Hit the Beaches from Barcelona!

Barceloneta in July 

If you're in Barcelona you gotta get some beach time! The obvious place to start, of course, is with the city's very own "platja" (Catalan for beach): Barceloneta, a 30-minute walk from  Bailèn 41 or a zippy metro ride on Line 4 from the nearby Girona station.

But you don't have to settle for just one beach; there are 114 beaches along the Catalan coast that fly the international blue flag of quality, showing they meet almost three dozen criteria for water quality, environmental management, safety and services and environmental education and information.

North from Barcelona is the "Maresme," a stretch of coastline that eventually merges into the rockier Costa Brava. As our friends at Barcelona Yellow note,  6 to 10 euros will buy you a ticket on a comfortable, air-conditioned train that goes right up the Maresme through one charming beach after another. One of our favorites is Caldes D’Estrach.

Sitges in December

South from Barcelona you'll find such sandy paradises as Gavamar, Castelldefels, Garraf, and Sitges, which has some 17 separate beaches along its coastline plus a whole lot more. Check out our "Day Trip to Sitges!" article for more details.

Barcelona Yellow has all the info you need to plan your beach trip. Regardless of whether you want to go north or south, you can start off your excursion at the Arc d' Triomf metro/rail station, conveniently located about 5 minutes from Bailèn 41. Don't forget your sun screen!