Kids in Barcelona - Family and parents guide to activities, shopping, holiday apartments, events, health, schools and nurseries, babysitting and childcare, and playgroups in Barcelona.

Barcelona offers a vast stretch of coastline that comes as a surprise to some first time visitors. From Barceloneta and the Marina of Port Vell to the Diagonal Mar area the beaches run virtually uninterrupted.

For a choice of restaurants and bars head into the Port Vell Marina area in Barceloneta or to the Port Olimpic area where you can take the steps down by the bronze fish statue for beach front dining or further along past the towers to the Marina area for a range of seafood and other restaurants.

You can typically enjoy the Barcelona beaches from March to October and sometimes even as late as November you might see sunbathers. Either way, the promenade is great for a family stroll at any time of the year. See also Barcelona Water Parks and Swimming Pools .

San Sebastia Beach and Barceloneta Beach

These 2 beaches combined are the longest at 1.1km and are also probably the most visited by tourists as they are the closest to the city centre. They are easily accessible from the Ciutat Vella area by either bus or metro. There is a children’s play area with climbing frame and a Beach Centre on the beachfront opposite the Hospital del Mar with information and book lending during the summer.

Metro: Barceloneta (then walk along Pg. Joan de Borbo (Roads leading left from here will take you to the beach front)
Buses: 57, 157, 64, 36, 59, 14, 16, 17, 39, 40, 45, 51

Nova Icària Beach and Bogatell Beach

Metro: Ciutadella-Vila Olimpica
Buses: 6, 36, 41, 141, 92

Mar Bella Beach

500m long, this beach takes you even further to the East of the city’s coastline. A younger more beautiful crowd of bathers tend to congregate here and a designated nudist beach is partially hidden from view. There is a children’s play area on the beach and also if you cross over to the roadside park you will find grass, shade and a children’s playground at the bottom of the Rambla del Poblenou. You can take a stroll up the Rambla of Poblenou for a choice of local restaurants, terraces, cafes and ice cream shops.

Metro: Poblenou or Selva de Mar (both a few blocks up from the beach)
Buses: 36, 71, 41 (closest stop to beach)

Nova Mar Bella Beach

This is the beach furthest East on the Barcelona coastline and is close to the city’s Diagonal Mar shopping centre and the Barcelona Forum. It is possibly the quietest beach as it is located near the residential district of Diagonal Mar.

Metro: Selva de Mar or El Maresme(both a few blocks up from the beach)
Buses: 36, 43, 41

LLevant Beach 

 This stretch of beach is 380m long and is the newest of the city's beaches,  created in 2006.

Metro: Selva de Mar
Buses: 7, 36, 41, 141

Parc Forum Bathing Area 

Parc Forum has a natural seawater swimming pool. The sea has been sectioned off to create a shallow bathing  swimming area from May till October.