Just a few metres from the city centre, you'll come across a neighbourhood called Barceloneta, which used to be a poor fishing village. However, thanks to the urban renewal before the 1992 Olympics, things have changed and the city has built beautiful beaches, a modern harbour and streets full of restaurants, cafes and clubs.
Barceloneta is clearly one of Barcelona's most important attractions. Its quality is evidenced by the fact that it has been awarded the title of the best urban beach in the world and the third best beach in the world overall.
Promenade and sandy beach
Barceloneta beach is officially called the main middle part of the Barceloneta district, but in fact everyone also considers the neighbouring beaches of Somorrostro, Sant Miquel and Sant Sebastia, which are connected to Barceloneta, as Barceloneta.
Together they form a continuous 2 km long strip of beach.
Here you can enjoy fine, light sand, which is cleaned every morning and the surrounding area is regularly cleaned. Barceloneta is definitely one of the cleanest urban beaches in the world.
A pedestrian promenade full of restaurants, bars, shops and clubs stretches along the entire coastline. The liveliest part is right in the middle on the original Barceloneta beach, where you can enjoy entertainment until late at night.
Swimming and beach facilities
The beach is wide and spacious, and although it can get crowded in the summer season, you can always find a free spot. Swimming and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea is easy, the entrance to the water is gradual and free of rocks, and don't expect big waves.
Freshwater showers are located all along the beach and there is no charge, as are public toilets.
Lockers for storing belongings are available at the information point, specifically at this location.
The locker can only be rented for the whole day for a fee of about 10 eur.
Old Barcelona
The beach gave its name to the Barceloneta district, which is made up of a rectangular network of very narrow streets and originally shanty towns for port workers and fishermen.
Today, Barceloneta is a middle-class neighbourhood, the streets are well-groomed and full of shops, markets, restaurants and bars.
Even so, it has a special atmosphere of a bygone era.
Hotels by the beach
Do you want to live in the city centre and right by the sea? Barceloneta is the place to be.
Here are our picks for the best hotels by the beach.
- W Barcelona ***** - One of the most iconic hotels in the world in a skyscraper shaped like a sailboat
- Sofitel Barcelona Skipper ***** - a luxury hotel about 100 metres from the northern edge of the beach in the trendy Ciutadella Olímpica district
- Hotel del Mar *** - small hotel with affordable prices right by the metro station about 350 metres from the beach
Location and transport
The beach is only about 0.5 km from the historic centre of Barri Gotic and La Rambla, and is within easy walking distance of most major sights. You can also get here by public transport:
- Metro - Barceloneta station about 400 metres from the beach - L4 line or Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica station about 150 metres from the northern end of the beach - L4 line
- Bus - many stops all along the beach - lines D20, V15, V19, 47, 59
- Trams - Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica stop about 200 metres from the northern end of the beach - line T4
- Train - one of the main regional transport stations Estació de França about 400 metres from the beach
- Cable car - the Aeri del Port cable car to the southern edge goes to Montjuïc Park
What to see around
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