SnoHeat Travel wants to let you know… Barcelona beaches hold an attraction for many people,
particularly in the summer when they want to cool down. They spread for 4.2 kilometers (just over 2.5 miles) and all are rather clean for such a large city. This is because of the hard work carried out by local incentives to maintain the beaches in the area and improve them as tourist attractions and also for the benefit of residents.

In fact, Barcelona beaches are very highly regarded by visitors, and although many locals will comment that you will find better either side of the coastal area round Barcelona, they have improved significantly in recent years and the Barcelona people are doing themselves a disservice by failing to focus on this.  The beaches at Barcelonahave played an important part in Spain’s record of having more blue flag beaches (493) than any other country inspected.
As far as facilities and amenities go, Barcelonabeaches are of quite a high standard. You will find a more than adequate supply of toilets with free showers, and safety is also a focus of these beaches with life guard stations every few meters along the shore. If you are looking for a beach close to the center of the city offering facilities for the disabled, then head for San Sebastià.  Platja de Barceloneta is another that is close to the center, situated between the metro Ciutadella and Barceloneta.  This is popular with the youngsters and teenagers because it has skateboarding, volleyball, table tennis tables and a playground for children. Barceloneta beach is the most popular with visitors to the city, especially those with young families.Come lunchtime you should try Nova Icària, the next beach up to the north. You can get some traditional Spanish food here and enjoy paella at one of the many restaurants or chiringuitos. Among some of the better restaurants are Moncho’s and Mango.  This beach also offers volleyball courts and ping-pong tables in addition to disabled facilities.  Like most of the Barcelonabeaches that are close to the city, Nova Icària also gets crowded in summer and you are best to get there early for a good position. Keep going north and you will come to Bogatell. If you travel by metro, then you can get off at Llacuna or Poble Nou, and again we have the table tennis and volleyball. You can also rent parasols and deck chairs here, and the water is fairly still and safe, being bounded on each side by stone breakwaters.  Then, continuing north, you will reach Mar Bella. You can hire parasols and beach chairs here as well, and many make their way to Mar Bella because it is not so busy during the day as the previously mentioned beaches closer to the city. One of the main attractions of the next beach, Nova Mar Bella, is it quietness, even though it attracts a lot of younger people. Again with chairs and parasols to shield you from the sun, this beach also has disabled facilities and attracts many Catalan visitors from outside the city.  This is one of the Barcelonabeaches that is popular with the Spanish holidaymakers.Finally, we come to Llevant. This is a relatively new beach, opening in 2006, and has no toilets (though it does offer showers!).  If you want a toilet you have to go south to Nova Mar Bella. So what is the final judgment on these Barcelona beaches?   The beaches close to the centre of the city that tend to get most tourists are not the cleanest, even though all but one has been awarded a blue flag.  For the cleanest beaches go outside the city, but make sure you have a swim in the Mediterranean before you leave Barcelona.
If your trip has to be a short one, then head for Platja de Barceloneta, which is the cleaner of the two nearest to the centre.

Whatever beach you decide to visit, make sure you check the flag because they are not always green, and also check whether or not a lifeguard is on duty, particularly if you have children with you.  If you are not used to hot sun, make sure you use a high factor sunscreen and drink plenty of water.  Apart from that, and the usual precautions with your kids and valuables, you should have a great time on Barcelona‘s beaches.