👉Anything but 'Fishermen's blues' at Blanes

Wow what happens when a sleepy seaside town wakes up! Well we found out in Blanes as they celebrated the Fishermen with music events and amazing food.....

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5/23/20263 min read

Anything but 'Fishermen's Blues' Blanes

We arrived in Blanes after a fabulous week with friends, fully expecting a quiet pause — a few boat jobs, some planning, and time to prepare for our first ever overnight sail to Menorca, more than 24 hours away.

The port itself was charming. We wandered the long promenade, found some great little lunch spots, and even braved the steep climb up to the Chapel of Sant Joan, rewarded with sweeping views over the coastline.

Then one morning, I woke to what I thought was a dream — the unmistakable beat of a spin class soundtrack. But no, at 8am sharp, a real live spin class was happening across the marina in the fishermen’s area. The music was so loud I ended up having a little dance on deck. And when they played Sweet Caroline, well… resistance was futile. The music didn’t stop there — it carried on with gusto all day long.

Our neighbours soon explained that this was all part of BlanesMar, the town’s annual festival celebrating gastronomy and the fishing community. Naturally, we went to investigate.

All I can say in my defence is: “I only drink to be sociable,” as my good friend Stu always says. We arrived to find over 500 people seated at long tables, multiple generations playing bingo together, and the whole crowd erupting in cheers whenever someone got a line. The atmosphere was electric.

We wandered through the food stalls, sampled some delicious dishes, found a table… and just as we sat down, bingo gave way to a DJ. Then came the cava. The pop‑up bar served it in plastic flutes, but it tasted absolutely divine. And yes, I may have enjoyed a little more than planned as we chatted — with the help of Google Translate — to a lovely local family. Before long we were dancing and singing with them well past midnight.

So Blanes: a place where the fishermen are anything but blue, and the “sleepy” town wakes with passion. Music is clearly woven into its culture — they host events all year round — and it taught us a valuable lesson: never judge a place by a quiet marina photo. What an unexpected, unforgettable night.

Despite the post‑festival hangover, we did eventually get our boat jobs done and finalise our plans for our first ever sail in the dark and out of sight of land. Our chance to prove we really do have sailors within us. It was exciting, slightly scary, and absolutely the next milestone we needed if this journey is to be a true adventure — not just a long holiday.

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