(English) 5 Secrets About Barceloneta Beach

Barceloneta beach is must-see if you come to the city in summertime. The great climate of Barcelona guarantees optimum temperatures for enjoying the sun and the heat while lying on the golden sands. But autumn allows you to discover a completely different beach altogether.A beach that invites you to enjoy yourself, strolling along the sands and viewing the sunset without the hustle and bustle of the busy days of summer.

Ultimately, Barceloneta beach is the perfect spot where you can retreat at any time of year for some rest and relaxation. Here, we reveal 5 secrets of the beach:

1. It’s the biggest beach in Barcelona at 1,100 meters long. Barcelona has 9 beaches, which occupy some 4.2 kilometres. From North to South, the beaches are Playa del Llevant, Playa de la Nova Mar Bella, Playa del Bogatell, Playa de la Nova Icaria, Playa del Somorrostro, Playa de la Barceloneta, Playa de SantMiquel and Playa de SantSebastia. In addition to these beaches, you also have a bathing area, the Fórum.
2. The current appearance of the beach is a result of preparations for the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992. Apartment blocks and entire factories were demolished and the ancient beaches, a symbol of Barcelona’s maritime history, were brought back to life to give an air of modernity and freshness.
3. In the surrounding area you’ll find the nudist beach of San Sebastia. It boasts a kilometre of golden sand where nudism is allowed. However, the practice of nudism is more common to the beach at Mar Bella, where a large dune protects the 500 metres of beach from prying eyes. It is also known as the gay beach, since bars in the area are popular with the gay community.
4. It’s located in the old sailor’s quarter. Barceloneta is the most charismatic neighbourhood in the city that retains, in part, its ancient structures formed by narrow streets and buildings where the sailors lived. The appearance of the buildings allows you to glimpse in their dark façades the passage of time and the effects of the humidity of the sea. The atmosphere is quiet, family-style and a world away from the stereotypes of the big city. Currently, old buildings coexist with big and shiny new constructions.
5. The wounded shooting star is the most famous and most photographed sculpture on Barceloneta beach. It has been renamed after its twisted cubes, consisting of four cubes of iron and glass that reach 10 metres high that seem to be held together by chance, projecting the appearance of fragility. Inside, it has a light that shines brightly at night. The artist Rebecca Horn wanted to symbolise a star that had fallen from the sky, but it’s common to hear the legend that it represents the missing barracks and humble homes of the 1920s and 1930s.

Categories: barcelona