Beach Day: Hidden Beaches in and around Barcelona

When you’re in the vibrant metropolitan city of Barcelona you’ll surely never get bored. You’ll be entertained by all the underground techno parties, art gallery openings, street festivals, open air cinemas and plenty other activities. In fact, when you decide to do nothing and simply stay home in Barcelona, I can guarantee you to get FOMO (fear of missing out). That’s why sometimes it’s good from time to time to leave the city for one day, to inhale tranquillity and exhale the need of always being at the place to be. Because sometimes, it’s good to spend just a lazy day at the beach, drink a cold cerveza in the sun and enjoy the feeling of salt and sand on your skin. And since the Barceloneta Beach is as crowded and as dirty as city beaches usually get, I’ll give you some tips about the hidden beaches in and around Barcelona – only a short train ride away and therefore relatively undiscovered from tourists.

Platja de Castelldefels

The first thing I heard about Castelldefels was that the football player Messi has his villa there. Second thing was that the beach was wide, plain and long with the view on beautiful hills. And that was definitely the more convincing argument for me to go there. And indeed: At the big beach of Castelldefels you can truly enjoy a sunbath with a lot of space around you – without laying side by side with other tourists. There’s nothing much more to see in this little beach village, which is why it still remains as an insider tip for a relaxed beach day. And the best thing: It’s only 30 minutes south from Barcelona and easily accessible with the train from the station Passeig de Grácia. Make sure you’ll bring some snacks and drinks if you wanna spend the entire day at this beach, beause there are no beach bars around.

© Photo: Charles03

Platja de Garraf

Garraf is only a few train stops further than Castelldefels, but offers a completely different beach experience. The beach is way smaller, located in a rocky area with impressive cliffs around. It’s certainly a picturesque location with its cute little beach huts right at the bay and a sailing boat harbour close by. But therefore it’s also slightly more touristy and less intimate. And yet, Garraf is worth a visit, especially if you appreciate calm water and rocky landscapes or a fancy dinner at the restaurant La Cúpula, located on a cliff with a panoramic view on the sea and the harbour.

© Photo:Proformabooks

Platja de Morer

Last but not least: Barcelona’s so called secret beach. One hour north from Barcelona, heading towards Sant Pol de Mar, there’s the Platja de Morer. And although it may not be the most scenic beach you’d see around the Costa Brava – because it runs parallel to a train track – it’s without a doubt the most underrated beach spot around Barcelona. Despite the traintrack and highway above the beach, you’ll find beautiful golden cliffs around the lagoon and the Roman ruins of the Morer ­– a former center for the wine production in the 1st century. This little beach promises a combination of urban vibes, cultural architecture and calming nature. You can get there with a direct train connection from the main square Plaça Cataluña.

Although Barcelona can get very hot and crowded in summer, it’s luckily located at the beautiful Costa Brava, that has a lot of hidden beaches to offer. Now take a dip in the sea and enjoy the sun!

© Photo: coscaron

© Photo Title: Lucas Pacheco