Cala Sant Francesc
Best for. Travellers who want a sheltered, green fringed cove near a working town, paired with one of the finest clifftop botanical gardens on the coast just above it.
Best spot. Swim in the calm, protected water of the cove, then climb to the Marimurtra botanical garden on the cliff above for the views and the plants.
Know this. Cala Sant Francesc sits a short way from the centre of Blanes, a real town rather than a resort cove, so it pairs a quiet swim with the garden and the working harbour and market nearby.
Cala Sant Francesc, sometimes called Cala Bona, is the calm green cove at the southern gateway of the Costa Brava. Set in a sheltered bay around two hundred metres long just outside Blanes, it has golden sand, clear and protected water and a fringe of pine on the slopes around it. After the open beaches of the resort town it feels tucked away and quiet, an easy, gentle swim rather than a scene.
What lifts the cove is what sits above it. On the cliff overhead spreads Marimurtra, one of the great botanical gardens of the Mediterranean, thousands of plant species terraced above the sea with views that are worth the climb on their own. Below in Blanes you have a proper Catalan town rather than a holiday strip, with a fishing harbour, a daily life and a market, and kitchens that cook the local catch. The natural day here is a morning swim in the cove, the garden when the sun is high, and lunch on fresh fish in the town.
The honest read is that this is a town cove, not a wild one. Blanes is the busy southern end of the Costa Brava and the cove draws families and day trippers in summer, so it is calm rather than secret. Come early or out of peak weeks, combine it with Marimurtra and the harbour, and Cala Sant Francesc gives you a sheltered swim with more to do nearby than most coves can offer.
Clubs on this beach
Cala Sant Francesc is a quiet town cove with seasonal sunbed hire and a beach kiosk rather than a daybed club. The swimming and the garden above are the draw, with the restaurants of Blanes a short way off for lunch. Operators and opening change each season, so confirm before you travel and see the Costa Brava beach clubs guide for the wider coast.
Beach kiosk and sunbed hire
A seasonal kiosk and sunbed hire serve the cove, with the restaurants of Blanes nearby. Specific operators and prices to be confirmed.
Blanes, Costa Brava
Cala Sant Francesc sits about two kilometres from the centre of Blanes at the southern end of the Costa Brava, around an hour north of Barcelona by car and reachable from the town on foot or by road. It can be approached both from the Marimurtra botanical garden above and from the Sant Joan side.
Blanes is well served by train and bus from Barcelona and Girona to the town, with a local road and a walk down to the cove from there. Car parking near the cove is limited in summer, so come early or arrive on foot from the town and the garden.
Photo: Jardín Botánico Marimurtra via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or table at a club near Cala Sant Francesc. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Cala Sant Francesc
Where is Cala Sant Francesc?
At the southern gateway of the Costa Brava, about two kilometres from the centre of Blanes. It is a sheltered cove around two hundred metres long, reachable from the town, from the Sant Joan side and from the Marimurtra botanical garden on the cliff above.
Is Cala Sant Francesc good for swimming?
Yes, it is one of the calmer, more protected coves near Blanes, with golden sand and clear, sheltered water that suits an easy swim and families in settled conditions. It is a town cove rather than a wild one, so it is quiet rather than empty in summer.
What is there to do near Cala Sant Francesc?
Visit the Marimurtra botanical garden on the cliff above the cove, one of the finest in the Mediterranean, then explore the fishing harbour and market in Blanes and eat fresh local fish. A swim, the garden and lunch in town make a full and varied day.
Is Cala Sant Francesc busy?
It is calm rather than secret. As a cove close to the busy town of Blanes it draws families and day trippers through summer, so it fills on hot days. Come early in the morning or outside the peak weeks of July and August for the quietest water.
How do you get to Cala Sant Francesc?
Reach Blanes by train or bus from Barcelona or Girona, then walk or drive the short distance to the cove, which can also be approached from the Marimurtra garden above. Parking near the cove is limited in summer, so arriving early or on foot is the easier option.
