Blanes.

Blanes sits where the Costa Brava begins, its skyline marked by the dark rock of Sa Palomera, which juts into the sea by the town's beaches. The marina keeps a steady traffic of fishing boats and charter yachts, and the old quarter behind it holds narrow streets that climb gently from the harbour. Above the town, the Marimurtra Botanical Garden looks out over the Mediterranean, its paths lined with cacti and succulents gathered from around the world. Local restaurants serve the seafood that comes in with the morning catch, often grilled simply or turned into rice dishes typical of the Catalan coast. Beyond the harbour, quieter coves such as Cala Sa Forcanera give a calmer stretch of coastline, backed by pine-covered hills that mark the edge of the Costa Brava proper.