Top 5: Spain’s Best Beaches

With iconic cities, a vibrant culture, delicious food, and renowned events, Spain is one of the most widely beloved travel destinations in the world. In addition, the country also features some of the world’s most beautiful and enjoyable beaches. And with both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, and a number of islands, there is a lot to choose from! So, here’s my look at some of the very best beaches you can visit in Spain.

La Concha

Located on the northern coastline of Spain near the French border, La Concha is regarded as one of the top destinations in the country. Listing the beach on its own rundown of Spain’s best coastal offerings, Travel Channel calls La Concha one of the best urban beaches in the world, noting the close proximity of the beautiful, hilly town of San Sebastian. This location means that La Concha is seldom without a crowd, but for those who like a festive atmosphere to go with a gorgeous setting, it’s the perfect option. For an exotic touch, the small island of Santa Clara rises from the bay as an attractive destination for sailors, kayakers, or ambitious swimmers.

Playa de las Catedrales

Near the northwestern tip of the Spanish peninsula, Playa de las Catedrales is a slightly more isolated option with unique scenery that makes for a one-of-a-kind visit. The name translates to “Beach Of The Cathedrals” and refers to the towering rock formations that rise along the shoreline and out of the water. Several of these even take on arch formations and, really, they’re the reason that Playa de las Catedrales makes the list. It’s not the best beach in Spain for leisure or excitement, but it’s certainly one of the most stunning to look at.

Playa el Canuelo

Despite consisting of a fairly expansive cove stretch, Playa el Canuelo is one of the more isolated beaches on this list, simply because its National Park status prohibits extensive commercialisation of the area. As a result, accessing it can be tricky. However, it’s not overcrowded and its soft white sands, crystal clear waters, and picturesque rocky surroundings can be enjoyed in full. Furthermore, situated on Costa del Sol, it’s close enough to a number of other attractions, meaning if you want to combine a peaceful beach visit with energetic tourism, it won’t be a problem. Specifically, the fascinating historical city of Malaga is quite close. British Airways advises those who travel to the area that one of the perks of this city is how accessible Costa del Sol beaches are from it. A day at Playa el Canuelo can easily be followed by an evening enjoying the hospitality and fine dining of Malaga.

Es Trenc

Given that the Mediterranean island of Mallorca is high on many travellers’ lists of what to see in Spain, it would be wrong to not count one of its beautiful beaches—and Es Trenc is the best of them. It may at once be the simplest and most impressive of the Spanish beaches, in fact, as its minimalist nature makes for a nearly otherworldly atmosphere. Clear blue waters and white-gold sands blend into one another along a relatively flat landscape with trees backing the beach and virtually nothing in sight in terms of buildings or developments.

Cala d’en Serra

The fact that Cala d’en Serra is located on Ibiza may call to mind the image of a clubbing atmosphere spilling onto nearby sands. Indeed, this is the general flavour of Ibiza. Lonely Planet’s top things to do in Ibiza includes four different clubs along with a bus tour that takes tourists to these clubs. Frankly, it would be understandable for an outsider to imagine the entire island as one giant nightclub. But what makes Cala d’en Serra remarkable is that it remains relatively serene even with close proximity to this culture. Yes, the beach can grow somewhat-crowded due to the volume of tourists. Cala d’en Serra is ultimately a peaceful, beautiful cove, though, that can offer some respite from the charged atmosphere of the island as a whole.

photo credits: dynamosquito, Tuscasarurales, Antonio Guerra, G.e.o.r.g.e, SAGT