LLORET DE MAR COSTA BRAVA

Fifty years ago Lloret de Mar was still a fishing village; now it has been transformed into a pulsating resort whose population rises to 200,000 in summer and where it is easier to get a hamburger than a Spanish meal. The main thoroughfare, Carrer la Riera, is a non-stop strip of discos, bars and amusement arcades, busy day and night. During the 1990s there have been attempts to change Lloret's image, but that seems to be missing the point. If you want fun in the sun, there's no better place.

The main attraction is the beach. The best sheltered swimming is at the north end, beneath the mock castle on the smaller beach of Sa Caleta. Several more beaches are within easy reach - Cala Gran and Cala Canyelles to the north, Platja de Fenals and Santa Cristina to the south. This last is the setting for a traditional festival each July, when the people of Lloret make a pilgrimage by boat, carrying a statue of their patron saint to the hermitage bearing her name. The old town lies just behind the promenade Look for the 16th century parish church, with its unusual Modermsla tiled roof.