The storm, said to be the worst the Costa Brava has seen since the late 1950s, caused an estimated €20 million in damage to beaches, boulevards, walkways, bridges and quays.

Money for repairs has been made available by the Central Government, but in some places environmental impact studies are slowing down the work.

S’Abanell beach, Blanes

All along the Costa Brava the beaches are ready for tourist season — though some beaches have less sand than usual. Too, in a few places tourists will have to share at least a portion of the beach with earth moving and construction equipment.

In blanes, S’Abanell — the longest beach at the Costa Brava — now has more sand than it had in 2008. In that year, sand replaced after one winter storm had to again be replaced after a second storm. The boulevard along that beach was also damaged in those two storms.

All through the 2008 tourist season the sand level at S’Abanell was noticeably lower than in previous years, and this may well have contributed to the amount of damage done to the boulevard along the beach during the extraordinarily powerful December storm.

The City of Blanes is waiting for another 250,000 cubic meters of sand to be added by June. The sand has been promised by the Ministry of the Environment, but its delivery was delayed pending an environmental impact statement — since the sand is to be removed from Maresme instead of from the mouth of the Tordera river.

Most of S’abanell boulevard has now been reconstructed, though work is still being performed on a 600-meter stretch. Meanwhile, repair work on the further end of the boulevard, near the camp grounds, hasn’t even started yet.

Other places

Construction work at the half-mile long promenade of Escala is in full swing, but is not expected to be completed till the middle of August.

In the coming weeks, repair work will commence along the coastlines of Cadaqués, Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar and L’Hospitalet de l’Infant.

Going topless is no problem at any of the beaches of Blanes — even at the stretch of beach along the main boulevard in the old center of Blanes.

While the town has a large Catholic population, most locals do not appear to be prudish.

In fact, Spain does not have laws that prohibit public nudity — though you’re still expected to use common sense as to where and when you decide to take advantage of this.

In the early morning hours some of the town’s older men and women take a refreshing dip in the sea, and many of them will change in and out of their bathing suits — or simply their bath robes — right at the beach.

During the tourist season it is not unusual to see tourists and locals alike relaxing on the benches that line the boulevard — while enjoying the sight of nubile young women cooling off under the nearby showers, playing ball games, or simply soaking up the sun.

Nude Sunbathing, Skinny Dipping

One can see the occasional nude sunbather or skinny-dipper, but if you wish to go nude just be sensible, which includes being sensitive to those around you. [Read: don't flaunt, and don't do anything those around you would likely want you to confine to your own bedroom].

During the evening and night the beaches are lid by floodlights. Especially during the hot summer months, quite a few people take the opportunity for a late night picnic, or simply a bring-your-own drink get-together at the beach.

From time to time some people — young tourists, for the most part — dare each other to an impromptu dip, in bra and panties, topless or fully nude.

Semi-Private Beaches

If you want a little more privacy, either make your way down to the official nude beach near the mouth of the (virtually dry) Tordera river, use the small coves of Santa Anna, or — as some adventurous people do — try to make your way around (wading through the water) or over (climbing the rocks) the ‘Punta de Santa Ana‘ to reach a tiny, sandy beach.

The river Tordera marks the natural border between the Costa Brava (Girona) and the Costa Dorada (Barcelona).

This stretch of beach attracts, for the most part, couples of retirement age as well as gay men. However, more often than not this beach is virtually deserted.

What Not To Do

There’s a time and a place for everything, and as mentioned you shouldn’t do anything that most people would normally only do in their bedrooms — sleeping excepted.

Intrusive photography (you know who you are) may have the locals mark you as ‘paparazzi.’ It may also get you into trouble with the Mossad — the local police force.