Is there a beach in Barcelona?
BARCELONA sits on the north-east coast of Spain, and boasts 4.5km of Mediterranean coastline to enjoy.
So how many beaches are there in Barcelona - and how long have they been there?
Is there a beach in Barcelona?
Yes - there are actually nine beaches in total spread out along 4.5 kilometres in Barcelona.
The beaches are all within a ten minute journey from the city centre.
Bogatell Beach is thought to be one of Barcelona’s best, and is also one of the largest, at 702 metres long.
It advertises lots of sports facilities, including beach football, beach volleyball, a basketball hoop, and table tennis.
Sant Sebastia Beach is a lovely 1,082 metres long, and is described as having a gay area and an unofficial nudist area, as well as exceptional views of the Barcelona coastline.
Mar Bella Beach is half the size, at 512 metres long, but is one of Barcelona’s more well-known beaches.
As well as a beach library, it has facilities for football and volleyball, and a playground.
Most of Barcelona’s beaches are lifeguarded, and have access to police and information points.
Most advertise accessible loos and showers, sports facilities, drinks and ice creams for sale, beach umbrella and lounger hire, and wi-fi.
The nine beaches are:
- Bogatell Beach
- Barceloneta Beach
- Nova Icària
- Mar Bella
- Sant Sebastià
- Nova Mar Bella
- Somorrostro
- Llevant
- Sant Miguel
Which beach is closest to the city centre in Barcelona?
Barceloneta Beach, is the closest beach to the city centre - it is just a 20 minute walk from the end of La Rambla, the centre's main street.
This is Barcelona’s most famous beach, and it has lots of beach huts for refreshments.
It is only 420 metres long, but is known for good kite and wind-surfing, sailing and swimming.
There’s a beach restaurant and lovely walks with views of Barcelona architecture.
However, some reviews say it is very crowded and dirty with plastic floating in the sea.
Icaria Beach is the next closest to the city centre, at 4.5km away, followed by Mar Bella Beach, which is 5.3km away.
When did Barcelona get its beaches?
Barceloneta is the oldest and most traditional of Barcelona’s beaches, it was built in the 18th century.
All of the city's beaches are man made.
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Boatel Beach is 38 years old, followed by Mar Bella Beach, which was built as part of the Olympic Games regeneration in 1992.
Levant beach is the newest of Barcelona’s beaches, having opened just 15 years ago in 2006.