3 Days in Lloret de Mar: A Lads' Weekend on the Costa Brava

By Istvan Csanalosi, Founder, TripKompass. Trip taken in August 2026.

Most of what we publish on TripKompass is planned and researched. This one is different. In August 2026 I spent three days in Lloret de Mar with a group of friends: a proper lads’ weekend. The plan was simple and we stuck to it. Days were for trips, the beach and the pool. Nights were for going out.

If you are thinking about a short summer weekend on the Costa Brava with friends, here is how ours worked, what I would do again, and the practical bits you need to sort out before you go.

3 days in Lloret de Mar at a glance

Day	Where	Highlights
1	Barcelona to Lloret	Flight into BCN, transfer to Lloret, rooftop pool, first night out
2	Tossa de Mar	Boat or bus up the coast, the medieval walls, the beach below the old town
3	Lloret	Lloret beach, a last swim on the roof, transfer back to the airport

Getting there: fly to Barcelona, then a transfer

We flew into Barcelona (BCN) and went straight on to Lloret by a nine-seater transfer minibus. For a group, that was the easiest option by far. Everyone and every bag goes in one vehicle, nobody has to work out a bus timetable after a flight, and you arrive at the hotel door.

Lloret is about 90 km from Barcelona airport, roughly an hour by road according to the town’s official tourism site. Girona airport is closer, at about 30 km, so it is worth checking flights into both.

If you are travelling alone or as a couple, the bus is the budget route. Moventis Sarfa runs Line 2 from Barcelona airport (T1 and T2) through Barcelona to Lloret de Mar and on to Tossa de Mar. Their airport page gives the journey as about an hour and a half. Timetables change by season, so check the current one on the Moventis site before you book.

Where we stayed: Gran Hotel Flamingo and its rooftop pool

A cold drink on the edge of the rooftop pool at Gran Hotel Flamingo, with the Avana rooftop bar sign behindPhoto: Istvan Csanalosi, TripKompass

We stayed at the Flamingo, officially the Gran Hotel Flamingo, which is adults only (18+). The highlight for us was the pool on the roof. On a hot afternoon, after the beach, that rooftop was exactly where we wanted to be.

One practical tip if you want the same: according to the hotel’s listings, access to the rooftop (La Avana Rooftop) is tied to Superior rooms, and guest reviews mention limited opening hours. If the rooftop pool is the reason you are booking, choose the right room type and confirm the hours with the hotel.

The location also works for a weekend like ours. The hotel is a short walk from Lloret’s main beach, so you can go from beach to pool to dinner without ever needing a taxi.

Lloret beach

Daytime in Lloret is easy: the main beach, Platja de Lloret, is right in town, and it is one of the Lloret beaches holding a Blue Flag, alongside Fenals, Santa Cristina, Cala Canyelles and Sa Boadella.

Worth knowing before you light up: the town’s official site states that smoking is not allowed on Lloret de Mar’s beaches.

The day trip: Tossa de Mar

The round medieval tower of Tossa de Mar's walls above the rocks and clear turquoise waterPhoto: Istvan Csanalosi, TripKompass

If you only do one trip from Lloret, make it Tossa de Mar. It is the next town up the coast, and it looks like nothing else around here: a medieval walled old town, the Vila Vella, sitting on a headland right above the beach. It is described as the only fortified medieval town still standing on the Catalan coast, with its walls, turrets and round towers still intact. It was declared a national historic monument in 1931.

Walk up through the old town to the walls. The view back over the bay and the beach, the one at the top of this page, is the reason to go.

The rocky headland of Tossa de Mar and its old town walls, seen from a boat with its white wake in the blue seaPhoto: Istvan Csanalosi, TripKompass

How to get from Lloret to Tossa:

By boat: Dofí Jet Boats sail between Lloret and Tossa in season. On their current schedule page the crossing takes roughly 45 minutes, with several departures between morning and mid-afternoon. Services are weather dependent: their site shows cancellations on rough days.
By bus: the same Moventis Sarfa Line 2 that comes from the airport continues from Lloret to Tossa.
On foot: if you are feeling active, Lloret’s tourism office promotes the Camí de Ronda coastal path between Lloret and Tossa. Plan it as a full day, not a quick stroll.

Tossa de Mar's castle and walls behind the beach, seen from a beach bar under blue and white umbrellasPhoto: Istvan Csanalosi, TripKompass

Once you have done the walls, find a spot by the beach below the old town. There is no better place for a cold drink with the castle in view.

Nights out in Lloret

Lloret de Mar's nightlife strip after dark, with palm trees, neon signs and sports barsPhoto: Istvan Csanalosi, TripKompass

Nights were the other half of the weekend. Lloret’s centre turns into one long, bright strip after dark, with bars, sports bars showing live games, burger places and clubs one after another. The photo above is from our walk along it, past the neon of Masia 1952 and the sports bars.

I am not going to pretend I can give you a reliable bar-by-bar review from a lads’ weekend. Instead, here are the spots that local guides and nightlife lists keep naming, so you have somewhere to start:

Tropics: a three-room club and probably Lloret’s best-known name. A Catalan press report noted it as the only club in the Girona province on the International Nightlife Association’s annual ranking.
Colossos: a big club on Avinguda Just Marlés, known for house and trance nights.
St. Trop: a long-running club near Carrer Baix de la Riera, in business since the 1960s.

Opening nights, entry prices and dress codes change from season to season, so check each venue’s own page or social channels for the dates you are going.

Plates of nachos with melted cheese and jalapeños and a glass of spritz on a bar tablePhoto: Istvan Csanalosi, TripKompass

A tip from experience: eat properly before you go out. Our camera roll from the evenings is mostly nachos, which tells you something.

How I would plan the same weekend

Day 1: fly into Barcelona, transfer to Lloret, check in, rooftop pool, first night out.
Day 2: Tossa de Mar by boat or bus, old town walls, beach below the walls, back to Lloret for the evening.
Day 3: Lloret beach, one last swim on the roof, transfer back to the airport.

For a group, book the transfer in advance and agree on the pickup time for the way back on day one, not on the last morning.

Was it worth it?

For three days with friends, yes. Lloret gives you an easy beach and a big night out, and Tossa de Mar, just up the coast, gives you the kind of view you actually want to remember. That mix is what makes it work.

About the author: Istvan Csanalosi is the founder of TripKompass. This article is based on his own trip in August 2026 and his own photos. The practical details were checked against official sources in October 2026; AI tools helped with research and editing.

FAQ

How do you get from Barcelona airport to Lloret de Mar?

Lloret is about 90 km from Barcelona airport, roughly an hour by road. Groups often book a private transfer minibus. The budget option is the Moventis Sarfa Line 2 bus from the airport terminals, which takes about an hour and a half.

How do you get from Lloret de Mar to Tossa de Mar?

In season, Dofí Jet Boats sail from Lloret to Tossa in roughly 45 minutes. The Moventis Sarfa Line 2 bus also continues from Lloret to Tossa, and the Camí de Ronda coastal path links the two towns on foot.

Is Gran Hotel Flamingo in Lloret de Mar adults only?

Yes, it is an adults-only (18+) hotel. According to its listings, access to the La Avana rooftop is tied to Superior rooms, so check the room type when you book.

Can you smoke on the beaches in Lloret de Mar?

No. The town’s official tourism site states that smoking is not allowed on Lloret de Mar’s beaches.