A Guide to the Beaches in Barcelona, Spain
When one thinks of vacationing in Spain, the associations that right away come to mind are long stretches of pristine sandy beaches. And that is because Spain and beaches go hand in hand. Barcelona, one of the more frequented cities in the country, has stretches of beautiful beach land, almost 4.2 kilometres of it.
In Barcelona, there are four main beach areas:
Firstly, there is the Barceloneta Beach. This is likely the most popular beach due to its close proximity to the city of Barcelona, and can get pretty crowded in the summer months. Sunbathing and swimming are not the only entertainment that is available on the beach; there is also provision for windsurfing and kite surfing among various other activities. The beach happens to be quite wide, and it's surrounded by wooden decking on its various edges. There are a lot of places to eat, but the food is predictable with pizza parlours and Tex-Mex restaurants dominating most of the food joints. One of the most famous eateries there is the Aqua, a Catalan restaurant. Car parking is available, but pedestrian traffic is rewarded with a glimpse into history, with Monument a Colom which is a memorial to the explorer Christopher Columbus.
Nova Icaria Beach is a very popular beach that likely owes its immense crowds to its proximity to the Olympic marina. There was a huge project undertaken some time ago to clean the beach, the marina and a neighbouring village. Subsequently, there has been a concerted effort to keep the beach clean, and hence it has received a great deal of visitors - local and otherwise. The beaches also boast of disabled access, lifeguards (in season), sun beds and showers. Food is readily available with three very clean beach bars, two exceptional restaurants on the promenade and quite a few other bars and restaurants off the Port Ol?ic, a mere short walk away.
A third Barcelona beach is the Mar Bella Beach. This one is commonly known as the nudist beach, although people are not always nude here. There is a breakwater where there is a school and equipment hiring centre for windsurfing and kayaking. The beach is well hidden from the rest of the city by a large hillock of bamboo. It doesn't even have signs directing people to it. An additional adjunct is a quiet little park that runs alongside; absolutely prefect for a lazy afternoon.
The last beach is the Bogatell Beach, which happens to be twice the length of the close by Nova Icaria. Bogatell is edged in by a stone walkway and is ideal for jogging, roller blading and cycling. The beach also has a raised promenade, having the effect of reducing city noise and traffic sounds.
Paul Symonds writes about Barcelona beaches and Barcelona culture and history.
