The Costa Brava: destination hen weekend!

If you’re a chief bridesmaid looking for hen do inspiration, you need look no further than Spain’s’ gorgeous Costa Brava.  Being chief bridesmaid is a huge honour but also a big responsibility, and we know how important it is that you get it right for the bride.  It’s difficult to not only please everyone but also make sure that your choices give the leading lady a send off to remember.  Which is why a Costa Brava hen weekend is such a great option: with its many beautiful resorts including Tossa de Mar, Lloret de Mar and of course, Barcelona, to choose from, there’s something for everyone. There are also plenty of activities on offer, so whether the bride is after a stylish city break, a bit of rest and relaxation, or a weekend of party, party, party, this stunning part of Spain really does have it all!

First things first, getting there is quick and easy.  With flights from many of the London airports, including the newly improved airport at Southend, and other airports throughout the country, operated by charter airlines and low-cost airlines alike, there really is plenty of choice to get your Lloret de Mar hen weekend off to a flying start.  And once in sunny Spain, Aunty Andrea will pick you up from the airport and deliver you to your hotel, meaning that your chief bridesmaid duties needn’t include worrying about shepherding your hens across the Spanish countryside!

Once safely ensconced in resort, your Costa Brava henweekend will really come into its own: there are many fab activities available which Aunty Andrea will help you organise.  So whether you’re after a sedate hen weekend of beauty treatments, hot air ballooning, horse riding and the like, or something more adventurous like paint balling and power boating, this can be easily arranged.

 

And don’t forget that a Lloret de Mar hen weekend also offers plenty of night time activities, so you can really make it a Costa Brava hen party to remember!  Whether you think your bride will be after some low-key but delicious wining and dining, or is more the pub crawl and strippers type, Aunty Andrea can help to organise it all – taking the worry off of you! 

So if you want a destination that offers it all, but you’d rather hand the stress over to someone else and concentrate on having the time of your life, give Aunty a call – you won’t be disappointed!

Hen weekends whatever the weather!

It’s all very well having a hen weekend in the UK, but the weather does restrict what you do somewhat. At the end of my Costa Brava Hen Weekends, I always hear the same thing: “It’s so lovely to go home with a bit of a tan!”, “Is the weather always as nice as this here?!”, “How lovely it is not to have to think about taking a heavy coat with us on a night out!”. I am a very lucky lady, it’s true, to live in such a beautiful part of the world, and I’m always pleased to share that luck with you lovely ladies out there; if you join me on a Lloret de Mar hen weekend, I can not only guarantee fun, fun, fun – I can also pretty much guarantee sun, sun, sun!


With average temperatures from May to October between 21 and 27 degrees Celsius, and even outside of those months not falling much below that, your Costa Brava hen weekend should have really pleasant weather whatever the time of year. We also have very little rain, which means that you can enjoy many outdoor activities during your Lloret de Mar hen weekend; how about a trip on the hen banana-boat ski bus? Or some time aboard my hen catamaran cruise? However outdoorsy you all are, I can’t see you swanning about in your bikinis in Blackpool or Bournemouth!! The gorgeous temperatures here, of course, mean that if you opt for a Costa Brava hen weekend, a bit of sunbathing is always on the agenda. How nice to be able to turn up for your big day back home with a healthy sun-kissed glow!


Similarly, it’s very unlikely that if you choose my hen hot air ballooning or hen horse riding for your Lloret de Mar hen party they’ll be rained off. Plus there’s nothing worse than charging around a paint ball course while the rain streams down around you – shouldn’t be a problem if you pick paint balling on a Costa Brava hen weekend!


And don’t forget that your dear Aunty will also organise your night time Lloret de Mar hen weekend activities too, whether they be a pub crawl in Lloret de Mar or Tossa de Mar, fine wining and dining or even an evening with my fantastic male strippers – and you wouldn’t want to spoil your glamorous evening look with a bulky coat or opaque tights now, would you? So, I ask, what’s stopping you? Why not add the sunshine factor to your hen weekend and book a Costa Brava hen party with me?

