The 10 best beaches in Barcelona
Barcelona has an impressive seven kilometres of sandy beaches, all of them perfectly adequate for a morning’s splashing about, but for a less urban backdrop and more towel space there are dozens of easily accessible alternatives located just north and south of the city. Train lines hug the beaches in both directions, although you’ll need a car if you want to head north of Tossa de Mar to the wooded coves of the Costa Brava proper.
For further Barcelona inspiration, see our in-depth guides to the city’s best hotels, restaurants, bars and nightlife, shopping, attractions, and things to do for free.
Find a beach by area
In Barcelona
Platja Sant Sebastià
The southern tip of Barcelona’s chain of beaches has changed in character since the construction of the towering sail-shaped W Hotel inspired a raft of restaurant openings and dialed up the glam factor. It’s still a good place for families, however, with rock pools and a giant rope climbing frame.
How to get there: Take the V15 bus from Via Laietana or it’s a 15-minute walk from La Barceloneta metro.
Insider tip: Pez Vela is a smart but breezy restaurant for paella and Mediterranean food. Book early for a table on the terrace, next to the beach.
Platja Mar Bella
Barcelona’s beaches are much of a muchness but in general you’ll have more sand to yourself the further north you walk. Mar Bella is where things begin to get quieter and there are fewer hawkers, masseuses and so on. The area backed by a large sand dune is generally used by nudists.
How to get there: Take the L4 metro to Poblenou and walk for 10 minutes or so, or take the H16 bus.
Insider tip: For those of a sporting bent, there is a skate park behind the beach, ping pong tables and a watersports centre (La Base Nàutica) at its southern end.
North of the city
Montgat Nord
You don’t have to travel far out of town for softer, cleaner sand and more limpid waters, and Montgat, or the next stop, Montgat Nord, have these in abundance. The water becomes deep quite quickly, so it’s not ideal for smaller children, but otherwise makes for a relaxed day out.
How to get there: Trains run every 15 minutes from Plaça de Catalunya and take just over 20 minutes.
Insider tip: For no-nonsense tapas on a shaded terrace, try Banys Verge del Carme, which sits exactly halfway between the stations of Montgat and Montgat Nord.
Caldes d’Estrac
Also known as Caldetes, Caldes d’Estrac is a former spa town, famous for its fin-de-siecle modernista and classicist noucentista buildings. Many of these are along the seafront, overlooking the Passeig dels Anglesos promenade that skirts a long beach of golden sand. In the warmer months you’ll find several xiringuitos (beach bars).
How to get there: Between two and four trains an hour run from Plaça de Catalunya (journey time is around 50 minutes).
Insider tip: In summer months there is a zone of inflatable rafts and slides in the water; perfect for older kids.
Sant Pol de Mar
A picture-perfect fishing village where the train stops right on the beach, Sant Pol is an essential day trip from Barcelona. Walk south for beaches that get progressively quieter, and look out for the Civil War casement (fortified enclosure from which guns were fired) and colony of cormorants en route.
How to get there: Between two and four trains an hour run from Plaça de Catalunya (journey time is around an hour).
Insider tip: If you’re there during the week, Restaurant Margot serves an excellent fixed-price three-course lunch menu for €17.
Tossa de Mar
Tossa is really two towns in one: the medieval walled village of winding stone streets on a promontory at the end of the beach, and the rowdy resort town behind. It’s a fun day out however you decide to spend it and, despite its popularity, Tossa still retains plenty of character.
How to get there: Coaches from Estació del Nord run 16 times a day and the journey takes one hour 20 minutes. See moventis.es for tickets.
Insider tip: The coastal path south from Tossa makes for a lovely wander, with little coves for swimming and plenty of viewpoints.
South of the city
Castelldefels
Just south of Barcelona, Castelldefels beach is neither secret nor especially beautiful, but it is long and especially wide, with plenty of space for volleyball and other sports enthusiasts as well as sun worshippers. Hire loungers and parasols from any of the various xiringuitos (beach bars).
How to get there: Trains run every ten minutes or so from Passeig de Gràcia, and the journey takes just under half an hour.
Insider tip: Castelldefels is the only place in the province of Barcelona where you can learn to kitesurf, with a specially designated zone.
Garraf
A picturesque crescent of a bay famous for its line of green and white 1920s wooden huts, which once housed fishermen’s tools and are now wildly sought-after by beachgoers. An outpost of Soho House dominates the northern end, but this is still a local family favourite, with warm shallow water.
How to get there: There are two trains an hour from Passeig de Gràcia (journey time 37 minutes), and the train deposits you almost on the sand.
Insider tip: There are few eating and drinking options in Garraf, but jump back on the train and you’ll reach the lively town of Sitges five minutes later.
Sitges
This whitewashed coastal idyll is a party town at night, but a reasonably chilled spot during the day, with various beaches. For a bit more space head to Aiguadolç, between forested hills and the marina of the same name, but prettiest is Balmins, home to an enthusiastic (and mostly naked) LGBT community.
How to get there: There are four trains an hour from Passeig de Gràcia (journey time around 40 minutes). The beaches are within 10 to 20 minutes’ walk from the station.
Insider tip: The GR92 coastal path includes a picturesque 8km stretch from Sitges to Vilanova, from where you can get the train back to Barcelona.
Cala Fonda/Waikiki
Popularly known as Waikiki, this is perhaps Catalunya’s loveliest beach, and completely unspoiled thanks to the difficulty of getting there – even with a car it requires a 20-minute walk on an occasionally rocky path through the pine woods. Waikiki is predominantly a nudist beach and swimwear is not really encouraged.
How to get there: Park cars next to La Mora campsite and follow the path. Alternatively take the train to Altafulla or Tarragona (just over an hour from Barcelona) and hike seven kilometres or so along a pretty coastal path.
Insider tip: Take plenty of water and food with you, and don’t expect beach bars, showers, lifeguards or bins.
