Blanes has become, little by little, one of the main holiday destinations in the Costa Brava for the whole family. Tourism in this seafaring village goes back to the fifties of the last century, which has improved its services and facilities. In 2007 all this effort was recognized, since Blanes was the first coastal town to obtain the Family Tourist Destination Certificate of the Catalan Tourism Agency.
Blanes offers plenty of entertainment options for children, from playgrounds to outdoor play, in squares and along the promenade, to water parks and events organized by museums and private companies. Around 70 restaurants have also received the Certificate of Family Destination, which offers special menus for children, adapted chairs ... The public services work perfectly and you can find all types of holiday homes in Blanes with all the services of the needs of the families
Here we have chosen 6 opinions that make Blanes a great destination for family travel:
1. It has a great variety of games
Most of the beaches in Blanes are perfect for families with children, as their waters are quiet and shallow. The central beaches of golden sands extend facilities to enjoy a great day on the beach: showers, restrooms, first aid services, sun loungers rentals and pedal boats, etc.
Both Blanes beach and S'Abanell beach - this last one the longest of the Costa Brava – have all kinds of activities for kids, like volleyball, windsurfing, water skiing, paragliding, sailing, boat trips ... And for the smallest children, you also can find a large number of water activities offered by the Children's Club with quality monitors that ensure that boys and girls enjoy themselves with total safety.
If you prefer smaller, quiet beaches, surrounded by pure nature, you can choose to visit some of the charming coves of Blanes, such as Cala San Francesc, which also has the main services for you to enjoy with your children.
2. The relaxed atmosphere of a fishing village
Blanes also boasts a long promenade filled with lovely terraces, a lane and handcrafted stalls, which is worth visiting at dusk. You can even get on the train that runs along the Blanes coastline for a boat trip along the coast.
Another alternative is to stroll through the port, where you will find yachts and small fishermen's boats and where you can enjoy fresh fish or seafood or approaches to the fish market, one of the few still active in the Costa Brava. As you can see, if you decide to rent a holiday home on Blanes beach, enjoy a few relaxing days with lots of options to enjoy with your family.
3. The breathtaking view from the castle
Another worthy family activity is going up the hill of San Juan, until reaching the castle of the same name. It is located 173 meters high and from it you can enjoy wonderful panoramic views of Blanes, the port, the beaches and the whole coast. On clear days, we even reach the top of Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona.
Be sure to carry enough water for the road and avoid the central hours of the day, as it can get too hot especially in summer. Also, wear comfortable shoes and protected from the sun with sun visors and sunscreen.
If you think your kids are too young to walk up the stairs and climb up to the castle, you can also choose to hop on a serpentine road that has free parking places.
4. Fascinating festivals and local traditions
As a lively town, Blanes enjoys diverse attractions, markets and all kinds of events throughout the year. The celebration of the Night of San Juan in Blanes is one of the best in Catalonia. After all, Blanes has a castle and a hill whose name comes from the same saint.
If you are in the area at the end of July, you will have the opportunity to experience the impressive Blanes Fireworks Competition, one of the best on the Costa Brava and throughout Europe. It usually attracts thousands of people and is part of the Blanes Festival. You can enjoy live concerts and all kinds of family-oriented celebrations, such as giant parades, fireworks and folk dances.
In winter we also find a great number of events for the whole family, such as the fun Carnival costume parade in February or the magic of the Three Wise Men's Parade on 5 January.
5. The most amazing botanical gardens
If you want to enjoy unforgettable moments in family, in a relaxed place and return home with a lot of beautiful photographs, then you will love the botanic gardens of Blanes.
The Marimurtra garden, in Blanes, is considered one of the best botanical gardens in Europe. Nestled on top of a mountain, this colorful garden offers wonderful views of the Mediterranean Sea and the beautiful rocky coves that lie just below the garden.
More than 300,000 people visit this garden every year, as it is one of the Costa Brava's greatest attractions. In addition, your children will have a great time because, apart from the 4,000 species of plants, there are also many very friendly parrots, which are not afraid of humans, so they come to pose in the photos.
You can reach the garden of Marimurtra on foot, as it is only 1.5 km from the center of Blanes (follow the street of Passeig de Carles Faust, just behind the port) and take the opportunity to visit the coves that are way, for example, Cala San Francesç. The garden is open every day from 10:00 to 17:00 and admission costs € 6.5.
Another well-known botanical garden is Pinya de Rosa, which, like the previous one, also enjoys fabulous views of the sea. With almost 7,000 species of plants, you can show your children many types of cactus, aloe vera and palm trees.
In addition, you can promise your children that, after the visit, you will refresh yourself on a beautiful beach, as it is worth taking advantage of the free parking that includes the entrance (4 euros) and enjoy the cove Treumal, located only 300 meters away. This is undoubtedly a perfect plan to spend an incredible summer afternoon, as the Pinya de Rosa garden opens from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
6. A fun outdoor day with kids
There are many places in Blanes where you can have fun with children. You can go bowling, play mini-golf at the Garbí Mini Park or entertain yourself at the Karting Club Blanes circuit.
For a special day in some water park or adventure, these are the best options in and around Blanes.
The large water park, called Water World, has a large number of attractions for all ages, from water slides, wave pools and jacuzzis. In addition, since 2010 we can launch on its 40 meters slide, almost vertical ... A more than refreshing experience! If you fancy spending a day having fun in pools and slides under the sun, just head to Lloret de Mar, the neighboring town of Blanes. A short distance from the center of Lloret de Mar, less than 15 minutes drive from Blanes, you will find the best water park on the east coast of Spain and one of the largest in Europe.
Another option for a great family holiday is the Palafolls Marineland, just 10 minutes from Blanes. This water park has a dolphinarium where shows and educational activities are offered for the little ones.
Very close to Pals, just an hour from Blanes, you can experience a unique outdoor adventure with your children at Porc Aventura Costa Brava. Here you can spend an incredible day jumping from tree to tree, since it has more than 80 different activities, all of them suspended several meters high in the tree tops: zip lines, jump jumps, ropes, nets, hanging bridges, tunnels...
And the best of all is that you can enjoy of all these activities in Blanes for you and your family staying at one of the best bungalows of Costa Brava, in the Camping Bellaterra. This camping has direct access to the beach of S'Abanell, where you can practice water sports and offers visitors a wide range of services such as entertainment, food, walking and culture .. Don’t miss the opportunity!