Barcelona offers a vast stretch of coastline that comes as a surprise to some first-time visitors. From Barceloneta and the Marina of Port Vell to the Diagonal Mar area the beaches run virtually uninterrupted.

For a choice of restaurants and bars, head into the Port Vell Marina area in Barceloneta or to the Port Olimpic area where you can take the steps down by the bronze fish statue for beach front dining or further along past the towers to the Marina area for a range of seafood and other restaurants.

An additional perk of the city beaches is the lending service provided by the Centre de la Platja at the beach front near Hospital del Mar (3 July – 30 September). The centre offers kite flying courses and boat trips, lends out spades, buckets, petanque sets and other beach equipment that you may have left at home. 

The beaches also provide a book lending service known as the Biblioplatges that operates at two locations during the summer months. The centres loan 350 titles in Catalan, Castellano, English, French, Italian and German as well as newspapers and magazines. They open on Mar Bella Beach at the Espigó de Bac de Roda (3 July – 31 August) and  Barceloneta Beach at the Centre de La Platja. The libraries open from 11am to 7pm and their selection includes 80 children's books, 30 different comics and 8 children's magazines. 

You can typically enjoy the Barcelona beaches from March to October. You may even see sunbathers as last as November.

San Sebastia Beach and Barceloneta Beach

These two beaches combined are the longest at 1.1km and are also probably the most visited by tourists as they are the closest to the city centre. They are easily accessible from the Ciutat Vella area by either bus or metro.

Metro: Barceloneta (then walk along Pg. Joan de Borbo (Roads leading left from here will take you to the beach front)
Buses: 57, 157, 64, 36, 59, 14, 16, 17, 39, 40, 45, 51  

Nova Icària Beach and Bogatell Beach

Located further East, these beaches stretch along 1km of sand and offer a quieter alternative whilst still remaining close to the city centre. There is access to a choice of restaurants along the promenade and around the Port Olimpic marina area.

Metro: Ciutadella-Vila Olimpica
Buses: 6, 36, 41, 141, 92

Mar Bella Beach

The 500-metres-long-beach takes you even further to the east of the city’s coastline. A younger more beautiful crowd of bathers tend to congregate here and a designated nudist beach is partially hidden from view.

There is a children’s play area on the beach and also if you cross over to the roadside park you will find grass, shade and a children’s playground at the bottom of the Rambla del Poblenou. You can take a stroll up the Rambla of Poblenou for a choice of local restaurants, terraces, cafes and ice cream shops.

Metro: Poblenou or Selva de Mar (both a few blocks up from the beach)
Buses: 36, 71, 41 (closest stop to beach)

 Nova Mar Bella Beach

This is the beach furthest east on the Barcelona coastline and is close to the city’s Diagonal Mar shopping centre and the Barcelona Forum. It is possibly the quietest beach as it is located near the residential district of Diagonal Mar.

Metro: Selva de Mar or El Maresme(both a few blocks up from the beach)
Buses: 36, 43, 41

 LLevant Beach

This stretch of beach is 380m long and is the newest of the city's beaches as it was created in 2006.

Metro: Selva de Mar
Buses: 7, 36, 41, 141  

Parc Forum Bathing Area

Parc Forum has a natural seawater swimming pool. The sea has been sectioned off to create a shallow bathing swimming area from May till October.

This article has been reprinted with permission of Kids in Barcelona. Photos credit: xixarel1; adriagarcia