Calella
Calella is a peaceful, elegant coastal resort situated a short drive from the bustling and exciting city of Barcelona. Instead of ugly resort hotels, however, Calella is a tranquil place to spend a beach holiday, with homely hotels and plenty of self-catering apartment accommodation to suit families and friends. Families may love larger scale hotels in Calella like Kaktus Playa or the Hotel Volga, which boast luxurious pools, sauna facilities and gyms – as well as excellent seafront locations. But there are also smaller hotels in Calella, which cater for groups of younger tourists, like the highly rated Hotel Fergus Espanya, which is handily situated for access to restaurants and bars. There are also apartment complexes for families and friends to enjoy a secluded, private holiday. Rent a spacious and bright apartment in Calella, overlooking the bay, or go for a villa on the slopes of the nearby hills with sprawling gardens and balconies with stunning sea views. Calella is the kind of location with enough hotels and apartments to allow visitors to totally customise their trip, so that they enjoy their stay as much as possible.
The town itself has a long, sandy beach which consistently receives the highest cleanliness rating from the European Union, and is a popular refuge for those living in Barcelona. There are other attractions as well, however, such as the 19th century lighthouse (which houses a fascinating local museum), bowling alleys and parks, as well as excellent but not disruptive nightlife. Barcelona is a short drive away, and is one of Europe's great destinations. See the artworks of Picasso, Dali and Miro, tour the 1992 Olympics site, dine out in classy restaurants and see the wildly imaginative architecture of Gaudi in Parc Guell – or just hit the beach. The Catalonian interior also has much to offer, with beautiful hiking routes in the Montseny National Park, as well as charming ancient towns like Vic to explore. Calella offers a fantastic blend of city break appeal (with the closeness of Barcelona) and simple beach fun, and with so many great hotel and apartment options it's a superb place to stay.