Barcelona boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, attracting tourists and locals alike. The best beaches near Barcelona are in the city’s coastline which stretches over 4.5 kilometers and offers a variety of beaches to choose from, each with its unique character and charm. Barceloneta beach is the most popular beach in Barcelona, known for its lively atmosphere, with plenty of restaurants, bars, and beach clubs.
Nova Icaria beach is ideal for families and those looking for a more relaxed atmosphere, with a long stretch of golden sand and calm waters. Mar Bella beach is known for being a nudist beach and is popular among the LGBTQ+ community.
Bogatell beach is perfect for sports enthusiasts, with beach volleyball courts and various water sports activities available. All the beaches in Barcelona are well-equipped with amenities such as showers, changing rooms, and sun loungers, making them perfect for spending a day in the sun.
Either to the south or to the north you will find beautiful beaches with all kinds of services less than an hour away.
Below we show our favorite beaches near Barcelona that we can access by train from the city center. The times that we show are related to the Sants station and we try to reach a maximum of one hour of travel.
Access by train to the beaches south of Barcelona
With the R2 commuter line of Renfe we approach the beaches of Barcelona to the south of the city . Among them we find the following:
Castelldefels beach
- Train time from Sants: 27 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 2 minutes
One of the simplest and fastest options. With extensive beaches and services. In Castelldefels you will find a multitude of beach bars and showers and we will arrive from the station to the first beach with just a two-minute walk.
Garraf Beach
- Train time from Sants: 32 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 2 minutes
A more secluded beach with fewer services. Not all trains park at the Garraf station so you must pay attention to the schedules. The beach is located a few meters from the station.
Sitges beach
- Train time from Sants: 40 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 8 minutes
Sitges already invites a getaway by itself to discover the beautiful city. In addition, you can alternate a day at the beach with a good restaurant where you can enjoy a paella or a fideuá. The train journey from Barcelona takes around 40 minutes and the beach is just under 10 minutes away.
You can choose Playa de la Fragata on the left (somewhat small and very crowded) or Sitges beach, which is on the right and is somewhat wider. In all of them you will find beach bars and showers. By the way, the promenade is full of restaurants where you can pay a good tribute.
Vilanova i la Geltrú beach
- Train time from Sants: 47 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 18 minutes
Vilanova is another great beach option near Barcelona. From the Vilanova train station we have just over a quarter of an hour to get to the beautiful Far de Sant Cristòfol beach. In it you will find a beach bar, showers as well as the promenade of Vilanova i la Geltrú a few steps away.
Cunit beach
- Train time from Sants: 51 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 5 minutes
In a few minutes walking from the train station we are on the extensive beach of Cunit. Soft sand as usual on the Costa Dorada and all kinds of services.
Segur de Calafell beach
- Train time from Sants: 57 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 10 minutes
We end our tour of southern beaches accessible by train from Barcelona with Segur de Calafell. One hour seems to us the maximum time to be able to enjoy the beach in the same day. The station is located about 10 minutes from the beach where we will find all kinds of services: showers, beach bars and a good handful of restaurants along the Segur de Calafell promenade.
Access by train to the beaches north of Barcelona
With the R1 commuter line of Renfe we approach the beaches of Barcelona to the north of the city following the coastline of the Maresme region. Among them we find the following:
Badalona beach
- Train time from Sants: 23 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 10 minutes
Badalona was called the Liverpool of Spain due to its industrial profile . However, the beach has improved a lot over the last few decades and offers a beautifully renovated coastline with a promenade and clean water.
A quick option, with an extensive beach and all kinds of services, be it showers, beach bars, but also the wide range of restaurants on La Rambla and around the center of Badalona.
Montgat Nord beach
- Train time from Sants: 28 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 10 minutes
From the Montgat Nord station, we move to the first train tunnel that was built in Spain, nothing more and nothing less than 1848, and there we will find a small cove and on the other side an extensive beach that extends to the port from Masnou. On both sides we will have showers and beach bars.
Unlike the southern beaches, we will sink much faster when we enter the water and that is a general trend on the Maresme coast and the Costa Brava.
Ocata beach
- Train time from Sants: 35 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 1 minute
The Ocata station in El Masnou is practically on the beach. An extensive beach with all kinds of facilities. It will be very easy for you to get off the train and plant the umbrella in just a few minutes.
Vilassar de Mar beach
- Train time from Sants: 42 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 1 minute
Similar to Ocata, when you arrive at the Vilassar station you will find the beach in front of you. In addition to all the usual facilities, you also have the seaport of Vilassar with a good repertoire of restaurants.
Sant Andreu de Llavaneres beach
- Train time from Sants: 51 minutes
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 2 minutes
A couple of minutes walk from the station we find the beach of the Estación de Sant Andreu de Llavaneres. Clean and clear waters with the promenade one step away.
Canet de Mar beach
- Train time from Sants: 1 hour
- Walking time from the station to the beach: 1 minute
Just one minute from the train station we find the beautiful and extensive beach of Canet de Mar. All services available and clean, clear water where you can take a good dip. The surrounding beach bars and restaurants offer good alternatives to a beach picnic.
A few more minutes we have Sant Pol or Calella. Among others, we have not included Arenys de Mar because the beach is quite far from the train station.
