If you are looking for a summer destination for swimming and watersports activity, Barcelona is the city you are looking for. Thanks to the coastline stretching about 4.5 km, the city offers a variety of clean and calm beaches with golden sands. Read until the end of the article for the overview of beaches in the city.
Bathing season calendar
The high swimming season in Barcelona is during the middle of May to the middle of September. While the temperature of seawater is around 20-degree Celsius during summer, it drops to around 12-degree Celsius during winter.
- Mid-beach season (April 30 to May 25 & from September 17 to 30): First-aid and rescue facilities on Barcelona’s beaches are open to the public from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm.
- High-beach season (from May 26 to September 16): Public opening times are from 10.30 am to 7.30 pm at all establishments.
- Low season (the rest of the year): During this time, only the Integrated Beach-Management Plan’s offices and the Espigó del Gas, Somorrostro and Bogatell public lavatories are open.
Beach service
Services are listed as public toilets, kids area, sun loungers, changing room, beach umbrellas, facilities for water sports activities. No public lockers in the beach area are available.
Note that through the year, basic services are accessible. Lifeguards are situated more during summer.
- Red flag: No bathing/Not safe to swim
- Yellow flag: Swim with caution (due to strong wind/current)
- Green flag: Safe to swim
How to get to the beaches
Barcelona has nine beaches stretching out the coastline and all of the beaches could be reach with Metro L4 line. There is usually a short walk on the seaside of 15 minutes to reach the beach from metro stations.
Best beaches in Barcelona
There is no such “the best beach” in Barcelona for you. It all depends on your interest and flavor. Beaches in the city are disabled accessed, daily maintained and has EU Blue Flag, which is a certificate of the standard of water and sand.
- Mar Bella: nudist beach, young people, windsurfing
- Bogatell: close to the Olympic Port, Barceloneta district.
- Nova Mar Bella: volleyball court, promenade, quiet
- Nova Icária: family with children, quiet beach, volleyball courts
- Barceloneta: foreign visitors, crowd, traditional
- Sant Sebastià: sports clubs
- Llevant: pet-friendly, kid playground
- Some other beaches: Sant Miquel, Somorrostro, Banys del Fòrum
Some notes for a happy summer season
- During summer when the seawater is warm, especially in July and August, be aware that you could see jellyfish in Barcelona beaches. Fortunately, jellyfish could usually be found about 50 meters from the sore. If you have an issue, just contact any lifeguard and expect a free service from these Red Cross-certificated lifeguards.
- Barcelona is a safe city but be aware of thieves and pickpockets at the beaches and any crowd such as metro.
- Do not sleep over on the beach as it could harm your skin with sunburn and increase the possibility of loss.
Accommodation in Barcelona
For your summer vacation, we highly recommend Vista Apartment – a luxury serviced apartment featuring three bedrooms, two complete bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and a lovely terrace with a fantastic panoramic view to the coast of Barcelona. This apartment is located in the seafront of Mar Bella beach and just a few blocks away from a metro station.
Vista Apartment won The Best Holiday Home in European Capital Award 2016 in The Best Holiday Home Awards. For the full list of serviced apartments in Barcelona, please visit Habitat Apartments.
