A large proportion of holidaymakers flock to the beaches of Spain throughout the summer season. In some ways this is a shame, because this country really has so much to offer and to reduce it ‘only’ to a beach destination is almost doing it a disservice. But on the other hand, who has never been to the seaside in Spain? The Iberian country along its 8000 kilometres of coastline has some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, outstanding hotel accommodation, an excellent and always sunny summer climate and, above all, plenty of options to choose from.
They range from the glamour of Majorca to the wild nightlife of Ibiza and Lloret de Mar, passing through the chic Formentera and Menorca, the incredible landscapes of the Canaries (did someone say Lanzarote?), the Atlantic beaches of the country’s north coast and the kilometres of urbanisation of the Costa del Sol.
Spain has a thousand ways to enjoy a beach holiday, catering for all tastes. And that is why everyone loves Spain for going to the seaside. The country remains a stronghold for British and German tourism, so much so that real summer airlifts are organised to bring northern European tourists in search of sun, heat and nightlife to Spain’s sunny shores.
For many, beach holidays in Spain mean choosing an island. The most famous Spanish archipelagos, attracting visitors from all over the world, are two: the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. So alike yet so different, they share a strong international footprint, huge hotel accommodation and of course beautiful beaches.
You have a total of 4 Balearics and 7 Canaries to choose from, although in the latter archipelago there is a big difference between the 4 most famous (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Tenerife) and the 3 less famous (La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro).
The Balearic Islands are located in the heart of the Mediterranean and are Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. They are four very famous islands, which alone receive more than 17 million tourists a year. It is impossible to mention the beauty of each of them in a few lines. However, the format of the four islands is very similar, albeit with some obvious differences. Generally speaking, in fact, the Balearic Islands are full of wonderful coves with sandy seabed and splendidly coloured sea. The climate is always sunny and never too hot, there are plenty of resorts and hotels and the nightlife is legendary.
The extremes are experienced on the one hand in Ibiza, where – wrongly – some groups of holidaymakers completely ignore the sea and cultural attractions, preferring exclusively the nightlife and discos, and on the other hand in Formentera, very small and converted into a refuge for elite holidaymakers with sometimes disproportionate costs.
Of the four Balearic Islands, Mallorca is undoubtedly the most varied, if only because it is the largest. There are several cultural attractions, including the beautiful capital Palma, and even the possibility of a mountain holiday, as the island is traversed on its western side by the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, among others. Beach lovers will be spoilt for choice, ditto for those seeking unbridled fun, both day and night. Menorca, on the other hand, is more secluded and more exclusive, less mass in some respects, even if tourism is rampant here too. There are stunning coves, incredible sea and two very pleasant towns located at either end of the island: Mahon to the east and Ciutadella to the west.
At first glance, especially in some areas of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, you might think that the Canaries and the Balearics are identical: same all-inclusive resorts, same British and German clientele, same junk shops run by Orientals, same restaurants serving all kinds of dishes with waiters addressing you in English.
But the similarities end there, because the Canaries are really a whole other world: seven islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, closer to Africa than to Europe, one different from the other and a truly unique bioclimatic variety. From west to east are Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. The first four receive practically all the tourists; only very few venture to visit the other three. Don’t make the same mistake and give them a chance: you won’t be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you want all the tourist services at your disposal and zero stress, then throw yourself without hesitation into discovering the four largest islands.
Unlike the Balearics, you will generally not find picture-postcard sea here (exceptions are Fuerteventura, the south of Lanzarote and a couple of beaches in Gran Canaria). The beauty of the Canaries lies above all in the variety of landscapes, ranging from the volcanoes and black beaches of Lanzarote to the deserts of Fuerteventura, via the mountains of Gran Canaria to the banana plantations of Tenerife. And what about Teide? Spain’s highest mountain is located in the Canaries, in Tenerife to be precise.
Finally, an honourable mention for the climate of the Canaries, so much so that the archipelago has the affectionate nickname of ‘islands of eternal spring‘ to its credit. It’s pretty self-explanatory: summers are mild and rarely exceed 30 degrees, while winters are always warm and temperatures rarely drop below 20 degrees. The result? 365 days of beach tourism a year!
