It may only be small, but the beach at Tamariu is one of the most sheltered in the Costa Brava region. It is overlooked by a pretty former fishing village which has escaped overdevelopment and the calm waters and Blue Flag status make it a popular beach with families.
When is a beach not a beach? When it's Barcelona's Banys del Fòrum, a sand-free modernist pool of constantly refreshed seawater protected from the open waves of the Mediterranean by a series of screening posts made – elegantly – from concrete.
Constructed in 2004, Banys del Fòrum Beach is a great place to head for anyone most interested in the swimming side of being beside the… read more »
The closest beach to the centre of Barcelona, Barceloneta Beach stands on the city's eastern coast in a former fishing district mentioned by Cervantes in the Spanish classic Don Quixote. Now, perhaps ironically, home of one of Europe's largest aquariums, Barceloneta is very well provided for when it comes to amenities and facilities.
In addition to showers, toilets, and changing rooms, some areas of the beach… read more »
Stretching for 700 metres along Barcelona's coastline close to the Olympic Port, the sands of Bogatell Beach are generally considered to be less crowded on the busiest days than nearby beaches such as Barceloneta and San Sebastià, from which it is separated by a stone breakwater.
All the same, Bogatell Beach provides pretty much everything that anyone could want for a relaxed day on… read more »
This semi-urban beach on the coastal reaches of Barcelona is located between Bogatell and Nova Mar Bella beaches. Like its neighbouring areas of golden sand, Mar Bella Beach has a good number of public facilities, including toilets, showers, a children's play area and beach volleyball courts.
On Passeig Marítim, the promenade that runs behind Mar Bella, visitors will also find table tennis tables,… read more »
Located north of the Olympic Port and next to Bogatell Beach in the La Vila Olimpica del Poblenou area of Barcelona, Playa de la Nova Icària lies at the heart of the city's coastline.
Created for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Nova Icària Beach has a reputation for being one of Barcelona's more tranquil urban beaches. That said, amongst its 400 metres of golden sand… read more »
Backed by modern high-rise apartment buildings, Nova Mar Bella beach was part of a larger regeneration scheme that coincided with the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and aimed (successfully) to reunite city and coastline.
Though a man made construction, Nova Mar Bella still has a lot going for it. For one thing, it is a slightly more tranquil experience than other nearby beaches, and has managed to maintain… read more »
Located in Sitges, roughly 20 minutes from Barcelona, Platja de la Bassa Rodona is best well known as the region's premier gay-friendly beach. As one of the most central, it's here that many gay couples choose to sunbathe, although increasingly relaxed attitudes towards the gay community mean many happily bathe on beaches closer to the Catalonian capital.
As a result of its history, visitors can… read more »
Barcelona's newest beach is also its most easterly, as its name suggests. Opened to the public for the first time in 2006, Platja de Llevant has already managed to garner a Blue Flag award for its cleanliness and the quality of its facilities.
Comprising light coloured sands that stretch for 400 metres along the coast and another 75 metres or so inland, Platja de Llevant is… read more »
Noted for its modern tower and integrated cable car station (for trips up to Mount Monjuic), Sant Sebastià Beach lies in the Cuitat Vella district of Barcelona immediately along the coast from Sant Miquel Beach. One of the city's oldest and best loved beaches, Sant Sebastià comprises biscuit-coloured sands that continue for around a kilometre in length and average widths of 80 metres.
