Lloret de Mar (Lloret de Mar) is a Catalan resort with many attractions, which is part of the province of Girona. This is the most famous and popular among tourists Mediterranean resort in Spain, located on the Costa Brava.
Top 11 attractions in Lloret de Mar
What can I see in Spain in Lloret de Mar? We offer you a brief description of the attractions of Lloret de Mar in Spain with photos and names and recommend a visit to this wonderful city.
City cemetery
The idea for such a cemetery came at the end of the 19th century. It was created at the initiative of the citizens of the city, who once immigrated to America, got rich there and returned home with a lot of money. And the cemetery was created in the 1920s.
At that time, the most popular architectural style was Art Nouveau. The best Spanish architects of the time, most of them disciples of Antonio Gaudi, worked on the project of the cemetery. Today the cemetery has become a work of art.
Each rich man built a mausoleum here for himself in the style of the Mayan tribe. It was in Latin America that most Spaniards and Catalans from Lloret de Mar worked and became rich, it was there that they first saw these unique mausoleums.
San Roma Temple
This Catholic church is located in the center of the city and is recognized as one of the monuments of history and culture. It was erected in the 20s of the 16th century in the style of classical Catalan Gothic. In the following centuries the church was repeatedly rebuilt.
At the beginning of the 20th century, modernist fragments appeared in it, especially in the sculpture of the Virgin Mary. Nearby you can see the surviving frescoes of the 16th century with scenes of the Passion of Christ and the life of St. Roma, in honor of whom the temple was built.
This church was badly damaged during the Spanish Civil War, when it was badly burned. But fortunately, the most valuable works of art were not touched by the fire, and the burnt walls were rebuilt after the war.
San Juan Castle
This castle is located in the suburbs, near the largest local beaches. Historians believe it was built in the early 11th century. Before that, there was a Catholic chapel on the site of the future castle.
Today of the castle of San Juan remained only ruins: the foundations of the tower, east and south walls, etc., because in the middle of the 14th century here from Genoa came the war fleet, and in the early 15th century in the vicinity of the city was a powerful earthquake.
In the following centuries the castle was reconstructed, in fact, rebuilt from scratch. Until the 17th century, it served its fortification functions well, in particular to protect the city from attack by pirates from the sea. Today the castle is a historical monument.
Cat Museum
It is a popular city landmark, the only one in Spain. The museum opened in the very beginning of the 21st century, thanks to a couple from Russia, and today has a huge collection of exhibits about cats.
The core of the entire museum is a private collection of Russian millionaires dedicated to these pets. They gave the museum ceramic figurines, paintings, wooden, porcelain, silver and stone figurines from the 18th to 21st centuries.
In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as sacred animals of divine origin. A commoner could be executed for killing a cat. In the Middle Ages, cats were considered the devil’s spawn; later the love for them returned.
The Botanical Gardens of St. John the Baptist. Clotildes
This garden is located on the Costa Brava on a hilltop with magnificent views. It was designed in the Italian style at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, there are many marble sculptures, fountains, etc. on its territory.
It is interesting that this garden has a huge number of different plants, but almost no flowers. A beautiful building with open terraces, a huge staircase and sculptures of mermaids was built in the center of the botanical garden in the 1920s.
The outskirts of the Garden of Santa Clotilda merge with the natural landscape, in this area you can find small fountains, sculptures, stairs on the hillsides, etc. The garden is interesting because it has so many springs, accompanied by birdsong and murmuring water.
Maritime Museum
The museum is located in the historic center of the city, in one of the old mansions, built in the 19th century. In those days, all of Spain was struck by the “gold rush,” with many fleeing to America to suddenly become rich.
The owner of this mansion received “mad money” in America, came home and built his family nest. Later this mansion was purchased by the city authorities and housed the Museum of Local Lore, which later became the Maritime Museum.
Here visitors can learn about the history of Lloret de Mar, fishing and coastal trade, the work of shipyards and merchant fleet to Cuba and all of Latin America, the old traditions of navigation, etc.
Archaeological Museum
The history of the house in which the archaeological museum is located is directly linked to the history of the entire city. It was originally a farmhouse, but in the 19th century it was renovated and the house became a summer residence and later a hotel.
Today it houses an exhibition devoted to the archaeological history of the ancient Iberian people and the history of Lloret de Mar. Here you can learn that there were two dozen farmhouses here in the 14th century, until the plague came to town.
Many artifacts are devoted to the culture of the ancient Iberians, who inhabited the south of modern Spain in the 6-3 centuries BC. They had a developed agriculture and trade with Ancient Greece and Carthage.
Statue “Fisherman’s Wife”
At the end of the city beach is a rock, on top of which there is an observation deck. There is a curved staircase leading up to it. The safety platform is fenced with railings, and in its center is a bronze sculpture of the fisherman’s wife. Her name in the city is Venus Lloret.
The monument symbolizes the faithfulness of wives who take their husbands to the sea for dangerous work – fishing, and then wait a long time back, looking at the sea distance, trying to see on the horizon familiar boat with his beloved.
This monument was created and installed in the 1960s by the sculptor Maralall, when the city’s residents were celebrating its millennial anniversary. Today, the site with the sculpture is accessible around the clock and the citizens and guests of the city.
Puig de Castellet
This ancient settlement is located a few kilometers from Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava. Historians date it to the 3rd century BC. Excavations are organized here, with a total area of about 60 square meters.
At one time the settlement was surrounded by a strong fortress wall with towers. This was demanded by the famous Punic Wars, which lasted more than 100 years and affected almost the entire Mediterranean coast.
Puig de Castellet had an excellent strategic position, almost invisible from the sea, so its inhabitants and warriors were engaged in observing the surrounding territories and controlling the military situation.
Les Alegre Church
This first Catholic parish church of Lloret de Mar was erected at the end of the 11th century. It was the main parish in this small town until the 16th century. Today, the church is a historical and cultural monument, famous for its frescoes.
In the 11th century in Lloret de Mar the new church of San Roma was built, so this became known as the Old Church, later it became a hermitage or a small monastery where hermit monks lived in seclusion.
The architecture of this church retains the original Romanesque style, although it was significantly reconstructed after the Spanish Civil War. The Romanesque style is clearly visible in the bell tower.
Benedictine Monastery
This Gothic-style monastery was built in the 10th century a few kilometers from Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava. It was originally home to Benedictine monks until the very end of the 17th century when the monastery was burned by the French.
Eventually the monks left the monastery, and a century later it was rebuilt in the then fashionable Baroque style. Later the monastery building passed into private hands and was restored.
To this day, this monastery remains the most grandiose structure on the Costa Brava. Every year it celebrates its consecration on May 1. There is a celebration and then a festivities in town, attended by residents and tourists.
Video overview of the sights of Lloret de Mar
The history of this settlement dates back long before the ancient Romans, in the days of the Iberians, but the first time the name of the city is mentioned in the documents in the 10th century. The inhabitants of the city in those days were engaged in fishing and trade, defending themselves against pirates.
Today Lloret de Mar – one of the best resorts in the Mediterranean, distinguished by first-class service and excellent tourist infrastructure. Tens of thousands of tourists from many countries around the world come here every year.