Pamper and party on the Costa Brava

In the run up to your big day there should be plenty of excuses to pamper yourself.  But why not spoil your best ladies with the same treatment with a Costa Brava Hen Weekend?  Traditionally spa and pamper hen dos are seen as quite a low key option, but with a Lloret de Mar hen party you can enjoy the best pampering options on offer during the day with a little (or more!) partying of an evening!

Why not start your Lloret de Mar hen party with a spot of hot air ballooning?  You’ll while away an hour floating over the beautiful countryside of the breathtaking Costa Brava.  This is the perfect relaxing start to your Costa Brava hen weekend, enjoying the peace and quiet with your friends and family.  And the treats don’t stop there; once landed, Aunty Andrea will have a full breakfast ready and waiting, and what’s more special than starting the day with a champagne toast?

Of course, every bride wants to look her best for the big event.  Why not let us book your Costa Brava hen party into a traditional Spanish beauty parlour for a bit of indulgence?  This doesn’t have to break the bank as we find all the little hidden beauty gems in the Costa Brava, but equally there’s no compromise on quality.  Anyone for a deep cleansing chocolate facial treatment?

If shopping is your idea of hen heaven, hen weekends in the Costa Brava offer just that.  There’s no better girly day than spending some time in designer shopping paradise Barcelona. Aunty will pick you up and drop you off, and with stops at the famous Roca Centre outlet village and the Mataro Park shopping centre, everyone would have bagged themselves a bargain (or at least an outfit for that night’s partying!) by the end of the day.

And let’s not forget that we can also book you and your Costa Brava hen party in for some top-notch wining and dining.  Lloret de Mar’s enchanting neighbouring town Tossa de Mar is full of restaurants to choose from, offering everything from delicious freshly caught fish and seafood dishes through to pizza, Chinese, and even steak and chips!  What better way to set yourself up for the night ahead of you?  You’ll need it, as Aunty also has some of the best partying in the Costa Brava in store for you!  Go on, treat you and your ladies to some pampering and partying with a Lloret de Mar hen weekend!  

Culture, class and cocktails: let the destination of your hen weekend inspire you!

If the destination of your hen weekend is just as important as the activities, why not join your dear Aunty on a hen weekend to be treasured forever in beautiful Lloret de Mar?  We all know that traditionally a Spain hen weekend has been about dancing, drinking and dressing the poor hen up in some embarrassing home-made net-curtain veil covered in L-plates and male appendages, but I know that many of you ladies nowadays are looking for something a bit classier, something where you can actually appreciate your surroundings as well as all of the fabulous activities your bridesmaids have planned for you.

OK, so most of you are probably leaning more towards Zara Phillips' tutu-and-pink-wig-wearing weekend than Kate Middleton's low-key night in with friends (you do normally only have one hen weekend after all – you want to make it one to remember!), but why not experience the culture of your chosen destination while you're at it?  Here in Lloret de Mar, hen weekend expert Aunty can help to organise activities which will allow you to experience the culture of the Costa Brava.  For example, why not try our Paella and Sangria Masterclass?  You'll be taken to a typical Spanish restaurant to partake in an authentic Paella cooking demonstration.  Then, while your lunch is cooking, your traditional Sangria making class will begin.  Yum, what could be more culturally satisfying that immersing yourself in the local Catalan cuisine?

Similarly, if you choose to challenge your minds and your team-work skills, our Pirate Treasure Hunt is set against the picture perfect backdrop of the 12^th century walled village in Tossa de mar, an excellent way to take in the sights of the town and engage in an activity at the same time.  Or, if you'd rather get back to nature, our hen Horse Riding activity takes place in the woodlands of the Costa Brava, and our hen Scuba Diving activity means you'll be able to dive amongst stunning islets, islands, caves and reefs.

