Blanes: the Only Costa Brava Resort the Train Reaches
The Costa Brava officially begins here. The Sa Palomera rock splits the coast in two: long Maresme beaches to the south, rocky coves to the north. Blanes sits exactly on that line.
Blanes has what Lloret, Tossa and Cadaqués lack: a railway station.
What that changes
The R1 out of Barcelona runs along the shore, and the last twenty minutes roll at the water's edge. By day trains leave every half hour, so the platform wait stays short, but check the evening services first.
The views are good, and with only a backpack you won't find the ride tiring.
But three things are worth knowing first.
There's no direct train from the airport. First the R2 to Sants or Maçanet, then a change onto the R1. With suitcases that change means two flights of stairs and a hunt for the right platform.
Then there's the station itself, two kilometres from the sea and away from the hotels. A local bus runs to the beach, taxis wait outside, and on foot it takes twenty-five minutes, uphill at that.
And the evening gaps: the later it gets, the rarer the trains, and after midnight none run at all.
When the train makes more sense
You're alone or a pair, a backpack on your shoulders, arriving in daylight with nowhere to rush. Then the R1 ride counts as part of the holiday already.
When a car makes more sense
A family with suitcases after a three-hour flight. A night landing. A hotel at the far end of the seafront. A pushchair. Any one of these is enough, and changing trains with luggage stops being a cheerful adventure.
Barcelona Airport to Blanes is 84 km, ~1 hr 7 min on the road, along the coast on the fast C-32.
Blanes or its neighbours
Blanes lies closer to Barcelona than the rest of the Costa Brava, and it's calmer than Lloret. Nightlife barely exists here, but you get the Marimurtra botanical garden on the cliff above the sea and a fishing port where boats return at dusk.
Lloret de Mar sits five kilometres on: people go there for bars and nightlife. Tossa comes ten kilometres later: a fortress above the bay and a different tempo.
Which beach suits which day, we cover in a separate article.
When to go
The sea warms up by June and stays warm into early October. July and August are peak season: the seafront is packed, and parking by the water goes by ten in the morning.
At the end of July the town holds the Focs de Blanes fireworks competition, five nights running. Crews fire the shells from the water, and you can watch from anywhere on the seafront. Hotels for those dates go early, and the trains run packed.
September is the compromise: the water's still warm, and the beach has room again.
Frequently asked questions
Is the train from the airport a good way to reach Blanes?
If you travel light and are in no hurry, yes: the R1 runs along the sea and trains leave every half hour. With suitcases you face a change of trains, then two kilometres from the station to the beach.
How often do trains run to Blanes?
Every half hour by day, less often in the evening, nothing after midnight. There's no direct train from the airport: you change at Sants or Maçanet.
How is Blanes different from Lloret?
It's quieter. Lloret has clubs, bars and crowds on the seafront; Blanes has the botanical garden, the fishing port and family beaches. Five kilometres separate the towns.
How far is Blanes station from the beach?
About two kilometres. Twenty-five minutes on foot, a local bus covers the route, and taxis wait on the station square.
When is the best time to visit the Costa Brava?
June or September: the water is warm and there are fewer people than in July and August. You can swim into early October.
What is there to see in Blanes besides the beach?
The Marimurtra botanical garden on the cliff above the sea, Sant Joan castle with a path up from the town, and the fishing port, where boats return towards evening.
Which airport is closer to Blanes?
Girona is closer, but fewer flights land there. Barcelona is further, though the choice of flights is wider and the road follows the fast C-32.
Is there anything to do in Blanes in the rain?
There are options. The botanical garden opens in any weather, though rain won't make a walk above the sea any nicer. Half an hour away sits Girona, with museums and an old town under stone arcades.