from the centre, is the best-known sight. The Castell palau dels Vescomtes de Cabrera is close to the seafront, and the Jardí Botànic Tropical Pinya de Rosa, a protected area, lies about 1.3 miles away.