Maria del Mar Hotel

Scenery

Shopping

Family

Watersports

Cost

Nightlife

Sightseeing

Beach

Restaurants

Activities

Days are usually spent enjoying Lloret de Mar's seafront and the shingly beach that slopes sharply into the sea, making ideal conditions for a variety of water sports for holidaymakers to enjoy, from lazily pedalling boats, skimming the surface on a windsurfer, or diving into the depths. Other diversions include a host of holiday fun like go-karts, bungee jumping, a mini-train, bowling alley and horse riding. For a change of scene visitors can head off to the Waterworld aquatic park, or play a round of golf at nearby Santa Cristina de Aro. Most visitors opt for one or more sightseeing excursions during their stay; local operators, hotels and package tour companies offer a wide variety of outings from exploring Old Girona to coastal cruises and wine tasting in the Catalan countryside. Most popular are trips to the huge theme park at Salou and Marineland near Blanes, both a few hours drive away. Those who wish to get away from it all can opt for one of a series of mapped walks along the coast or to traditional villages inland.

Restaurants

While in Lloret de Mar, holidaymakers should be sure to dine at America, La Parrilla, Disaster Café or La Pampa Steak House. There is a wide variety of cuisine available in a plethora of restaurants and fast-food outlets, from the best of British to traditional tapas, at very reasonable prices and generally good quality. Favourites with holiday-makers are strawberries and cream, Sangria (fruited sparkling wine) and delicious dishes of paella (seafood risotto). Many of the local restaurants in the old town offer a "menu of the day" deal including two courses, dessert, bread and even wine for a few Euros. There are also tex-mex, Chinese and various other flavours to indulge in.

Nightlife

The nightlife in the holiday resort of Lloret de Mar is exhilarating, its hundreds of bars and 30-odd nightclubs pulsating all night, particularly along the Avinguda Just Marles I Vilarrodona strip of the old town. Night owls who stroll along here in the late evening are accosted by touts offering free tickets and drinks vouchers for the clubs, and partying here can be as cheap as it is lively. Among the more popular clubs and pubs are Bumpers, renowned for its Caribbean cocktails and glass dance floor; Moby's, where karaoke is the popular entertainment; and Tropics, the biggest and best night-spot in town where guest DJs rock the night with a mix of house, rock and trance music enhanced with laser lights and foam. Families opt for friendly "home-style" pubs in the suburb of Fenals, where kids are entertained and the favourite English soap operas are screened.

Shopping

There are a multitude of shops and markets to choose from in Lloret de Mar, and plenty of time for holidaymakers to browse. The main shopping enclaves, from malls to small kiosks, are centred in the streets behind the waterfront. Wares tend to be touristy items, from souvenirs to bathing suits, and prices are generally reasonable although quality may be lacking. Some of the smaller shops close in the early afternoon hours and on Sundays, but in general visitors can shop happily from around 9am until late at night any day of the week during the busy summer season. The traditional local market is held every Tuesday on the Carrer dels Mestres, and there is a municipal market every weekday in the Carrer Senia del Rabic and Carrer Verge de Loreto.