Legend has it that Blanes sold Santa Cristina to the people of Lloret de Mar for a plate of lentils. Whether true or false, it's hard to believe today that, next to one of the most crowded spots on the Costa Brava, the hotel hub of Lloret de Mar, there is a paradise of pristine beaches thanks to the steadfast preservation of the same inhabitants, who for decades have expanded their land purchases around the area. Santa Cristina area to prevent urbanization. Beneath the chapel filled with votive offerings from ships loaded with young Indians who set sail for the Americas, Santa Cristina beach is an oasis surpassed only by the tranquility of the surrounding coves.