And once you're all cultured-out, we know that you're not adverse to the traditional pub-crawl normally associated with Costa Brava hen weekends, and maybe even a little fantasy man entertainment too!  Let Aunty organise it all for you; who said that culture was boring?!

Avoid Squabbles with Aunty Andrea

Don’t you just hate it when you have to organise everything yourself only for people to moan about this and that at every opportunity?! It’s what makes us girls girls though doesn’t it?! But if you’re in charge of organising the best hen do possible, make sure firstly you choose a hen weekend in Lloret de Mar and secondly you contact me to give you a helping hand.

Why? Because together we can put together a package that nobody could ever possibly argue with. Plus everyone will know what is happening before hand as it’s up to you what you all do! Are you all thrill seekers? Hen quad biking is it then! More of a relaxed bunch? How about a hen health spa visit instead?

The bottom line is if you go on a hen party without already having some activities planned well in advance trouble can arise, particularly in large groups. But with an Aunty Andrea hen weekend in Spain this scenario can be avoided thanks to my meticulous planning and long list of fun filled activities for you to try.

So what can I do for you I hear you say? Well I’ll pick you up from the airport, take you to your hotel, plan your whole day, get you in the best bars and clubs – as VIPs of course – and generally make sure you are always having a first class time!

Costa Brava Hen Weekends to Match all Expectations

We girls are much more complex than boys. You know that most stags will be happy with booze, strippers and food. And whilst we’re also partial to these things, from my experience, each hen party is different.

Which category does your group fall into?

Party Girls: You like a drink or ten and want fun, fun, fun for the whole weekend? Then come to Lloret de Mar! I’ll take you hen paintballing or hen quad biking before arming you with VIP entrances to the hottest clubs packed with even hotter Spanish guys. Anything goes over here!

Relaxing Girls: You work hard all year round and you are looking for a relaxed hen do spent being pampered during the day and sipping cocktails by night. Lloret de Mar it is then. I’ll whisk you off to a 5 star health spa and then let you loose to sample some of the swish bars where you can all let your hair down and celebrate the last few days of freedom.

Classy Girls: Looking for somewhere to max out the plastic and treat yourself? Choose a Lloret de Mar hen weekend for my Ultimate Hen shopping experience.  Top of the range labels from top of the range retail outlets over here girls! Then relax at night with my hen wining and dining experience.

For totally different hen weekends in Spain to suit all tastes and expectations, give me a call – you know it makes sense. 

An Arts and Crafts Hen Weekend? Get Real!

I read something the other day that made me both laugh and cry. Apparently more and more hens are deciding to save money by ditching the adventurous or therapeutic stuff on a hen weekend and doing things like arts and crafts or afternoon tea instead. Can you believe it?

You don’t have to miss out on all the fun things with me because YOU are in control with an Aunty Andrea hen weekend in Spain. Just pick and choose what you want to do according to your budget. A flight to the Costa Brava is basically the same amount as a train fare for goodness 

sake!

All you have to do is contact me over here. I’ll pull myself away from the beach and stop staring at the tasty chicos and get to work on creating a package based on what you want to do and how much you have to spend. Want a budget weekend? Want a three day splash out?  Either way I’m your girl when it comes to Costa Brava hen weekends. Hen ultimate shopping, hen paella cooking, hen horse riding – I’ve got the lot.

Don’t suffer the embarrassment of going back to work with nothing to show but the basket you weaved on your hen weekend! Give me a shout and I’ll put something together that’ll have everyone clustered around your desk checking out your saucy snaps!

Lloret de Mar: the Perfect Place for a Hen Party: it’s Official! By Sarah.

Sizzling sunshine versus grey skies … it’s no wonder more and more hen parties are jetting off around Europe in search of fun, fun, fun before the big day.

According to the Office for National Statistics, Lloret de Mar accounts for over 11% of all non-UK hen party destinations.