There may not be the crystal-clear sea of Menorca or the beautiful landscapes of Tenerife, but Spain’s Mediterranean coast has always been synonymous with holidays. After all, names like Lloret de Mar, Benidorm or Marbella have always been the talk of the town when it comes to summer tourism.
The Mediterranean coast of Spain covers a length of more than 1,200 kilometres, from Portbou on the French border to Algeciras on the Strait of Gibraltar. The landscapes change constantly, as does the coastal conformation. But there are constants: crystal-clear sea, clean beaches, maximum care for the tourist and all available services.
The northern part of the coast of Catalonia, roughly from the French border to Barcelona, is called the Costa Brava. Its tourist boom began in the 1950s and, unfortunately, it must be said that it is often most famous because this is where Lloret de Mar is located, a tourist resort associated exclusively with nightlife and discos.
We say ‘unfortunately’ because the Costa Brava has wonderful landscapes and beautiful beaches, often hidden by headlands and cliffs. The coastal resorts are also worth mentioning, such as Cadaquès, Roses, Palamos and Blanes. The high standard of living of the residents and the high quality of services make a holiday on the Costa Brava easy and suitable for everyone.
The Costa Dorada, or Costa Daurada in Catalan, is that part of the coastline of Catalonia that starts in the south of Barcelona and ends at the border with the province of Castellón in the Comunidad Valenciana. In other words, it almost completely coincides with the coastline of the province of Tarragona. And while you’re in these parts, give it a chance, too, overshadowed by its ‘neighbours’ Barcelona and Valencia but certainly worth a visit, thanks mainly to numerous testimonies to its Roman past.
Then leave culture aside and devote yourself to the sea: from the beaches of Vendrell to Calafell, passing through the evergreen Sitges (technically not really part of the Costa Dorada but of the Garraf, i.e. Barcelona’s coastal strip), you will always find a postcard corner. And what about the villages overlooking the sea, always picturesque and reserved, the destinations of a tourism that knows its place and is respectful of the traditions and customs of this area.
If you are looking for a beach holiday in lesser-known Spain, head without hesitation to the Costa del Azahar, the coastal strip in the province of Castellón. Easily reached in a couple of hours by car from Barcelona or Valencia airport, its towns and villages include Peñíscola, Benicarló, Oropesa del Mar, Benicàssim and Castellón de la Plana, the capital of the province of Castellón.
In the province of Alicante, a beach holiday in Spain is synonymous with the Costa Blanca. This area is very famous among British tourists. However, wherever you go you will certainly find some compatriots, although to a much lesser extent than in Ibiza or Formentera. The Costa Blanca is about 200 kilometres long and runs from Denia in the north to Pilar de la Horadada in the south, beyond which the Costa Càlida begins.
Among the most famous resorts on the Costa Blanca is certainly Alicante, a delightful city by the sea and easily accessible by low-cost flights, but also Altea, Calp, Denia and Torrevieja.
Benidorm, dubbed the New York of the Mediterranean for its string of skyscrapers overlooking the sea, deserves a special mention. The fact that it reminds one of Manhattan may or may not be liked: certainly in its own way it is unique, and the beaches that surround it are undeniably wonderful. It’s just that in terms of authenticity, perhaps there are other places in Spain that beat it. However, its old town is very beautiful, even if it is decidedly less busy than the seafront, where one hotel follows another and there are plenty of pubs and bars to please a mainly English, German, Belgian, Dutch and Norwegian clientele.
After the Costa Blanca, moving southwards, the Costa Calida begins, coinciding with the province of Murcia. We are in an area of Spain practically unknown to international tourism. The same cannot be said for tourism in general, dominated by both locals and the ever-present British.
Its main characteristic, which also gives the area its name (Càlida in Spanish means ‘warm, lukewarm’) is its arid, desert-like microclimate, with a higher than normal temperature and lower rainfall. The result is a semi-desert and even desert climate in some areas. Among the most touristy coastal cities are Cartagena and Mazarrón, but also of interest is the Mar Menor, Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon on which beaches and resorts are also located.
