Nothing wrong with that, of course. One might actually like the hustle and bustle of hotels, enjoy the fact that breakfast, lunch and dinner is taken care of, or perhaps that entertainment is provided.

Other vacationers prefer the camaraderie and freedom of a camping, in their own tent, caravan or rented bungalow.

And then there those holiday makers who have discovered the convenience of staying in a self-catering apartment.

Want to have breakfast at noon, lunch at a restaurant along the promenade, and dinner at 10 pm in a local bodega? No problem.

Want to serve a meal of fresh fruit and vegetables, bought that very afternoon at the daily market — after taking a quick break for tapas at Terrassans? No problem.

When you stay at a self-catering apartment you won’t be waited on hand and foot. Instead, you have complete freedom over every aspect of your day. Let other rush home to be on time for their daily dinner buffet; you will take your lover (and/or your childrens) to a romantic spot at the beach at a time that is convenient to you.

Usually the price is right as well. Added benefit is that many such apartments are located not in the tourist district, but in the old town area of Blanes.

Take, for instance, the Blanes Costa Brava self-catering apartments. They are located in a residential area, at less than 100 metres from the beach, and even closer to Blanes’ old town shopping center — with various eateries, tapas bars, bakeries, and the daily fruit and vegetables market.

These are fully-furnished, modern apartments in a rustic building, built in the characteristic local style. A bath, washing machine and well-equipped kitchen are included.

When you stay in one of these apartments, your vacation gains an extra dimension — away from the tourist district you are able to immerse yourself in the local life.

See the Blanes Costa Brava self catering apartments website for more information.

To appreciate Villa Cooper’s unique appeal you should realize that Blanes – or at least the part of Blanes that tourists care about most – is divided in two parts:

• The Old Town
  This is where you can see and taste the local flavor — the small, sunlit streets, the historic village filled reminders of its fishing and shipbuilding years, the locals, the tapas bars, the Sardana dancing spots…
• The Tourist District
  Here, among some of the town’s newer high rise apartment buildings, are the hotels — most of the town’s hotels, in fact. This is where the discos are, and where the nightlife is. Bars and hole-in-the-wall restaurants promise a taste from home lest you forget your British, Irish, German or Dutch drinking habits. Tourist shops are interspersed with video game- and gambling galleries. There’s even a Dutch supermarket. Further south, there are campgrounds as well.

There used to be some hotels in the old part of town, but savvy owners have converted them to apartments — most of which come with hefty price tags.

Most tourists in Blanes stay in the tourist district, in hotels or at the popular campings. Many hardly ever leave the area.

Others prefer the ‘look and feel’ of the old village, and you will find many tourists who — year after year — rent one of several self-catering apartments.

Enter Villa Cooper — named thus because at one time there really was a villa by that name. Today, Villa Cooper consists of two locations:

• Townhouse
  A historic building at a fantastic location just a hundred metres or so from La Palomera — the rock formation that marks the official beginning of the Costa Brava.
• Porta Nova Apartments
  Situated at a stone’s throw from the old church, and at about 100 metres from the beach.

Contact Information

[Unfortunately, this business is phasing out. See Blanes Costa Brava self catering apartments instead]