Barcelona has a wealth of superb beaches along its three-mile shoreline, noted for their shimmering white sands and high levels of water quality. With there being so many to choose from, we’ve decided to pick our favourite best beaches in Barcelona.
Barceloneta – for revellers
One of the very best beaches is the one that bears the city’s name. Although it’s also very popular and noisy and a well-known place to go celebrity-spotting, it’s also home to some of the city’s best beach cafes. The beach huts serving food are known as ‘chiringuitos’, with some serving cocktails and other alcoholic drinks alongside salads and sandwiches.
Just off the beach is Frank Gehry’s incredible 52-metre long Golden Fish sculpture. This gold-plated steel artwork was commissioned for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. This is an event that also inspired the local authorities to give the city’s beaches a facelift.
Bogatell – for sports enthusiasts
This beach is often used by joggers and other people exercising. The sporting theme is maintained by the nearby table tennis tables and volleyball courts. A number of windsurfing and kitesurfing schools are based here too. To cater for the sporting crowd, plenty of toilets and showers are available.
Nova Icaria – for families and foodies
This is one of the city’s quietest beaches, and perhaps the most family-friendly. The waters here are usually very calm, making it an excellent place for children to swim. There’s also a playground to keep them entertained.
What’s more, this beach has a volleyball court and a ping-pong table too. It’s fitting as this is one of the closest beaches to the Olympic Park.
If you don’t fancy the beach cafes here, Nova Icaria beach is flanked by the Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta promenade. It has some excellent restaurants, which include Agua and Arenal.
Mar Bella – for younger sports enthusiasts
This is a large beach – more than 500 metres long – to the north of the city centre. Again, the emphasis is on people enjoying sporting activities such as kayaking and paddleboarding, rather than the revelry you might expect at Barceloneta. This place does attract a younger crowd than other sporty beaches such as Bogatell though, and there’s a playground for children.
One end of Mar Bella is a ‘clothing optional zone’.
Sant Sebastia – for the disabled, early risers and cheap & cheerful food
At 1,100 metres long, this is one of the largest beaches in Barcelona. However, although it’s so large, it’s also very popular and in high summer you are advised to get here early to bag your spot.
It’s close to the city centre, so you won’t have to go far to find something to eat or drink after your day at the beach either.
Another of its unique selling points is the presence of a number of amphibious chairs, with volunteers on hand to help disabled people have a dip.
Llevant – for dog lovers
Only opening in 2006, this is Barcelona’s newest beach. It’s a quiet spot, with few amenities or eateries, but you can still play volleyball.
Part of the beach is a fenced-off ‘dog zone’, open until 9 pm every day. Our four-legged friends have access to their own drinking water supply here, and even have their own showers and urinals!
The Barcelona beaches are well worth a visit, and to find out how you can base yourself near one of them, talk to one of us here at Situ by giving us a call on 01392 690 079 or email us at [email protected]. To also see all our serviced accommodation options in this beautiful city, click here.