We enter Andalusia with the Costa de Almeria, which as its name suggests comprises the coastal strip of the province of the same name. Among the tourist destinations here are Vera, Mojácar, Roquetas de Mar and El Ejido, which are complemented by beautiful natural areas such as the Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park, the Punta Entinas-Sabinar natural park and the Isla de Alborán.
The beaches of the Costa de Almeria are ideal for a beach holiday in Spain as there are about 100 of them, divided roughly equally into three areas: the Levante Almeriense, the Bahia de Almeria and the Ponente Almeriense, which consist of the part east of Almeria, the city of Almeria and its immediate surroundings, and the part west of Almeria, respectively.
The Costa Tropical is the west coast of the province of Granada, reaching as far as Malaga. We are therefore in the heart of Andalusia, but the area is not as famous and touristy as one would expect. There are five main tourist centres: Almuñécar, Salobreña, Motril, Castell de Ferro and La Rábita, where you can enjoy sunny beaches and sports such as surfing, windsurfing, diving, water skiing and more.
Among the most beautiful beaches with all amenities and services are La Herradura in Almuñécar and Poniente in Motril. If you prefer more pristine coves and beaches, choose El Caletòn and El Pargo without hesitation.
Incidentally, a Costa Tropical beach holiday is perfectly complemented by an excursion to the Sierra Nevada mountains or the nature reserves of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama. Finally, how could we not mention Granada, a wonderful city in Andalusia less than an hour away from the coast.
Spain’s most famous ‘coast’ is perhaps the Costa del Sol, the coastal stretch from Malaga to the Strait of Gibraltar. We are in an area kissed by sunshine and pleasant temperatures at all times, so much so that it is not uncommon during the coldest months of the year to spot a few Nordic tourists successfully bathing in the sea! But with winters rarely dropping below 15 degrees, the Costa del Sol is a perfect destination for an escape from the cold.
Apart from Malaga, which alone deserves an entire holiday, the Costa del Sol is a succession of highly urbanised resorts, full of second homes and where the Northern European tourist element is very strong. Its most famous resorts, lined up one after the other with borders so blurred as to seem non-existent, are Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Marbella, San Pedro de Alcantara and Estepona. The Costa del Sol ends at La Linea de la Concepcion, a town that is certainly not beautiful but certainly important, as it marks the border with Gibraltar, a British possession in Spain.
The Costa del Sol has a thousand facets, even within the individual towns. In Marbella , for example, you can stroll through the delightful narrow streets of the old town centre in typical Andalusian style, with white houses and squares with orange trees, and a few hundred metres further on you will reach the glamorous and very expensive Puerto Banus, destination of the international jet set. Benalmadena also has a double face: on the coast it is a succession of hotels and bathing establishments, further upstream is Benalmadena Pueblo, the historic centre, an old village where time seems to stand still.
It may not be the first image of Spain that comes to mind, but Spain faces the Atlantic Ocean! Away from the glamorous Ibiza and Formentera or the lively Costa Brava and Costa Del Sol, there are a number of coastal resorts where tourism is completely different: less mass and more niche, discovering fishing villages, genuine food, kilometre-long beaches constantly buffeted by the winds and taken by storm by surfers, dark and rainy skies and plenty of greenery in the surroundings. The Spain you don’t expect is Atlantic Spain, the north coast of the country, divided between the regions of the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.
Keep in mind that a beach holiday in Spain in these parts does not have the same mood as an Ibiza or a Mallorca: the beaches are lapped by winds, the ocean is cold and rain is not uncommon. You will sometimes have to think of a plan B for when it rains and going to the beach is not an option. But it is certainly not a problem, given the huge amount of things to see in the area. An activity not to be missed and perhaps not planned? Take a few kilometres of the Camino de Santiago, which runs right through these parts.
