The best kept secrets of the coastal path that leads to the pristine beaches of Lloret de Mar

Lloret de MarLegend 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.

A natural passageway between rocks leads south to Treumal Cove. To the north, towards the center of Lloret, cliffs separate it from the nudist Boadella Cove. It is one of the most unspoiled coves on the Costa Brava, facing the Santa Clotilde Gardens and the rock of s'Àguia, and from land it can only be reached on foot, walking the 200 meters of track that connects it to the road that goes up to the Santa Cristina area.

This paradise is connected to the Gran de Lloret beach by a coastal path steeped in history and recently opened, offering spectacular views of the Costa Brava. We suggest an easy route, about two and a half hours one way, that reviews much of the history of Lloret de Mar. It is 7 km in total, 1.6 km if you take the new section that runs along the seafront between Gran de Lloret beach and Fenals beach, where you can visit the statue of Dona Marinera, the idyllic corner of Cala Banys, where you can have a drink surrounded by palm trees, and the Sant Joan castle.

Sa Caravera

From the southern end of Gran Beach in Lloret de Mar, we take the coastal path inaugurated in the spring of 2024, with its unmistakable iron railings. Just before starting the stairs, we pass Sa Caravera Beach, an area of calm, shallow waters mixed with rocks, perfect for stopping and staying with children. Its name seems to derive from skull, due to the skulls found in the past after pirate raids. From this point, at the other end of the beach, we see Sa Caleta. These are the only two spots along Gran de Lloret beach where it's possible to enter the water without sinking due to the shifting sand.

'Sailor Woman'

We say goodbye to the Gran de Lloret beach from the imposing and emotional bronze sculpture of the Sailor woman, a work by artist Ernest Maragall. Standing 2.4 meters tall, it is a tribute to all the women who were responsible for supporting their families while their husbands sought their fortune on the other side of the Atlantic. Also known as the Venus of Lloret, is located on an old bunker built by the Franco regime after the Civil War, fearing an invasion that never happened. You'll notice that the statue's foot is very shiny: this is due to the belief that any woman who looks at the horizon and touches the foot will see her wishes come true.

Cala Baños

The area we passed through, a century ago, was all vineyards. There are still old photographs that bear witness to this. The same thing happened in the Santa Clotilde Gardens, which before the Roviralta family remodeled them housed a total of seven winemaking estates. Before the great trade with the Americas in the 19th century, Lloret was primarily a farming town, known for growing an early potato that was exported via coastal trade throughout the Mediterranean coast.

Cala Banys, the first stop as you begin the coastal path, was thus just another estate in the landscape. Until three generations ago, the family that had a shack for making ciflas decided to open it to tourism and convert it into one of the beach bars, still today with the best views of the Costa Brava. Surrounded by palm trees, it's a rocky cove—there are concrete areas to lie down—where you can enjoy a swim and have a drink at sunset or in the early morning on the way back from a party. Since the remodeling of the coastal path, it is accessible via a long ramp from the new Parque de las Olores de Lloret, located on Paseo Manel Bernat.

Castle of San Juan

Past Cala Banys, the new trail begins, traversing the typical cliff landscape of the Costa Brava. Until a year ago, it was impossible to continue along the path without risk. Now, after a long period of litigation with property owners, a path has been built leading to Sant Joan Castle and Fenals Beach. This area was already inhabited by the Iberians, and up to three settlements have been discovered, including that of Sa Caleta Castle. Now, the only ruins remaining are those of the castle, built at the beginning of the 11th century and offering protection against piracy.

A thousand years ago, Lady Sicardis, the first owner of Lloret de Mar, fought to survive in this spot, and with her the lineage of the Viscounts of Cabrera began. It was the seed that led the people of Lloret to begin living near the sea. In the 13th century, due to a series of debts, the town became the property of the Bishopric of Girona until the beginning of the 19th century, when 40,000 pounds were paid at the dawn of a century that would change the town's destiny forever. The castle's tower, rebuilt after years of damage, can now only be climbed. The chapel it once housed was demolished in the 1960s to try to build a housing estate.

Fenales Beach

Fenals Beach is amidst beautiful viewpoints overlooking the sea. This is another, much quieter hotel area in Lloret, where remains of an ancient Roman factory were found. It's currently one of the areas with the largest Ukrainian population and where you can find restaurants serving typical Ukrainian dishes.

The path continues along the sea to the Santa Clotilde Gardens, managed by the Lloret de Mar Town Council since 1997, where it is possible to take refuge from the heat. Boadella Cove, Santa Cristina Beach, and Treumal Cove cannot be reached via the coastal path. You must walk along the sidewalk of the road that winds along the coast, and there are different access points to each corner of the beach. Don't miss them; it would be a shame. And don't miss the Santa Cristina Chapel, with its murals reproducing a Sorolla painting and commemorating the July 24th gathering. It is the day that the people of Lloret de Mar reclaim the town from the tourists, with a sea procession to the site, a rowing competition—the S'amorra Amorra—and a highly prized stew cooked on the beach.