And hen party organiser and well-known Costa Brava personality Aunty Andrea reckons she knows why:

“Lloret de Mar hen weekends cater for everyone, whatever budget they’re on. There are endless rows of pubs, clubs and restaurants offering everything from the cheap to the sublime and a vast range of accommodation options – and shops as far as the eye can see! With easy access from Barcelona and Girona airports, Lloret de Mar makes the ideal destination for hen party travellers who want a quick flight and maximum party time!”

Aunty Andrea organises Lloret de Mar hen weekends filled with anything and everything from shopping to horse riding; from spa pampering to paintballing. Go on, become a statistic and find out for yourself just why Lloret de Mar earned its reputation as the party capital of the Costa Brava!

Hen Weekends to make the boys Jealous

Ladies often say to me they think stag weekends always sound more fun than hen weekends with the action and adventure they get stuck in to.

Well girls, anything they can do, we can do better! I can do you a hen weekend in Spain that has more balls than anything the guys can muster up.

An action packed  Lloret de Mar hen weekend could see you taking aim with some hen paint balling, showing that girls really do rule the road in hen go-karting and going off-road with hen quad biking.

Alternatively you could take the hen weekend experience to new heights by hanging on tight with treetop hen monkey swinging or maybe you could try climbing up cliff faces then completely letting go with hen cave diving and swimming.

Since we are ladies after all, you can make sure you find time for some hen party sun bathing as well, either on the beaches of the  Lloret de Mar or on the sun decks during an exclusive Catamaran Party cruise.

Oh, and we mustn’t forget that Aunty has the personal phone numbers of the sexiest male strippers in Spain to get you hotter than you will have been all weekend: now that’s what I call a party!

A Hen weekend to get you Red Carpet ready

It’s award season in the entertainment world and that means the world’s most manicured women are glamming up with new designer dresses and photo ready facials.

There should be no reason why you have to miss out on the fun and you can have your own taste of the glitz and glamour with a Barcelona and  Lloret de Mar hen weekend.

Barcelona’s chic boutiques are becoming almost as famous as the WAGs that shop there and you can try them out with a hen ultimate shopping experience. You can shop till you drop in the mall voted by style bible Vanity Fair as one of the top ten designer outlets in Europe. You and the girls on your Spanish hen party will be able to treat yourselves to luxury gear with 60% off high street prices.

Once you have your hand bags and glad rags, it’s back to Lloret de Mar to continue your red carpet weekend with a little pre-party hen pampering. Keeping things exclusive, I have found a fantastic hidden treasure beauty parlour where you can have a five-star chocolate and caviar facial and even a touch of botox or filler injections if you need a bit of a topping up.

That just leaves the party to get sorted and whilst I can’t offer you Elton’s house, I can sort out VIP passes to jump the queues at some of the best hen bars and clubs in Lloret de Mar for you and your hens to dance the night away, looking fabulous in your new outfits and looking nothing short of film stars!

Get that Holiday Feeling with a Hen party in Spain

Do you get certain feelings or sensations when you do something different or visit somewhere you have never been before? I know I do. For some reason, if you’re in a town or city that you’ve never been to before, you tend to act a bit differently or relax more. You’re in the mindset that you should use this opportunity to enjoy yourself, and therefore you tend to end up doing just that.

And this feeling of excitement and relaxation can be multiplied tenfold when you go abroad, especially if there is a big group of you, so why not jet off and celebrate your hen weekend in Spain?

A hen weekend in Spain could double up as a holiday, meaning you have something truly spectacular to count down towards whilst slogging away the days at work. And it’s got to be far more memorable and exciting than a drunken night in town!

So fly over and see me in sunny Spain for a hen party holiday you’ll never forget. I’ve got a whole host of activities for you to try, from hot air ballooning to catamaran cruising; scuba diving to banana boating; power boating to treasure hunting. Take a look at the website and tell me what you fancy and I’ll get it sorted for you!