Known as Euskal Kostaldea in the local language, the coastal stretch that coincides with the Basque Country region is a real gem. The main tourist destination on the Basque Coast is San Sebastian, whose city beach, La Concha, is immortalised on every souvenir shop in the area. In fact, we advise you to choose San Sebastian as your base, and then move on to discover all the beauty of this stretch of coastline, made up of small villages overlooking the sea, and beaches that change completely according to the tides.
We recommend a stop in Getaria, Zarautz, but also Lekeitio with its port and Laredo. Then a visit to Bilbao, whose city beaches are located in Getxo, is a must: they are Playa de Ereaga and Playa Arrigunaga. And finally, a word of advice: don’t let the language scare you. Basque is in fact completely incomprehensible and disconnected from all language families, but the commonly spoken language is ‘normal’ Spanish.
Cantabria is one of the smallest regions in terms of size, but this is not to be avoided. On the contrary, its coastal stretch is truly fascinating, and is centred around Santander, the regional capital and home to the international airport that connects it with various European cities via convenient low-cost flights departing from several airports in our country.
Santander alone has wonderful beaches, such as Playa de Somo, Arenal del Puntal with its dunes, Playa de la Magdalena and the two Playas del Sardinero. Once past Santander, the Cantabrian coast becomes rugged and wild, with high cliffs and grasslands so much so that it feels like Ireland. But every now and then beaches open up like Playa de Covachos, Playa de la Arnia, Playa Del Portio and Playa de la Concha in Sanchez.
Since the Costa Cantabrica is small and Santander is more or less in the centre, we recommend keeping it as a base where you can sleep and visit the different beaches in a day: you won’t have the stress of changing hotels and the distances are more than doable, especially with a rental car.
The Spanish coastal stretch that coincides with the Asturias region is called Costa Verde. And you only have to take a flight to Oviedo and enjoy the landing to understand why: lush green meadows and rolling hills contrast with Spain’s typical image of arid land. The greenery reaches as far as the coast, made up of towns and villages of which the most interesting from a tourist point of view are Cudillero, Gijón, Llanes, Ribadesella, Luarca, Luanco and Candás.
Due to its high and wild conformation and the height of its waves, the Costa Verde is an important destination for surfing and windsurfing enthusiasts. Among the most popular places for practising these sports is undoubtedly Tapia de Casariego.
The Galician coast is divided into two areas called Rías Altas and Rías Bajas. These are the north and east coasts of Galicia, which face the Atlantic on two sides, respectively.
The Rías Altas make up the northern and north-western part of the province of La Coruña and the entire coast of the province of Lugo, bordering Asturias to the east and Cape Finisterre to the south. This area of coastline is rocky but has countless beaches, among which is the beach of Las Catedrales, in Ribadeo.
The Rías Bajas, on the other hand, go from Finisterre to the Vigo estuary, occupying almost the entire coast of the province of Pontevedra and part of the west coast of the province of La Coruña. There are beautiful beaches in these parts, although they are not always perfectly usable due to winds, waves and bad weather. However, if you are lucky with the weather you will see some really beautiful landscapes. Beware of the water, it is always quite cold!
Finally, let’s not forget the only coastal strip in southern Spain that faces the Atlantic: the Costa De La Luz. Located just beyond the Pillars of Hercules, roughly coinciding with the coastline of the provinces of Cadiz and Huelva in Andalusia, the Costa De La Luz is a paradise for surfers who don’t like the rain of the northern Spanish coast. The wind is always there, as are the long beaches, but we are still in Andalusia, so sunshine and high temperatures are guaranteed!
The main place to consider for a beach holiday is definitely Tarifa, the most famous town, which receives the most tourists and also the most easily accessible (it is less than two hours’ drive from Malaga airport). Going further afield, you will discover gems undiscovered by mass tourism, such as Zahara de los Atunes with its Playa del Cabo de la Plata, Barbate with its beautiful city beach, but also Conil de la Frontera and Matalascañas. They all share long, sandy, windswept, sun-drenched beaches and a hipster yet alternative vibe, in stark contrast to the all-inclusive resorts of Spain’s more emblazoned destinations.
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