Blanes' thriving fishing industry means there's always fresh seafood in the choice of Blanes restaurants. The town is renowned for its fine seafood. Monday morning is the big outdoor market day and stalls line the Blanes boulevard. Blanes' pretty Paseo Maritimo is adorned with palm trees and adjacent restaurants.

Blanes has good shopping in the downtown area which features a network of winding, small streets and peaceful squares. Arts and crafts/souvenir shops jostle with some pretty chic upmarket clothes shops too in Blanes. For a quiet, yet well equipped tourist resort, Blanes fits the bill on the Costa Brava. The Costa Brava Coastal Boats (Viajes Maritimos and Dofi Jet boats) call into Blanes and S'Abanell beach just to the south, so it's easy to move up the Costa Brava coast from the resort. Sagales buses also offer an excellent service in and out of Blanes to Girona, Girona Airport and elsewhere in the Costa Brava.

Find tourist information in Blanes at Blanes Tourist Information Office, Pg.Catlunya, 2 173000 Blanes (Selva), Costa Brava. Tel. (00 34) 972 330 348.

Blanes has a Botanical Garden covering 16 hectares and situated right on the coast and is well worth a visit.

Fine views of the Mediterranean can be seen from the gardens, which is well known for its array of flora. Garden zones include a subtropical garden, temperate garden and Mediterranean garden. The latter includes an extensive selection of Catalonian endemic plants.

Marimurtra Botanical Gardens Blanes, Passeig Carles Faust 9, Apartado Correus 112 17300 Blanes - Girona. Tel. 972 330 826. Guided tours are available, and a rest area with available refreshments is on-site.