GUEST BLOG: Sarah Mac on Food and Wine in Spain

I don’t know about you but my idea of socialising isn’t sitting in a loud bar not having a conversation. I like to talk; and I like food. And wine; I really like wine. Set me up with a 2004 Rioja Reserva or better a 2001 Gran Reserva; or a 1998 Priorat or even a 2007 Emporda from the Costa Brava and I’ll be a happy girl.

Spain Food and Wine

I love Spain for food and wine. I adore the ‘sobre mesa’; sitting around the dinner table enjoying several courses of honestly prepared food and a variety of complementary beverages. And conversation. I run a business, and I love to talk about life; politics; economics; the stuff that makes the world go round. And as luck would have it, Spanish people love this type of conversation: they engage in it with a passion you’ll never experience over here.

For Starters…

Favourite foods? Well for starters I’m really into a table full of variety. There’s nothing like the aroma, appetising aesthetics and mouth watering taste of freshly and expertly carved Jamon ibérico: cured ham off the bone; but not just any Jamon ibérico; the more you eat this stuff the more you demand; like wine really. Quick lesson then:

The best (and most expensive) jamón ibérico is called jamón ibérico de bellota. What this means is the pigs are free range and before they become food, they happily walk about in oak tree forests feeding on acorns. The nutty taste that results is unbelievable; I can’t get across the way my taste buds are tingling thinking of how the flavours infiltrate those sensitive sections on your tongue, especially when conjugated with the right wine, which to harmonise with this flavoursome nibble has to be a short and sweet number like a Malaga wine or a Moscatel. It just works; trust me.

Schmaturated Fat

So, jamón ibérico de bellota is what you need as part of your perfect starter and whatever you do, don’t mess about taking the fat off: it’s a superb, melt in the mouth delicacy so get it down your neck and enjoy something a bit non Weight Watchers for a change. Saturated fat: schmaturated fat.

Love Cheese

Next: cheese. There’s no messing about here. Spain isn’t really a cheese board country like France or southern England. You don’t get a selection and they don’t dress it up with grapes or crackers: Queso Manchego is what you’ll be given in most places, and the dryer the better. Why? Because it goes better with your wine.

Clamming Up

What else to start? Razor clams. I can’t even say that out loud without yearning. You need a good drop of exceptionally dry and frighteningly cold palomino fino though to really get the best out of them. A good starter wine: Tio Pepe, served uncompromisingly cold as they say, is the perfect partner.

Main Course

I haven’t even dusted the surface here for starters but I’m not allowed that much room on this hen weekends in Spain blog so I’d better get on with the main course.

Andrea said I can only mention limited choices otherwise it will end up sounding like a foodie website rather than a Barcelona hen weekend website, so I’m just covering a couple of meat dishes. I like fish, but I’ll do that in another blog as there is much to mention on that front, what with all the stews and stuff. And sorry, but I don’t do vegetarian.

Tournedor Rossini: heaven meets meat. Just-done; the best bit of the cow makes this fillet steak which oozes pink-ness and intricate flavours. It’s topped with duck’s liver pate; served on meat-juice soaked toast and doused in a dash of delicious pan juices.

Solomillo Iberico: a great, succulent pork steak, full of salty flavours and oh so juicy. I know, I know – I’m English – but honestly this is just so good with chips! Home made, deep fried chips though, not frozen oven chips.

Filete de Buey: Ox, basically. Ox for some reason tastes better than normal beef. It’s got a richer flavour. Try it, and see if you can get it barbequed because the smoke makes it taste more authentic.

Posh Nosh a la Aunty

I’m running out of room here and I haven’t even started on wine. I’ll do a separate blog on wine. Andrea says I have to shut up now but to say all this food and more is available on her Spain hen weekends and that she will arrange any restaurant you like, and she personally knows Michelin chefs and everything. She knows everyone. So if you want posh nosh on your Costa Brava hen weekend, ask Andrea and she’ll sort it.

I’m off to get something to eat. And drink.