One of the best parts about Barcelona is its beautiful array of beaches. The city has more than 300 days of sun per year and. 4.5 km of sandy coastline.
Whether you’re looking for a place to relax, or to get the adrenaline rush of water sports such as windsurfing, there is the perfect place for everyone.
Nova Icària Beach
Ildefons Cerdà, the iconic designer of the Eixample neighbourhood of Barcelona, had a utopian dream of a city. He had planned on calling it Icària and attracted other utopian followers to move to the old road leading to the Poblenou cemetery.
The Olympics revived the Nova Icària, and it is now one of the city’s most popular beaches. It has the most services and leisure options out of any of the other beaches. Along with Bogatell beach, it’s also one of the calmest.
Bogatell Beach
The Bogatell Beach owes its name to an old stream that once ran from the Vilapicina neighbourhood of Nou Barris down towards the sea. The area used to be home to fishermen, as the beach wasn’t always as beautiful as it is today.
Alongside most of the Barcelona coastline, the beach at Bogatell was revamped during the 1980s and is now one of the city’s most popular.
Mar Bella
This part of the coast already had baths at the beginning of the 20th century, the Baños de la Mar Bella, but were eventually destroyed in a storm. The city renewal process that came about due to the 1992 Olympic Games rejuvenated the Mar Bella beach.
This beach is very diverse: at one end you’ll find a nudist beach, and the other end a children’s playground.
Sant Sebastià
Located just next to the port and at the foot of the iconic Hotel W, is the fantastic Sant Sebastià beach. It has over a kilometre of sand and sea and is a comfortable walking distance from the city centre. From here you have a breathtaking view of the entire coastline, of Barceloneta all the way down to the Olympic Port area.
A section of this beach is an unofficial nudist beach, and there’s a gay area too.
Barceloneta
Barceloneta is the city’s most famous beach! It is named after the neighbouring Barceloneta, where fishermen used to take their home in the 18th century. The construction of the seafront promenade connected this old neighbourhood with the Olympic Port.
Expect to find many different beachfront chiringuitos (beach bars) serving tapas and cool drinks. Due to being the closest beach to the city, Barceloneta is the liveliest of them all.
Zona de Banys del Fòrum
While not a beach in the traditional sense, you can go and bathe in this seafront area. A cement structure is built into the sea, to create an enclosed saltwater pool. It is large and shallow, giving you the feeling of being in the sea, without all the hassle of the beach!
It is free to enter, and there are lifeguards and public facilities to use. There’s also a wave machine that you can use to practice your surfing technique, in a safe and fun way!
Somorrostro
Next to the many beach clubs of the city, Somorrostro beach is also popular with tourists. It’s less busy than Barceloneta but is usually frequented at all hours of the day by those entering and leaving the clubs.
This beach has been specially adapted for wheelchair users so it’s great for those who require extra accessibility.
