Beaches in Barcelona.
The beaches are a top Barcelona attraction. They opened for the Olympic games of 1992. Before the olympics there was only one beach at Barceloneta. Now there is a stretch of seven beaches that all along the 5 km coastal border of Barcelona. The summer beach season in Barcelona is usually from June until September. Daily services (lifeguards, Red Cross etc) open in May/June and stay open until September. After September weekend services are usually open until the middle of October. From the city centre of Barcelona it takes about 10-20 minutes by public transport to get to the cool waters of the Mediterranean sea.
 Pictures Barcelona's beaches
Barcelona average temperatures and sea water temperature
Beaches outside Barcelona
Names of beaches in Barcelona
From south to north there are seven beaches in the city of Barcelona. They get over 3.5 million visits a year making them one of Barcelona's top attractions. In recent years the Barcelona city council has improved services on the beaches introducing a new website with beach webcams extra waste bins, more cleaning and special beach police patrols. The goal is offer visitors the finest city beaches in the world . A recent addition to the beaches of Barcelona is the Barcelona Beach Centre located on Barceloneta beach opposite the Hospital del Mar. It offers many free activities and exhibitions and has a book and newspaper loan service. The beaches of Barcelona are open from June to October. Daily services are operational from June until the end of September after the Mercè City Festival in September ends. After that there are weekend beach services until until the middle of October, when it officially starts getting too cold to swim. By the way a beach is called " Playa " in Spanish and " Platja " in Catalan
Click below to go to the official Barcelona city beach webpages, where you can see current water temperature, bathing conditions and see the facilities available on each beach.
Sant Sebastià beach in Barcelona (most southerly)
La Barceloneta beach in Barcelona
La Nova Icària beach in Barcelona
Bogatell beach in Barcelona
La Mar Bella beach in Barcelona
La Nova Mar Bella beach in Barcelona
Llevant beach in Barcelona (most northerly)
The seven beaches in the city of Barcelona are all on the yellow metro line L4.
Maps and directions of the beaches in Barcelona
Photos of Barcelona's beaches
Chiringuitos in Barcelona
Each Barcelona beach section has some beach bars on the sand. They are called "chiringuitos." These beach bars are hugely popular and serve drinks, snacks and a selection of food. It’s not that cheap, but considering the beach location the prices are very reasonable.
The chiringuitos also rent out sun-beds and organise DJ’s to play chill-out music and many organise beach parties.
Beach parties in Barcelona There are many beach parties in Barcelona, mostly at the small chiringuito bars. DJ's, no neighbours and the unbeatable sensation of dancing with sand between your toes and perhaps taking a midnight dip in the Med are good reasons to join a beach party. The Barcelona beaches are also a great place for fitness activities. Barcelona has many smal parks and gardens, but not many big green areas, so the beaches are a year-round favourite for jogging, skating, rollerblading, walking, biking and beach volleyball.
Swimming and safety
Swimming and bathing in Barcelona is very safe and there are no dangerous currents. Bogatell beach has been made into a lagoon for the 2010 season, so this is the most tranquil beach for children and the elderly. All the Barcelona beaches have the EU Blue Flag ratings for eco-quality, disabled access, lifeguards on duty (only in season), showers etc. It can be a bit windy and so if the waves are big, and you are not strong swimmer stay close to the shore and away from the rocks.
Jellyfish - Medusas
Sometimes the Barcelona beach waters are invaded by jellyfish (medusas.) This is due to warmer water temperatures in the sea combined with overfishing of the kinds of fish, that usually eat jellyfish and help keep their numbers down. If you are on the beach watch for the special "jellyfish" warning flag, which is hoisted by the life guard. If you are unlucky and get stung then ask the life guards for assistance. A jellyfish sting is not dangerous, just unpleasant.
Surfing in Barcelona
Surfing, albeit on smallish waves, has become popular in recent years. This is an activity you will see in spring, autumn and winter in Barcelona. To the dismay of the local surfers, there are fewer beaches to surf on now that the city has added breakwaters in front of the Barcelona beaches to reduce the number of waves breaking on the shore. But the breakwaters make swimming safer for bathers in the summer and reduce the erosion of the Barcelona beaches caused by the spring and autumn storms.
Water quality Barcelona beaches While the beach water in Barcelona is very clean with regard to pollution etc, there can be problems with rubbish in the water like plastic bags and bottles. Most of this has been blown off the beaches itself, so take your litter with you when you leave please. Since 2006 an "clean beach" campaign to encourage bathers to clear up their own mess on the beaches has improved the water quality considerably. You can see the water quality on the official Barcelona beach website. On most days the water is refreshingly clear and clean and perfect for a quick dip after work or shopping. Many bathers stay on the beach until 21.00 in the evening in the hot summer months.
Which beach to choose in Barcelona? The beaches run from south to north and so does the party scene. The party beaches for students, tracellers, backpackers and tourists are to be found on on southern most beaches, called Sant Sebastià and Barceloneta which are nearest to the city centre. These beaches are a bit more beaten up, busier, noisier and the ones, where you are most likely to have your bag snatched. It´s a good idea to be aware and not take valuables to the beach. How to avoid pickpockets and being robbed in Barcelona
If you are looking for more tranquil beaches with cleaner sand, head north along the beaches. As you pass each of the beaches in Barcelona, you will notice the difference. The north end beaches in Barcelona are mostly used by residents and families. They have cleaner sand and are far less noisy. If you enjoy nudism or naturism, then head for Mar Bella beach, which is the official city nudist/naturist beach, although nudism is not compulsory. The nudist area is in front of an articial dune created to spare innocent eyes from naked flesh, but generally you will find nudity a little way outside the designated nudism area. In the winter the water is generally considered too cold for swimming, but on a calm sunny day you will find many people on the beaches enjoying the sun and fresh air.
Don't like sand? Try the Parc del Forum bathing area At the north end of the beaches there is an alternative to sandy beaches, which is the Parc del Forum swimming area. This is an open air bathing area where you can swim in seawater in an enclosed area.
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