Beaches
Barcelona is a city that faces the sea, with a Mediterranean climate and 5 km of coastline that allow us to enjoy wide, shallow, sandy beaches, ideal for bathing or walking depending on the time of year we visit the city, or to enjoy the leisure spaces that we can find in them.
If we prefer to get away from the city a bit, we can do it by using a private vehicle or public transport if we look to go south,my recomended beaches are: Gava, Prat del Llobregat and Castelldefels. If you prefer to go north: near the vicinity of barcelona you have Badalona, further away are also Mongat or Masnou.
A few kilometers from Barcelona, between 50 and 100 km, I recommend a visit to Sitges or Tarragona, with magnificent beaches ideal for children. You can take advantage of the trip to visit these cities with very interesting corners and monuments.
Barcelona City Council has created a page where you can check the current status of its beaches, the temperature and quality of the water, the state of the sea, the occupation of the beaches…
Barcelona is a city that makes a great effort to gradually adapt its spaces to people with reduced mobility. In this link you can check the accessibility to its beaches.
If you travel with your pet you have to know that during the bathing season the beaches of Barcelona do not allow access to dogs. Only at the Llevant beach, a space has been set up for them and you can go bathe with your pet.
Here I leave you my recommended beaches:
La Barceloneta
It is the most famous beach in the city and in Spain. Created for the 1992 Olympic Games, it is traditionally one of the most popular beaches, mainly because it is located in the Ciutat Vella neighborhood and is easily accessible from anywhere in the city.
At the Centre Municipal de Vela, located in the Port Olimpic, you will find many water activities that you can enjoy.
La Marbella
Within the metropolitan area this is my favorite. It is located near the Poblenou neighborhood and is usually less crowded than the other beaches in Barcelona, so it is easier to find a nice place near the sea.
Sitges
If you are looking for an incredible beach, with the romance of a small town.
Sitges is only a 40-minute trip and you can get there by train or car. This city is known for being inclusive and hospitable due to its traditional gay pride parades and carnival parties.
It also has a good selection of restaurants and the town itself is impressive. If you have time, it’s a must!
Recommendations
Finally, I give you some recommendations to bathe safely:
- Always look at the color of the warning flag that ensures that we swim safely.
- In case of any problem, search for the help of the lifeguards or local authorities.
- Always wear sun protection, cover your head and stay hydrated.
We all like to find a clean beach and sea, help us to keep it that way. Take with you everything you have brought to the beach, if you have rubbish you can throw it in the containers you will find. The environmental policy of Barcelona’s beaches is zero waste.
Since the summer of 2022, the beaches of Barcelona have become smoke-free spaces, so to preserve the environment, the current rule is that you cannot smoke on the beach, only in the beach bars and on the promenade.
Municipal pools
Apart from its beaches, Barcelona also has urban baths where you can cool off. In this link you will find the municipal outdoor swimming pools in Barcelona, how to get there, their prices and their characteristics.
I recommend some:
El Forum
A bathing area considered a sandless beach 375 m long and 30 m wide with an area for people with disabilities that has a bathing aid service.
Can Dragó
Located in the park of the same name is an artificial lake of 3,000m2 with grass.
Creueta del Coll lague
Located in a public park in the Gracia district, it has magnificent views of Barcelona from the picnic area. It is 60 cm deep and 2,100m2 and becomes a pool in the summer months, and due to its shallow depth it is ideal for children. Suspended over the water is a sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, Elogio del agua.
Piscina municipal de Montjuic
It is a sports facility where some of the jumping events of the 1992 Olympics were held and it is located to the east of the Montjuic Olympic Ring in Barcelona. It consists of two outdoor pools, one of 25 m and another of jumps.
It has one of the best views of Barcelona, so you can cool off and enjoy them.
Refreshing locations
LaLudo – Ciutadella Park
It is a space located in the middle of the Ciutadella Park, which offers environmental education and family participation equipment aimed at families with children between 0 and 5 years old.
There you will find an outdoor space that is transformed every day with psychomotricity structures, varied games and spaces with water in summer. Inside you will find corners with stories, board and construction games, elements of nature, etc.
It is a free space that offers activities, workshops and dynamic proposals. It seems like a great plan to us, especially in summer!
Tibidabo interactive fountains
Located in the grounds where the Tibidabo Amusement Park is located, we find the interactive water fountains, an ideal play space to cool off during the hottest months of the year. Its access is free and it is open every day.
